HPE has unveiled a host of enhancements to its HPE Partner Ready Programme, which the firm says will help partners advance on their as a service journey and drive sales growth in the SMB segment.
Announcing the additions, HPE said the revamped initiative has been designed to provide partners with a profitable compensation model, alongside access to financial resources and enablement opportunities during the fiscal year 2021.
Available now, the programme offers a "unique, personalised approach to learning" to help businesses differentiate themselves in increasingly competitive markets over the next twelve months, the firm said.
"Each year we design our Partner Ready Programme using partner feedback, thus providing our channel with an unmatched combination of sales and field enablement, and financial incentives and rewards, to help them drive joint success with HPE," commented George Hope, Worldwide Head of Partner Sales at HPE.
Today, almost 70% of HPE’s annual sales come through its channel ecosystem, which is made up of over 80,000 partners worldwide.
These businesses can now access new AI-powered proposals and robotic process automation (RPA) to streamline and simplify the deals cycle. With the Primary Storage Opportunity Engine (PSOE), partners can develop proposals containing an approved quote, sizing and performance data, associated Infosight intelligence, and more.
HPE FlexOffers also improves the purchase experience to allow partners to create customised built-to-order (BTO) product configurations at bundled-discount pricing, dispatched from distribution inventory. The addition will be built into the firm’s quoting tool iQuote.
Sales certifications in the new HPE Sales Pro Learning Center have also been bolstered to provide a more efficient and intuitive experience, HPE said, while the HPE demo program now includes new demo options, easier access to the HPE portfolio and allows partners to purchase their own demo equipment at “steep” discounts.
In terms of as a service enablement, the firm has also extended options related to HPE GreenLake with a new introduction and business planning workshop. Designed to help partners assess their as a service strategy, the workshop offers consultative sessions with HPE GreenLake transformation experts who advise on growth opportunities and GreenLake integration.
The HPE Partner Programme also maintains one of the most competitive compensation models, the company added, rewarding partners with 3-5x higher compensation for sales on strategic business areas – such as HPE GreenLake, the HPE Ezmeral Software Portfolio and the HPE Storage Portfolio.
Additionally, HPE has made improvements to its SMB initiatives, including benefits and price protection for "new logo" deals and expanded co-selling opportunities. There are also new promotions and rewards for partners through geography-specific incentives and bonuses via the loyalty and incentive program HPE Engage & Grow.
"HPE’s as a service strategy is establishing incredible traction through our channel, and so it remains critical to bolster our partners with the strongest program framework and breadth of opportunities to optimise their experience, help them establish differentiation and grow their expertise," Hope added.
