HP Access Now Free of Charge, Available Through Resellers

HP Access’ discounts, software, services and training for small
business — previously available for $49 — is now being offered free
of charge to small business customers, both directly and through
channel partners.

HP channel partners can offer the program to their end customers who purchase HP products, according to the technology vendor.

To participate, customers request an access code and then receive an
e-mail from HP with the information and a link to the HP Access
Website. The program is available to new customers as well as those who
have purchased an HP product in the last 12 months. Customers who
purchase products from a channel partner will receive their access code
e-mail from the channel partner, HP says.  

“It’s a tough time for any small business right now and everyone is
looking for ways to save money while continuing to grow their
business,” says Fred Bullock, vice president of marketing in HP’s
Personal Systems Group, Americas, in a prepared statement. “By
combining HP’s strengths with those of select partners, we are pleased
to make it simple for our customers to save money immediately on things
that can benefit their businesses.”

HP Access’ the newly revamped Website provides a range of articles to help businesses with the following issues

• Starting a business
• Protecting what’s valuable
• Generating revenue
• Improving productivity
• Consolidating branch offices
• Greening a business

In addition, the site provides more than $1,000 worth of offers and discounts, including:

• Web design: The HP Access special price is $799 and provides businesses with a professional Website at an affordable price.
• Web domain hosting: HP is partnering with discount Yahoo Small Business for Web domain hosting at a discount.
• Credit card processing: A deal with Intuit provides a fee Intuit
  Credit Card Processing Kit, valued at $39.95, enabling transactions
  through major credit cards. The offer also includes a free software
  download from QuickBooks and QuickBooks Merchant Services for PCs that
  automatically enters the transaction into the accounting software.
• HP Secure Remote Access: HP is offering a 30-day trial of the
  service that the company says is a $249 value. Using Citrix XenApp
  Fundamentals, the remote access solution delivers Windows applications
  to users anywhere and on any device.
• Symantec Software Virtualization Solution (SVS) – one free license:
  This technology enables applications and data to be placed into managed
  units called Virtual Software Packages, enabling a business to
  instantly activate, deactivate or reset applications, to eliminate
  application conflicts, and to remove them cleanly without altering the
  base Windows installation, according to HP. The offer includes six
  months of Symantec basic maintenance and other exclusive rebates.
• Press release distribution: Designed to help increase visibility
  online, the free press release distribution from comes from PR Web and
  is valued at $80.

In addition, HP Access members are now eligible to receive a $50 to
$200 rebate on select server, storage and software products purchased
between July 1 and Oct. 31, 2009.

HP says that starting July 1 it will be refreshing the 2009 Trade-In
and Save program. That means that in addition to getting the HP Access
benefits, businesses will receive up to $1,000 cash back when
purchasing a qualifying HP printer and trading in an old printer. Free
recycling and shipping of the old printer are included.