The Power & Possibilities of a New Year

As we near the finish line of the 2018 partner program, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what a phenomenal year it has been. When I stepped in to lead Global Channel, OEM & IoT just over a year ago, I spent my very first day in role at a Partner Advisory Board. I can vividly remember the enthusiasm that was in the room that day, for our collective futures and the opportunity in front of us. This was an opportunity to learn from dozens of strategic partners and get a true assessment of what was going well, and where I would need to place my efforts in the coming months. It was exciting, invigorating, energizing on that day, and remains just as much so today.

In all the conversations I’ve had with partners this year, I’ve continued to be amazed by their commitment and active participation. We treat your feedback as a gift and it helps inform our priorities, raise the bar and leap beyond the status quo. Thanks to you, today we are better delivering on our promise to be Simple. Predictable. Profitable.™

Simple.

Your feedback shaped our #1 priority for the year: make it easier to do more business with Dell Technologies. Earlier this year we appointed Darren Sullivan to lead a team focused on transforming our partner tools and processes. We’ve made some big improvements: accelerating accurate quoting, getting you the best price faster, reducing exceptions and fast-tracking rebate and MDF payment. But we’re not done. This remains one of my top priorities and you’ll continue to see more improvements and results through 2019.

We are also focused on making it easier for you to do more business across the full Dell Technologies’ family of brands. We recently kicked off a pilot of the Dell Technologies Partner Framework, helping us test and expand the program in the coming years. The goal is to offer you a fully operational Dell Technologies’ status and benefits, business execution, and centralized resourcing. This is the framework of the future – supporting your transformative selling motion.

Predictable.

You asked for more predictable engagement with the Dell core sales team, and we took that feedback to heart. This year we launched the Partner Preferred Program, designed to help you drive new business with more competitive discounts, a revenue true-up for our sales teams to mitigate friction, and most importantly, partner of record protection. Plus, we’ve updated our processes around Rules of Engagement, so Dell’s regional sales leaders and the channel leadership team have full visibility to enforce consistent guidelines. Going forward, we’re looking at new, predictable forms of account protection. Stay tuned for that in the new fiscal year.

Profitable.

Our storage portfolio was a key focus area and we’ve listened attentively to your feedback. We’ve concentrated efforts on making you more profitable with programs such as Partner Preferred, Competitive Swap and Tech Refresh.  We’ve simplified our portfolio positioning, launched proof of concept and Demo unit programs and introduced new products, like PowerMax, to address competitive threats. Thanks to your guidance and these new programs, the Dell Technologies channel is on fire. In Q3, storage order revenue was up 12% Y/Y, server revenue was up 38%, client revenue was up 13% Y/Y. Partners were rewarded lucratively for their successes, especially when they sold the full portfolio. In fact, partners who sold all three lines of business earned 8x the revenue as compared to partners selling two lines of business, and 21x the revenue as compared to partners who sold only one line of business.

These highlights only scratch the surface of what partners have helped us accomplish this year. Your feedback also helped us win awards, create new Partner Technical Advisory Boards and become a more trusted partner. Not to mention, over the past year the Dell Technologies Global Channel has delivered $49 billion in orders.* We have you to thank for this incredible success.

Looking towards Program Year 2019:

All new beginnings hold infinite possibilities, and 2019 is no different. It’s the year of the data-driven digital ecosystem, when we’ll continue to unlock the power of data to deliver value to businesses in ways never imagined a few short years ago. 5G will come to life, edge computing will kick into high gear and Gen Z will enter the workforce with higher technical expectations and sophistication than any generation before. Through all this change, Dell Technologies will be by your side, helping you deliver transformational solutions and navigate unchartered territories. Together, we’ll help our customers reach new heights.

In 2019, we will continue to work tirelessly to be seen as the best in your eyes. With your guidance and partnership, we’re raising the bar on what it means to be Simple. Predictable. Profitable.™

As we close out the 2018 Program year, I have a few asks of you:

  • Finish Q4 strong. Stay focused on new business, storage and services.
  • View the Program Tracker to ensure you’ve met your desired tier’s revenue and training requirements.
  • Register for the February 6th Dell EMC Partner Program broadcast, where we’ll announce the details of the 2019 program and initiatives
  • Register for Global Partner Summit, our biggest Dell EMC Partner event of the year.

We have the partners, the portfolio, the plans and the determination to take a #GiantLeapForward. Let’s make 2019 our best year yet.

*Based on trailing twelve months (TTM) order run rate as of Q3FY19

About the Author: Joyce Mullen

Joyce Mullen is President of Global Channel, Embedded & Edge Solutions. Joyce focuses on all facets of the multi-billion dollar Dell EMC Partner Program, including channel strategy, partner program design and omni-channel enablement, as well as execution across solution provider, global systems integrator and distribution relationships. Her team also delivers best-in-class technology to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), allowing them to focus on their intellectual property and grow their business; and to IoT customers and partners, who depend on and sell connected devices. A strong and passionate leader, Joyce is committed to helping customers solve the world’s most vexing problems faster and more efficiently. Joyce has been a Dell executive for over 20 years, leading teams in operations, supply chain, partner strategy, services delivery and logistics. Prior to joining Dell, Joyce had a nine-year career at Cummins Engine Company. She earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Brown University and a MBA from Harvard Business School. Throughout Joyce’s career, she has been very active serving on community boards. She has chaired or co-chaired the Austin chapter of the March of Dimes, Women in Search of Excellent (WISE) board, Forte Foundation, and the Brown School of Engineering Corporate Affiliates board, and is currently on the board of the Central Texas Food Bank and The Toro Company.