EXCLUSIVE: "Best kept secret" revealed as Dell Software unveils new partner program

Dell Software to launch new partner program

IT solutions company, Dell Software, will soon be launching a new partner program, as confirmed to ARN.

Dell Software A/NZ managing director, Klasie Holtzhausen, said the new partner program is a part of its revamped focus on four lines of business – systems and information management, security solutions, Dell Boomi, and StatSoft.

“This is probably one of the best kept secrets in the market for customers and partners to potentially be able to leverage some of the capabilities," he said.

"Partners need to engage with us as we can help customers with some of the challenges they’re facing today. IT organisations have minimal time to focus on innovation and look at some of the trends that’s coming next. In today’s world, technology is evolving so fast and it’s creating complexity.

"And this complexity is going to impact staff, applications, data and infrastructure. So we’ve identified that these four areas is where technology and the market is going today.

"But even with these strategies, we were under-invested in the channel and underutilising it. There’s a far greater opportunity for the channel and us to work together in the marketplace," he said.

Holtzhausen said one of the results of this is the creation of the systems and information management partner program. It is a very specific partner program that aims to help the company accelerate its engagement with its partners from a software perspective.

This new partner program is imminent now, with Dell Software putting in the final touches on it with an official launch expected within the coming weeks.

"We want to further accelerate the engagement that we have with the channel," Holtzhausen added.

"There will be something in it for any partner in the market, but the focus will be to stimulate and help drive business in two ways – extend our reach further through distribution, and have a core set of focus partners.

"These are partners that want to be more strategic and have a proactive partnership with us. Based on certain levels of commitments they make as part of their business, they will benefit from this program."

Some of these benefits will include deal registration, rewarding partners that achieve revenue goals, and marketing and development funding - the level of benefit will also vary depending on the relationship that the partner has with Dell Software.

Holtzhausen said this area is an "untapped opportunity" for the company and its partners, placing Dell Software in verticals it traditionally didn’t have a play in.

“We’ve done way too much directly with customers and I see a great opportunity for us to work closely with the various routes to market that you have in the channel, and an opportunity for the channel to drive incremental revenue," he added.

Going forward, Holtzhausen said the tech giant will also be focusing on its data protection portfolio, Data Protection Rapid Recovery; data de-duplication appliances; and its free endpoint recovery solution for Windows clients.

“These days, it’s not all about partners offering these solutions. It’s about offering services," he added.

"The flexibility of these solutions allows them to build services around the solutions and offering that to customers."