In a move to make the Dell-VMware channel partnership tighter than ever before, Dell partners can now transact VMware licensing deals directly though the revamped 2021 Dell Technologies Partner Program.
The infrastructure giant launched its revamped 2021 Dell Technologies Partner Program on Wednesday in the US. One of the major highlights in the new program is providing Dell Titanium and Platinum tiered partners the ability to transact VMware licensing directly through the program with an aligned based rebate.
Locally, Dell's ANZ channel chief Shant Soghomonian told CRN that the changes were all about predictability for partners when working across the US$92 billion tech giant's broad product portfolio.
"What partners can expect from the Dell Technologies FY22 Partner Program is consistency in the program, with small changes that focus on developing new opportunities for partners, growth and profitability for their business," he said.
In an interview with CRN US, Dell's global channel chief Rola Dagher said the new VMware sales option erases many of the restrictions previously in place for partners wanting to sell VMware through Dell.
“Previously, it was kind of restricted, especially in some areas. So this will give our partners the simple way of transacting and expanding on the portfolio," she said.
"There will be no restriction in terms of the VMware, ‘Can I do this versus that?’ questions [from partners],” said Dagher. “So this gives them the simplification and will give them growth from a rebate perspective across the entire Dell Technologies portfolios. Overall, the objective is to simplify the way our partners do business with us in expanding the portfolio of the end-to-end experience.”
Dagher added that the move was "a step that will help prepare partners for the Apex launch that we’re doing later this year that we have a major focus on.”
Project Apex is Dell’s long term as-a-service strategy aimed at simplifying how customers and partners access Dell’s growing as-a-service portfolio, from servers and storage to PCs and client offerings.
VMware is majority-owned by Dell Technologies, stemming from Dell’s blockbuster acquisition of EMC in 2016. VMware is the dominant leader in virtualisation and is looking to become the software leader in areas such as hybrid cloud and Kubernetes.
The two companies jointly engineer market-leading products such as VxRail, the world’s leading hyperconverged infrastructure solution, while also having a strong go-to-market partnership via their channel partners.
Dell launched several new enhancements to the Dell Technologies Partner Program overnight, including a new Incentives Center to give partners a better view of all their program incentives in one place, as well as greater pricing transparency through an Online Solutions Configurator (OSC).
The OSC aims to improve the ability for channel partners to get better configuration, pricing and quotes on solutions.
“The OSC will deliver greater pricing transparency,” said Dagher. “And that’s buying directly from Dell and it would also enhance the online self-service capabilities. We’re so excited about this opportunity because those enhancements will allow partners to create better and faster opportunities. It’s a win-win on both sides.”
Dell’s new Incentives Center gives partners increased visibility and insight across all their programs and incentives in one, centralised location. Previously, Dell had different platforms for rebates, marketing development funds (MDF) and its MyRewards program.
“So now, MDF, rebates and MyRewards are all under the same platform,” Dagher said. “This is one of the biggest achievements in providing that simplification experience to our partners.”
There is also a dedicated Incentives Center support team available to partners by phone, email and online chat.
The last major enhancement to this year’s Dell Technologies Partner Program is a new program dubbed Power Up.
Dell’s new Power Up program combines the company’s existing Partner Preferred programs together. The Partner Preferred programs, launched in 2018, hands over Dell accounts to channel partners to find net-new opportunities in underpenetrated accounts with the full backing of Dell’s internal sale teams. The new program will continue to push joint success, collaboration and trust between Dell and its channel partners, according to Dagher.
“So now thousands of more high potential accounts have been added to the Power Up, which gives partners a huge opportunity,” Dagher said. “Power Up gives them an opportunity to expand on the growth because those accounts will be the high potential accounts.”
Dell’s new Power Up program will give channel partners access to Dell Technologies enterprise, commercial and SMB accounts.
The enhanced 2021 Dell Technologies Partner Program goes into effect In Australia today.
