5 Ways Dell Technologies Is Transforming How It Works with Partners
Channel execs reveal a focus on partner experience, enablement, and being easier to work with.
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First, VP of global channel strategy Lukas Bedi (pictured on stage above) detailed Dell Technologies’ efforts to be easier to work with. In February, the company announced its was eliminating different benefits and requirements for different partner types. Instead, it is introducing one incentive structure, one tier structure and one set of tier requirements for all partners.
“Each of you here will have one status, [so] more transparent.” he told partners. “That’s one stepping stone in terms of how we are building our transformational journey.”
Also in the cards, he said, is a new global partner status to support companies’ cross-functional international business.
Darren Sullivan (pictured on stage above), SVP of global partner operations, said Dell is working to improve the partner experience (PX). He provided examples of work done so far, which includes automating the quoting process for partners.
“Our intent is to provide a competitive online price such that a partner can come in and do their own configuration, quote, without having to get anybody involved. [It’s an] instantaneous transaction with us,” he said.
Sullivan also said the vendor has “spent a lot of time and effort” around demand generation.
“How do we serve up information about our whitespace of customers that we haven’t penetrated in the past? How can we work together to identify those accounts and pursue them together? And then …provide a rich incentive for that?” he said.
Additionally, the vendor has rolled out new ways to initiate conversations around tech refresh with customers. Sullivan also said it has swapped its program incentives tool.
The execs outlined three specific strategies that partners can expect to see from the company.
The first is a move to tailored consumption, highlighted by the launch of its managed service offering, Apex.
“The way customers consume technology is moving to as-a-service,” said Bedi.
For partners, the exec said the opportunity hinged on choice.
“Do you prefer a referral, depending on your business model, or are you looking at resell? We just want to make sure that there is a foundation, a platform for partners and customers and that we can help them with their transformation journey.”
Second, Scott Sherman, director of sales strategy and alliances at Dell EMC, weighed in on the vendor’s efforts to align its solutions to industry.
“We’re going through ISVs and certifying various applications to be relevant in health care, manufacturing and retail,” he said.
Then, the third strategic pillar is multicloud enablement, he said.
“To make sure that regardless of the deployment mode, whether a sovereign solution, on or off-prem, or it’s public or edge, that Dell Technologies is relevant to every conversation.”
Sherman added that the company can only achieve that by working though partners.
Bedi also called for partners to work with one another to pursue untapped customer opportunities.
“Our partner ecosystem [is] a collection of different organisations with different selling motions, different go-to-market market models. Our job is to make an interconnected partner ecosystem, so we’ve invested heavily in it.”
He said Dell Technologies is currently working with partners to build out API integration and connecting systems.
“That allows you to start creating these connections across entities in any number of players that were working together. Taking Edge as an example, [these are] typically multi-partner engagements. Not every partner has the capabilities to deliver the complexity of an Edge solution. So how do we create a significant ecosystem where partners can find other partners who have certain capabilities to deliver and fill in gaps that they might have?
“I want our sales teams know what partners deliver and what type of capability so that we can go to market together. Building that connected ecosystem is a critical theme.”
Bedi also called for partners to work with one another to pursue untapped customer opportunities.
“Our partner ecosystem [is] a collection of different organisations with different selling motions, different go-to-market market models. Our job is to make an interconnected partner ecosystem, so we’ve invested heavily in it.”
He said Dell Technologies is currently working with partners to build out API integration and connecting systems.
“That allows you to start creating these connections across entities in any number of players that were working together. Taking Edge as an example, [these are] typically multi-partner engagements. Not every partner has the capabilities to deliver the complexity of an Edge solution. So how do we create a significant ecosystem where partners can find other partners who have certain capabilities to deliver and fill in gaps that they might have?
“I want our sales teams know what partners deliver and what type of capability so that we can go to market together. Building that connected ecosystem is a critical theme.”
DELL TECHNOLOGIES WORLD — Dell Technologies says it wants to transform how it works with channel partners.
The firm shared its plans at its Global Partner Summit during this week’s Dell Technologies World. The event is the vendor’s return to in-person events post-COVID.
The slideshow above highlights five changes Dell Technologies is making to its channel operations.
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