News release

Compaq Announces Greater Support, Improved Quality and Increased ROI for Services Partners

Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ) today announced enhancements to its popular Compaq Services Network, a Web-based management system for partners. The system gives partners greater flexibility in providing support to customers, while at the same time simplifying processes.

Enhancements include upgrades to Electronic CarePaq Services and improved part ordering and claims functionality, online support services, sales training and enhanced links to financing via Compaq Financial Services.

"Partners are a vital piece of our Global Services initiatives around the world," said Jo Ann Andry, director, Global Channel Services, Compaq Global Services. "These new and improved offerings give our partners the opportunity to offer their customers the most efficient and effective support services Compaq has to offer."

"We use the Compaq Services Network every day," said Rocco Passafuime, vice president of Professional Services at Jade Systems Corporation. "It's a very well-designed site, which makes it quick and easy for our people to identify the solution that is specific to a particular Compaq server or desktop system.

"CarePaq Services enable us to provide services directly, with full support from Compaq. It lets us offer our customers the personal service of a small company combined with the comfort level available from a large company. For them, that's the best of both worlds."

Specifically, the newly enhanced functionality includes:

Electronic CarePaq Services

Electronic CarePaq Services provide an online version of Compaq's popular packaged services—enabling partners to reduce costs by eliminating the need to stock CarePaq Services boxes.

Key enhancements include a North America rollout of the ordering functionality, including certificate number generation of orders booked into the Compaq Services Network and EDI orders (directly into SAP). In Europe, new functionality will include the dispatch of registration certificates to customers through an e-mail with hyperlinked URL. Electronic CarePaq Services provide customers with a simple services purchase.

Order Entry & Electronic Claims

This streamlined process enables partners to enter spare part orders and submit warranty claims to Compaq online—virtually eliminating manual record keeping. Enhancements include safety stock restrictions on standard sales orders, ensuring that Compaq has adequate parts inventory to supply warranty events. Compaq will also provide the ability to search Electronic Claims by Service Return Status, giving partners a more accurate assessment of the warranty of the unit being repaired. New Part Flash messaging will give the partner an informational message when ordering a part, enabling them to better meet customer needs more quickly. Finally, additional warranty rejection codes will give partners an explanation as to why their warranty was rejected on a claim.

Sales Training

Web-based training enables partners to easily obtain the knowledge and skills they need to sell both foundational and business critical services. This self-paced training complements Compaq's face-to-face training offerings.

Partner Diagnose Before Dispatch

This functionality gives partners services information to aid in solving customer issues over the phone. Enhancements include improved input of search criteria—including serial number and/or product family, subsystem, operating system, and component pieces. In addition, the new serial number lookup provides past repair history for a particular product. Finally, an expanded list of possible documents returned on information searches (including user guides, service bulletins, etc.) provides a broader array of technical information to partners.

Compaq Financial Services

Enhancements include links to financing via the Compaq Financial Services site on Compaq.com—giving partners increased hardware, software and services sales via a comprehensive suite of financial resources. This enables them to close more sales and expedite credit decisions.

Batch Claims

This new functionality will allow partners to implement B2B technology to submit warranty claims—reducing administrative costs and increasing data accuracy of the warranty claim process.

Discovery Tool

This strategic online sales tool for consultative and collaborative selling supports high-level sales engagements and lowers the cost of selling for partners. The tool leverages information from Compaq Global Services' sales force to prepare for, introduce and conduct a collaborative sales call. Enhancements to the tool include updated service sales information and additional information to assist in the sales call.

Company Background

Founded in 1982, Compaq Computer Corporation ("Compaq") is a leading global provider of enterprise technology and solutions. Compaq designs, develops, manufactures and markets hardware, software, solutions and services, including industry-leading enterprise storage and computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, communication products, and desktop and portable personal computers that are sold in more than 200 countries. Information on Compaq and its products and services is available at http://www.compaq.com.