The Challenge
Dell/EMC was in the process of updating their global partner program. One of the top priorities was to strengthen alignment with the Dell/EMC Gold Tier Partner community. The primary objectives of this initiative included:
- Gaining insights into the current state and perspectives of Dell EMC Gold Tier Partners
- Identifying key challenges in recruiting, engaging and motivating Gold Partners
- Building a compelling business case for Gold partners to expand their practices
- Equipping Dell EMC’s channel teams with assets and tools to:
- Reinvigorate existing Gold Partners
- Increase channel partner engagement
- Encourage investment in Dell EMC solutions
- Inspire partners to move up in tiers
- Gathering feedback from both reselling partners and distribution partners
Services Provided
- Channel as a Service
- Partner Channel Community Development
The Solution
The Indirectly Team conducted one-on-one interviews with key business stakeholders of Dell Gold Partners in the US and EMEA regions, leveraging recommendations from the Dell Channel Team. The goal was to gain a deeper understanding of their Dell practice, challenges , and growth opportunities.
A custom partner questionnaire was developed to gather feedback on:
- Dell Partner Program effectiveness, focusing on partner tiering requirements and incentives
- What’s working well and areas of enhancement
- Recommendations to drive stronger engagement and growth
Key Deliverables & Outcomes
Following the research, the Indirectly Team collaborated with the Dell Channel Leadership Team to present the findings and recommendations through a 2-hour interactive workshop:
- Gold Partner Business Case Presentation (PPT)
- Deep dive into partner economics, business drivers, and priorities
- Value proposition and business case tailored for Partner Line-of-Business Owners
- Profiles of High-potential partners for targeted engagement
- Insights & Strategic Recommendations
- Predictive characteristics of high-engagement partners
- Critical partner-customer and partner-Dell EMC relationships
- Implications for partner programs, enablement, engagement, and collaboration
- Evaluation of Dell EMC Partner Program effectiveness
- Actionable Strategies to Improve Recruitment & Engagement
- Marketing assets &tools to clearly communicate the value of partnering with Dell EMC
- Partner Development Toolset, including:
- Tailored value propositions for high- potential partners
- Recruitment and re-recruitment messaging aligned with the Business Case
- Partner checklist, development scorecard and engagement timeline
Impact & Results
The Dell Channel Team integrated partner feedback into their planning efforts, leading to adjustments in tiering requirements and program incentives. Additionally, the partner development tools provided by the Indirectly Team empowered Dell’s channel managers, facilitating stronger partner relationships driving annual growth goals.
Furthermore, Dell’s Partner recruitment strategy benefited significantly from the messaging hierarchy developed by Indirectly, enabling Dell to expand its SMB and Mid-Market presence through new, high-value partnership.