Westcoast and HP team up in SMB drive

Duo launches flexible pricing and configuration programme designed to simplify the buying process for VARs

Westcoast has launched an SMB sales drive in partnership with HP to encourage more sales in the sector.

Under the initiative, Westcoast will provide resellers selling to the SMB market with a dedicated Solutions Store, which it claims will allow them to easily configure popular SMB IT solutions.

The solutions will focus initially on virtualisation, Microsoft Exchange and backup and feature products from across the HP product portfolio.

According to Westcoast, the more products a reseller configures, the better pricing they will receive.

On top of the configuration element, the Westcoast Solutions Store will also allow a reseller to request a better price on HP server, storage and networking products when they have an HP competitive quote, and all bids will be responded to within four working hours.

The distributor plans to incorporate solutions covering PC and printer products over time.

Duncan Forsyth, managing director of Westcoast, said: “We see this as a really positive and aggressive move from HP.

"The feedback from resellers was that they needed a pricing structure and tool that would provide them with instant, consistent pricing and the Westcoast Solutions Store does this.

"We believe that this new way of purchasing will accelerate HP sales into resellers servicing the 4.9 million UK SMBs.”

Forsyth added: “To ensure resellers have everything they need, we have created a community for resellers to sign up to that will provide them with exclusive benefits like MDF, training, SMB leads, exclusive incentives and a host of other selling and rewards tools."

Paul Hunter, vice president for printer and personal systems at HP, said: “Westcoast has consistently worked with HP to come up with new and innovative ways to help their resellers buy HP product.

"This new venture, specifically for those resellers who address the SMB market, will significantly enhance the purchasing experience by providing the right solution at the right price immediately.”