Dell reduces obstacles in partner route to gold

Dell Technologies has revealed the changes it will make to its channel programme this year with the vendor looking to make it easier for partners to achieve gold status.

In an update to partners the firm's president global channels, OEM and IoT solutions Joyce Mullen said that there would not be any dramatic changes but it had listened to partner feedback and was making enhancements to the existing programme.

"You shouldn't see or expect major changes, just improvements and refinements in the areas that you told us where most important to you," she said.

Most of the changes concern the requirements that partners need to gain to move up the tiers of the Dell partner programe and the simplifying of rebate processes.

Darren Sullivan, senior vice president, global partner strategy and business operations at Dell, said that the benefits of the programme would remain consistent but it had chosen to make enhancements based on feedback.

The vendor has gold, platinum and titanium tiers which channel partners can reach by gaining revenue, training and services targets.

Last year Dell made it straightforward with gold requiring one training competency, platinum two and titanium three. Sullivan said it was now going further reducing the number of staff that needed to have been trained by half for those going for gold. That now means only one sales and system engineer has to get trained up to hit the requirements.

"We have heard you loud and clear and we hope this change allows more partners to achieve gold standard and financial benefits," he said.

On the revenue front the vendor has removed the need to sell multiple lines of business and reduced it down to a single path that makes it easier to rank up the tiers.

The firm has also removed the need to register new business to get rebates and the firm would track and apply the benefits automatically.

Distribution is also being encouraged to push more authorised partners to become gold with the vendor making it clear it will reward that ambition. 

Jim DeFoe, senior vice president, Global Distribution at Dell, said that it would be making sure that the push to gold was supported by its distie partners.

"We have readjusted our rebate programme to better align with what we are asking you to do, drive business with our important base of authorised and gold partners," he said.

"We are rolling out a formal distributor competency programme where we will help protect the investments in partners. You will maintain any benefits for partners that move up to a higher tier in the programme. We want you to help grow these partners and we want to reward you for doing it," he added.