Dell EMC launches Enterprise Preferred Channel Programme

Dell EMC has launched a new enterprise partner programme that promises will deliver “more predictability in engagements, more front-end margins and more speed and simplicity around quotes and deal registration.”

Announced in a blog post to partners, Dell EMC’s channel chief Joyce Mullen, said the Enterprise Preferred Channel Programme aims to simplify its sales engagement and be more prescriptive about how its sales teams and partners work together.

“We’re looking at ways for how we can incentivise and support our partners as they engage with us on these large enterprise opportunities,” Dell EMC’s UK&I VP of sales, Sarah Shields told Microscope.

“We’re looking at closer, deeper relationships with sales teams, a more managed way of working together through strategic account planning, access to technology, additional financial reward and working more collaboratively.”

Programme features

Mullen announced several programme features, including a dedicated channel team to support sales engagement in Enterprise Preferred accounts.

Th exec also said Dell EMC was giving partners “the greater front-end margin they asked for”, offering a new ‘acquisition’ deal registration with an incremental discount tied to it for eligible storage opportunities.

Accompanying this will be a “compensation uplift” for Dell EMC sales teams to protect their commission on these accounts and encourage Enterprise Preferred sellers “to work closely and scale with our partners.”

Mullen also promised more collaboration with partners to provide “clarity to everyone involved” and help focus the company’s efforts in the right places.

Finally, the vendor is offering more formal protection for partners through an earned partner of record model, available in certain whitespace accounts within the Enterprise Preferred segment for either Storage or Infrastructure Solutions (ISG) lines of business (Storage, Server, and Networking).

“For our partners who earn partner of record status for all of ISG, this means they will truly own the datacenter in that account,” said Mullen.

The announcement follows Mullen’s comments at Dell’s Global Partner Summit in May when she vowed to make it easier for partners to work with the IT giant.

She added that the vendor is “exploring the possibility” of applying a similar programme to its Commercial segment later this year.

 EMEA plans

Shields will head up the programme in Europe after recently stepping into the newly-created position of VP of enterprise channel. (Shields revealed that her UK& I replacement has been chosen but is yet to be is announced.)

“It gives me an opportunity to build this programme from the ground up, which is what I love,” said Shields, who will be working directly with Dell EMC EMEA president, Adrian McDonald.

There will be specialist teams for the programme in each European country, said Shields, with national account manager Nick Gain overseeing UK operations.

Shields added that Dell EMC is “hiring like mad” in both the UK and Europe, including partner account managers, a sales director, internal salespeople, and presales engineers.

“We need to continue to grow and outpace the market; it’s all about major lines of business,” she said, adding that it is her next mission is to gain the ground in the mid-range storage market.

“We have a cracking line-up now and a first-class channel programme and I want my market share back there,” she said. “We have an opportunity to show the channel we are committed, we are loyal and absolutely channel-friendly. And the financial reward we offer the channel right now is world-class.”