Tag: PartnerOne

HP rejigs certifications again

HPHP has made some updates to its PartnerOne programme which it promises will make doing business with the company “easier” and “more predictable”.

There’s a range of specialisations in new areas, as well as more rebates to go along with its compensation model, better partner portal navigation, role based certs, and “a consistent membership structure”.

New specialisations include platinum for software and converged infrastructure, gold for cloud builder, Vertica, ServiceOne Enterprise, and ServiceOne Printing and Computing, while silver certs include Autonomy, Vertica, ServiceOne Enterprise, and Workstations in Printing & Personal Systems for EMEA.

HP insists that racking up ExpertOne certified sales will make partners more likely to close further deals. The company points out it slashed technical certifications by half and put together role based certs in their place, leading to less time out of the office for the courses.

Partners can now take a gander at rebate rates at every PartnerOne level on the partner portal, building on the compensation model introduced in June this year.

Other announcements include HP’s Cloud Partner Solution Navigator, to check up on details of partner specialities, and listing them for the customer to pick, particularly with cloud migration. Top partners will be promoted through an HP marketing campaign, which are to be listed by membership level on HP’s Global Partner Locator.

HP changes partner cert requirements

HPHP has updated its ParterOne programme, and it looks like a simplified model.

Certification requirements have been tinkered with across the board and in all regions.

Partners will get their compensation depending on membership status as well as regions, plus sales incentives for products and services.

It also looks like HP is going a little more liberal on certifications – with some areas such as the Enterprise Group having their certification requirements halved, from 44 to 22. ChannelEye has asked an HP spokesperson to clarify on other certification requirements.

We have asked HP if this announcement is to do with it changing its T&Cs and are waiting for a response.

In a statement, HP said the programme offers “predictability, simplicity and profitability”, and has been successful at helping partners bring in more revenue. It seems to be part of wider efforts to have each HP group more in common and horizontal.

*Update HP told us it modifies the PartnerOne Ts&Cs every year. Next year, HP says, changes to the program Ts&Cs will be told to partners at the time of the full 2014 program announcement in October 2013.

An HP spokesperson said that cert requirements are important to the PartnerOne Specialist designations “throughout all of HP’s “value” business”, which includes Software, Enterprise Group and parts of PPS.

The idea is that more partners will attend HP training and get certifications to, basically, become accredited to sell more kit across all the business units. It is cutting Enterprise group certifications from 44 to 22.

“We believe these competencies are a real value-add for our partners, as they allow them to differentiate themselves in the market,” the spokesperson said.