Today, HP Inc. unveiled HP Amplify, a first-of-its kind global channel partner program optimized to drive dynamic partner growth and deliver consistent end customer experiences. Built on a single, integrated structure, HP Amplify provides the insights, capabilities and collaboration tools needed to drive growth as digital transformation and customer purchasing behaviors continue to evolve. The new program goes into effect November 1, 2020 for commercial partners with retail partners slated to transition in the second half of 2021.
By consolidating HP’s best partner products, tools and trainings into one intuitive program, HP Amplify removes complexity, making it easier for partners to take advantage of its many benefits and engage customers on a deeper level. Now comprised of just two distinct tracks – Synergy and Power – with clear compensation levels, HP Amplify provides partners with the flexibility to invest in value-added services and capabilities. The more a partner invests in these capabilities, the higher the rewards.
Experiences at the Speed of Digital
Customers have dramatically altered how they research and buy technology and how they engage with brands, buying more products and services through digital channels, such as e-commerce, partner portals and marketplaces. At the same time, technology and digital transformation are advancing at an astounding pace while business models are shifting from simple transactions focused on selling products to contractual relationships.
For the IT industry overall, and the channel specifically, it means business as usual is no longer an option. With the introduction of HP Amplify, HP is taking decisive actions to capitalize on these shifts, arming partners for future growth and to deliver a more satisfying customer experience.
Performance, Capabilities & Collaboration
Designed to enable progressive go-to-market strategies that cater to a combination of transactional, contractual and hybrid selling models, HP Amplify focuses on three core pillars: performance, capabilities and collaboration.
Performance
As the traditional sales model has been upended, so too has the traditional channel compensation model. While the new program will continue to reward partners based on goals and volume, HP Amplify features an innovative measurement and reward system that accounts for the many strategic efforts partners employ throughout the holistic sales process, from registration volume to average sales value and account retention.
Capabilities
Beyond sales revenue alone, HP Amplify measures rewards based on new capabilities, including investing in and improving digital skills, service delivery capabilities, e-commerce/omnichannel experiences and secure data collaboration.
Capabilities will be specialized and tailored to the sectors customers operate within, creating more personalized experiences and driving invaluable outcomes. HP Amplify rewards partners who invest in the capabilities to compete – and win – in a world dominated by e-commerce and digital-led customer journeys and experiences. The more capabilities around secure data collection, routes to market, services and specializations, the more access and benefits partners will receive.
Collaboration
Collaboration between HP and its partners is critical to our shared success. HP Amplify is designed to turn data analytics into deeper insights that inspire new strategies and steer innovation. HP will collaborate closely with partners to hone their digital skills, such as automated quotes and ordering, to provide a more consistent customer experience across multiple channels and equip partners with valuable research on the most important pain points in the customer journey.
Armed with this added opt-in customer intelligence, partners will have more of a competitive edge, with the intrinsic ability to anticipate and enable more positive customer outcomes. As a result, partners will be able to serve customers more seamlessly through automated inventory updates, product returns and holistic data intelligence. These experiences will continue to build upon the long- standing bonds between customers, partners and HP.
HP Amplify Impact
HP’s dedication to sustainable impact through technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere has long been integral to its business strategy and operations. Together, HP and its partners can make a lasting difference by acting in lockstep to further fuel innovation and growth in these areas. For this reason, as an extension of the company’s new global program, HP is introducing HP Amplify Impact, inviting all partners to join HP in its pledge to address:
- Planet: Working toward a circular, low-carbon economy
- People: Respecting human rights, enable people across the value chain to thrive; and cultivate a diverse and inclusive culture
- Community: Unlocking educational and economic opportunity while improving the vitality and resilience of local communities
For partners who choose to join this opt-in pledge, HP will provide training and support, and help identify potential gaps in the goals partners wish to set and provide guidance on how to achieve those goals. HP will provide more details closer to the launch of HP Amplify on November 1, 2020.
Russian Hacker Group Accused Of Targeting COVID-19 Vaccine Research In Canada, U.S. and U.K
Posted in Commentary with tags Darktrace, hack, Russia on July 16, 2020 by itnerdGiven the times that we live in, a vaccine is the top thing the planet must do in terms of getting the planet out of the COVID-19 pandemic. So it doesn’t exactly come as a shock that research into a vaccine is a target for hackers that belong to nation states. Case in point is the news that Russian hackers have targeted COVID-19 research:
A hacker group “almost certainly” backed by Russia has tried to steal COVID-19-related vaccine research in Canada, the U.K. and the U.S., according to intelligence agencies in all three countries.
The Communications Security Establishment (CSE), responsible for Canada’s foreign signals intelligence, said APT29 — also known as Cozy Bear and the Dukes — is behind the malicious activity.
The group was accused of hacking the Democratic National Committee before the 2016 U.S. election.
The group “almost certainly operates as part of Russian intelligence services,” the CSE said in a statement released Thursday morning in co-ordination with its international counterparts — an allegation the Kremlin immediately denied.
No shock that the Kremlin denies this as I am sure that nation sates don’t want to be associated with the activities of the hacker groups that they covertly sponsor as it gives them plausible deniability. This is important because Russia has a history of stealing intellectual property. David Masson, Director of Enterprise Security, Darktrace goes into more details about that:
The Soviet Union, and now its successor Russia, has a long and established history of stealing other countries’ intellectual property in order to satisfy national interests. In this instance, we are being warned about an APT (APT 29) linked to the Russian Intelligence Services using cyber-attacks to obtain information on COVID-19 research from medical organizations around the world. Given the recent warning from the US/UK and Canada combined, we can consider that these three countries have been victims of such attacks.
Russia is also facing the effects of this global pandemic and will be seeking “help” in order to deal with it now and in the future. Trying to gain an advantage in the fight against COVID-19 could well lead to theft of research from around the world in order to avoid otherwise necessary investment in time, money and effort (which may not be available). In the modern era, cyber-attacks have proven to be a very cost-effective way of obtaining information that may well be very difficult to get ahold of by other means. Currently the crown jewels in the COVID-19 fight will be a vaccine, so information and research on this subject are extremely valuable.
Medical research organisations, especially those working in academia often operate in a climate of trust and collaboration and will be seen as easy targets by groups such as APT29 who will exploit this. We can expect further attacks and further warnings as the pandemic wears on.
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