HP opens up services to partners

Launch of ServiceOne programme will give VARs access to consultancy and annuity sales streams

HP is opening up its high-end services to partners and claims it can negate the perception that it is not channel-friendly in the services arena.

The vendor's services proposition for the channel has long consisted of little more than sales of its Care Pack extended warranty programme. But, with the global launch of the ServiceOne programme on 1 November, partners can begin to push into HP's portfolio of annuity and consultancy services.

Speaking to ChannelWeb, Paul Early, channel manager at HP technology services UK, said: "We are creating another step function that allows partners to do things they have always wanted to do in an HP environment, that maybe some of our competitors allow them to do."

The ServiceOne programme will feature two levels: Specialist and Expert, the latter of which will cover high-end services provision. Early explained that HP also intends to lower the entry barriers to encourage partners to join at Specialist level.

Currently, to get onto the HP services channel scheme partners need a services-to-product sales ratio about 20 per cent higher than the average in their home country.

"From a smaller partner's perspective, we are going to lower the gates to get in," said Early.

HP currently transacts about $150m (£95m) worth of indirect services business a year in the UK, according to Early.

"[In terms of] growth percentage, there is probably another 25 per cent we are not reaching yet because we are constrained with the [channel] programme," he added.

There will be no structured programme to migrate existing direct services contracts and customers towards partners. But the vendor will keep an open mind and endeavour to work around enterprise clients' preferences, explained Early.

"We will be pragmatic on what makes sense," he added. "If a customer says ‘we enjoy working with this partner', we will not flinch away from that."