HP IPG boss looks for more channel input

HP’s Imaging and Printing Group (IPG) will open up more enterprise accounts to partners and has increased sales headcount in an effort to grow its print management solutions channel.

Recently appointed vice-president IPG South Pacific, Richard Bailey, said it has brought on five dedicated field sales staff to assist partners provide cost-per-page offerings to customers. The new recruits are also tasked with building up skills in its mid-tier.

HP is also planning to give partners more access to direct enterprise accounts listed in its IPG rules of engagement. Bailey wouldn’t be drawn on how many customer accounts – mainly organisations with over 500 seats – would be made available.

“We looked at the total portfolio of enterprise customers and provided a percentage of those to partners to drive more business,” he said.

HP is aiming to double the number of Office Print Solutions (OPS) specialist partners delivering holistic document management solutions, as well as increase the number of mid-tier resellers with specialist skills five-fold. The vendor has nine direct OPS partners including Data#3 and Imagetec.

“We have led the way with managed print solutions and done that largely on a direct basis,” Bailey said. “What we are working on is doing more business through the channel and ensuring partners are providing these solutions.

“We have a number of OPS [direct] partners, and a lot of in-between partners across the rest of the channel. Some provide print management solutions to customers using select services from HP.”

For example, Bailey said some partners were equipped to provide billing services, while others fulfilled servicing agreements.

“We want to encourage partners to specialise – they can choose the level they want to work on and grow revenue as they go up the chain,” he said.

Bailey took over the IPG reins in October and replaced Shane Lucas, who stepped down from the role after six months. At the same time, the vendor restructured the business into three divisions: Graphic solutions, inkjet and Web Solutions and LaserJet and enterprise solutions new.

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