HP to streamline its claim settlement processes

Aimed at simplifying its claim settlement procedures Hewlett Packard is all
set to overhaul its entire claim process. By second half of this year all
incentive related practices would be automated by the vendor, which according to
the claims made by HP would make things easier for its most valuable asset i.e
channel partners.

While HPs consumer sales side of business associates were already taking
leverage of the online claim settlement processes; now with the new practice
coming into force the commercial channel partners of the vendor would also
become eligible for obtaining their incentive share faster. Concurrently, the
incentive disbursement cycle will also be shortened to 130 days from the date of
ending of the scheme program. Sameer Mathur, Head-Solutions Partner
Organization, HP explained, “Claims settlement always remain a very cumbersome
exercise and the scenario blowsout of proposition for us since HP deals in
plethora of product categories. Addition-ally delaying claim settlement
doesn't help the cause of business growth by any measures. Under our new
initiative we will try to make all our claim proceedings invoice less and
incentives would be paid as per the database of partners available with the
distributors which would work as the fundamental bible for releasing partner
payments.”

However, Mathur maintained that HP is making an effort to settle down all
past partner claims at the earliest. He also informed that DOA (dead on arrival)
issues will also be given due consideration which is another issue that troubles
tier two partners often. Currently HP's total partner headcount is
approximately 3,000. While the vendor is working with across 1,450 partners on
direct bases (partner's which are registered with the vendor for its consumer
and commercial divisions) while rest 1,550 work with it on as and when basis.

Among other initiatives on which HP is contemplating to exert greater
momentum during this year are the partner's sales personnel training programs
and devising innovative incentive schemes for them. Mathur corroborated, “We
at HP are fueling lot of revenue for strengthening our partners sales team.”

Under HP's recently concluded partner sales people incentive program six
people have qualified for an Alto car while several others had grabbed cash
vouchers and other prizes.

Mathur emphasized on the need of re-tailoring of sales and product training
programs for partner's in B and C class towns, as the training sessions
conducted in upcountry towns in its current avatar is not meeting partners
expectations. He explained, “Our training programs in their current format
sometimes miss out to explain the technicality of products to upcountry city
partners, hence from now onwards we will try to restructure our training program
for these partners in the regional flavors. We will also install incremental
resources for these partners in the form of deploying dedicated partners to
interact with them constantly.”

Mathur also stressed upon the value of accessories business and how partners
could earn extra bucks by selling them. He described HP and its accessories
business akin to that of McDonald's wherein the latter is making more money
out of associated products like french fries and vanilla ice cream than from its
burgers.

Anjali Choudhary New Delhi, May 4