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UK:HP jumps on the value sales bandwagon
Vendor follows Xerox, Brother and Oki in encouraging resellers to offer managed print services contracts
HP
has outlined its imaging and printing channel strategy for the next 18
months and urged resellers to move from volume to value sales.According
to Neil Sawyer, enterprise marketing manager at the division, the
imaging and printing market has been in massive transition for 18
months, creating tough circumstances for the channel.“We want to move
resellers away from volume printer sales and into the value sales
market,” said Sawyer.Sawyer outlined a two-pronged strategy. First,
traditional printer resellers are to be invited to join the Office
Print programme. Second, HP will invite selected resellers to join its
Office Printing Solutions partner programme.Sawyer is particularly
enthusiastic about the latter. “This is where we will really work with
partners to transform their businesses. There is not much margin in
selling printers. But resellers could create value for their existing
clients by optimising their infrastructure.”Resellers should not be
merely selling printers, but document management and workflow systems
too, Sawyer argued.He added that he is keen to train resellers on how
to offer remote management of systems and selling the concept of
improved workflow.HP will be investing in creating demand for
these new reseller services too, he promised.“We need to build a
strategy to help customers change the way they operate. We want
resellers to fill this gap with smart printing services. At the same
time we are going to create a programme that helps IT resellers sell
managed print services contracts. Then you will be able to lock
customers into three- to five-year relationships,” he added.James
Kight, managing director of HP partner Printerland, applauded the move,
but warned that HP may be a little late to the table.“The value is
definitely in contracts and providing a service that means IT managers
can manage their costs more easily,” said Kight.“That’s what Xerox did.
Now Brother and Oki are going to try to offer something similar. If HP
can repeat the trick, that’s great. But it has some catching up to do.”
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