The world is undergoing a level of change that is unprecedented in my lifetime. Those things that were normal at the beginning of the year including how we great each other, where and how we eat, how we interact, where we work and learn, and even how we entertain ourselves, seem like a vague memory. There is a high likelihood that much of what has been changed won’t be changed back, and both small and large companies are at risk of becoming obsolete as entire industries evolve or die.
HP, which tends to treat their partners like family, realized that their survival was tied to the success of those partners’ hands that have significantly enhanced their partnership program. These enhancements are designed to help their partners evolve to deal with this new and ever-changing normal.
Let’s talk about HP Amplify and how it sets the bar for partner programs in tech.
The New World Order
The technology market’s sales and service process, before the COVID-19 pandemic, was defined by in-person engagements. Sales calls, large and small events, even service calls were primarily done in person. And that entire model died this year. Now 92% of potential buyers are doing their research for new products and services on-line. 70% of firms are undergoing massive digital transformations and looking for vendors that can help them transform, likely significantly favoring those that have already transformed themselves. Over 90% of buyers now prefer to buy on-line partially due to the need to reduce infection risks, but also because they are mainly working remotely, making in-person visits problematic.
Data is now the new currency tying partners to their customers and individual users. This data provides critical information on unmet needs, problems, and unique requirements that end customers and their partners need to address. The world is demanding an easy to use digital-first experience, and those firms, and their partners, that can’t step up are likely to be left behind.
HP Amplify Partner Program
The program revolves around the concept of a powerful end customer experience. HP is providing resources and systems to assist partners with deeper engagements connected to a better understanding of customers and projects. The program is designed to provide global simplification from the partner through HP’s products and services. It is intended to create and drive more positive customer experience and boost outcome-based engagement while rewarding partners for their value-added capabilities while accelerating digital transformation. There are two primary tracks for the partners: Synergy targeted at most partners and Power, which more tightly integrates the partner with HP’s systems and people.
Synergy has minimal entry requirements, a standard set of benefits, and resources focused on the partners’ specializations.
Power has far more collaboration on future products and services; it is much more invasive with a focus on turning the partner into an on-line powerhouse far more prepared to deal with the emerging virtual digital world.
Both programs have common elements of data-driven resource enhancements to make those partners participating more efficient and profitable.
The key takeaway is that HP is committing significant resources to assure their partners are uniquely enhanced so that they are better prepared for the changes we have seen and those yet to come.
Wrapping Up
Most large companies have partner programs that are often in conflict with their direct sales efforts. At HP, they are famous for treating their partners like family and providing those partners with the resources they need to succeed. This latest enhancement branded “Amplify,” goes well beyond the normal by recognizing the unique value of these partners and assuring that they are more than capable of transitioning to the new normal.
If there is a definitive bar for partner programs, HP Amplify arguably set it. The HP Amplify Partner program is the way partner programs should work because only by increasing the capabilities of partners can a company using a partner channel fully assure that channel will positively evolve to survive in the new normal.
