Here in the Pacific Northwest, HP has re-organized the sales force to better
serve the customer base.  After reading some of the traffic regarding the and
the sales reps, I thought I'd post this and give you a thumb nail sketch as to
what HP is doing here.

HP is again, going to a Vertical Market postion, concentrating on the areas
where they can win.  State/Local Govt is one area, Large Accounts another.

As for the general "install base" population (here in the Pacific Northwest),
our inside and outside sales reps have changed.  HP will have their inside sales
reps call into the install base of HP3000 and HP9000 to see what they can do as
it relates to upgrades, migrations, etc.

We will have (2) outside sales reps concentrating on the install base as well.

Granted, HP is moving more business to their channel partners as a way of
leveraging their sales force and providing more HP representation.  Here in the
Oregon/Washington area, we've always had a strong relationship with the HP sales
reps.  This year, the comp plan for HP reps makes it easier to work with the
channel partners.

Don't be suprised if you get a new HP sales rep calling and introducing you.
They might even bring along a channel partner (VAR) to assist.

Hey, it's 1997 for HP and this is a whole new ballgame.  The big threat that I
see if the NT Server market and the chipping away from the installation base of
HP3000 and HP9000.  Many software vendors are porting to NT and providing a
great many incentives to move from a older system to the latest in NT hype and
hoopla.

Comments, concerns, questions?

Curt Tueffert
Hawthorne Computer Center
Portland / Seattle
HP Client Server Integrator
www.hcci.com