HP Set To Launch Concierge Service For Partners

HP Director of Americas Channel Marketing Matt Smith Tuesday announced the new Concierge Service in a keynote address at the XChange 2012 Conference at the Gaylord Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

Smith described the Concierge service as a website portal that will act as a “social interface” for partners to get real-time information on sales programs and initiatives with live phone and chat capabilities.

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“This is just days away,” he told CRN. “It gives partners the ability to communicate any way they want, via phone, email or chat, to a stable and consistent team. No longer should partners be able to say: ‘I don’t know who to talk to. I don’t know the details of a program.’ You have a chat, phone and email all cabled to the same organization. This is a one-stop shop.”

Smith said partners will be able to get information on the Concierge Services once it is open from the HP Partner Portal. He promised that the Concierge team will be able to answer questions for partners on the breadth and scope of HP’s products, solutions, programs and coverage.

“This has been a huge massive investment,” said Smith. “It is a new IT supported infrastructure with a portal to chat capabilities and new resources to manage and support this.”

HP has even customized the Concierge Service to specific partner communities including Ingram Micro’s VentureTech network, the Synnex VARnex network and Tech Data’s TechSelect community.

Q.D. Duke Burge Jr., founder and principal owner of Computer Solutions Inc., a Waxahachie, Texas-based HP partner, said he sees the new Concierge Service as a breakthrough offering for partners.

“Now we have one place we can call to get help,” he said. “HP is a very large organization, but they are trying to behave in a more personal manner.”

Burge praised HP for its longtime commitment to its partners. “Their focus on partners has always been one of their strengths,” said Burge, who expects his HP business to be up about 40 percent this year. “Their focus on partners is absolutely as strong as it ever was.”

PUBLISHED AUG. 21, 2012