HP partners to entice SMEs

In a massive shake-up of its small to medium sized enterprise services, Hewlett Packard is to work with third-party vendors and use accredited bespoke software designed by resellers, according to newly appointed HP small-business manager David Smith.

In a massive shake-up of its small to medium sized enterprise (SME) services, Hewlett Packard (HP) is to work with third-party vendors and use accredited bespoke software designed by resellers, according to newly appointed HP small-business manager David Smith.

Smith, who replaced Bill Hill this month, admitted that HP was unable to offer more end-to-end solutions using just its own products.

The company has therefore established relationships with BT, Microsoft, IBM, Intel and Lotus, among others, to add connectivity, software and hardware options to its channel base.

HP said it will be able to accredit its partners with these companies and negotiate rates on their behalf. Around 10 new solutions based on these relationships will be available in November.

Resellers who design their own programs, or customise existing software for specialist markets, will also have the option to submit them to HP for testing and accreditation.

"Currently, 66 per cent of UK businesses have internet access, and that is set to increase by 23 per cent in the next six months. We have to make sure our products and services are of a very high standard to capitalise on that," said Smith. "HP realises that it does not have products in every area to compete. For resellers in particular, getting their software accredited by HP would add a lot of credibility."

Other services include the distribution of 'byte-size' leaflets made available to channel partners to pass on to customers giving breakdowns of HP product benefits and solution offerings. Examples of large product installations on DVD will also be issued to help resellers describe integration processes to potential buyers.

Dan Hitchin, product manager at HP reseller Basillica, said the scheme will help SME resellers. However, he noted that the decision to partner third-party vendors may have been brought about by Hill's reseller-funded group Office Centre Central.

"Hill's company partners with HP Office Centre partners but offers products outside of HP. This could be a response," he said.

Separately, HP has announced that Partners in IT, an independent HP-only IT services company with more than 50 consultants, will launch next month. It will specialise in implementing HP's Openview software.

But HP representative Paul Collier said it was unclear how HP will avoid conflict with Partners in IT after the expected completion of an $18bn (£12.8bn) deal for the IT consultancy arm of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

First published in Computer Reseller News