Dare to be different in HP realignment

In an attempt to streamline its channel sales arm and hone its solution sales approach, HP is realigning its partner-facing channel team into a single entity, to be known as the Solution Partner Organisation (SPO).

SPO will be headed up by Martin Dare, who’s been appointed director of sales.

In the newly created position, Dare will work alongside Paul Robson, who heads up the channel marketing team for the personal systems group (PSG).

Dare has been with HP for four years, and was most recently the NSW enterprise sales manager. His new role will be mainly focused on the strategic development of HP’s channel partners.

“His ongoing leadership will add a significant dimension to HP’s channel engagement and ensure that HP continues to foster strong, long-term relationships with its channel partners,” said Tony Bill, vice-president and general manager, personal systems group.

The vendor was still in the consultation process with partners as it worked to bring the new SPO structure to life by May 1.

The creation of SPO was intended to simplify partner communication with HP by providing a single point of contact for information and resources across multiple business units, Dare said.

The new approach would also help HP to better equip partners to make solution sales, a key target for growing sales for both the vendor and its partners, he said.

Under the new structure, HP hoped to help partners take advantage of opportunities in storage and high-end server solutions and services, Dare said.

“SPO is about combining a series of business units into a palette for partners to choose from,” he explained.

“There are opportunities to wrap services around those and build programs that will create pull for our channel partners.”

While striving to provide a single point of contact for partners, HP would train up its staff to be able to present a broader range of products and solutions, he said.

“In many instances our partner development managers have been doing this in an ad hoc way already,” Dare said.

The new channel alignment mirrors a global move by HP to unify its channel strategy, and bring its commercial and enterprise units under one banner.

HP chairman and CEO, Carly Fiorina, unveiled the new channel structure at its American partner conference last month.