Dell encourages direct customers into the channel

Canalys Forum EuropeDell’s new partner-first strategy includes paying direct sales reps to encourage customers to buy storage products through the channel.

Under the plan Dell reps are going to look at their comp plan and see, ‘I make X if I sell it directly. I make X-plus if I sell it through a partner.

Bill Scannell, president of global sales and customer operations with Dell Technologies said this should encourage direct sales teams to call up their favourite partners to work together on projects.

Included in the new programme are PowerMax, PowerFlex, PowerStore, PowerScale as well as hyperconverged and converged products, security storage products, all of what Scannell said Dell Technologies calls ‘Big S’.

The move has been welcomed as a stroke of genius by the channel as it encourages both sides to work together closely.

In a statement Michael Dell hailed the move as proof that the company’s investment in partnerships runs deep.

“We have decades of experience working with our partner community to accelerate transformation for customers,” he said.

“The ‘partner-first strategy for storage’ extends our partner commitment and unites the strengths of our partners with the advantages of our world-class team and solutions.”