Christmas 2009 for Personal Systems Group
Challenge
To maintain and grow sales of HP notebooks in a keenly competitive arena. With the advent of a demanding, flexible, mobile workforce competition for laptop computer sales is fiercer than ever. As a purchase driven by price, the mobile computing market has also borne the brunt of the tough economic climate with manufacturers like HP forced to deploy every weapon in its marketing armoury to seize sales and maintain position.
Solution
For HP to prosper under these market conditions, our Account Manager knew something special would be required of the HP brand representatives. So, we took a core team of 80 staff through robust product training on the HP family of Netbooks and Notebooks at our state-of-the-art Channel Academy facility. Significantly, we also provided every individual with an intensive, bespoke programme of personal skills training to develop their self-awareness and personal effectiveness, amongst other skills. Armed with this enhanced learning, our HP brand ambassadors became confident, persuasive and adept at addressing consumer needs and objections to purchasing HP products over cheaper competitors.
Result
As a result of this fresh approach to brand representation, sales of HP's high-value Notebooks prospered. Despite lower-value Netbook sales dominating sales and accounting for over 90% of total laptop sales over the Christmas trading period, in stores supported by our super-strength brand ambassadors sales transactions of units over £500 averaged 37% across the estate, thanks to highly-effective product demonstrations and a better level of customer engagement.
