Dell and EMC to merge partner programs

Dell and EMC will merge their partner programs next year, including combined deal registration and a centralised global channel structure.

The plan was revealed by Gregg Ambulos, senior vice-president of worldwide channel sales at EMC, on the opening day of the vendor's conference in Las Vegas, where hundreds of channel partners attended the Global Partner Summit running alongside EMC World.

Ambulos offered channel partners a glimpse into the vendor's forward plans

From day one of the merger, which is expected to complete later this year, EMC and Dell will continue to operate separate programs. Partner will be able to cross-sell the entire range, as long as they have been approved by both vendors.

While the deal registration programs will initially remain separate, the vendor will "cross check every one of these registrations and address any conflicts head on".

"We will also put a process in place to ensure we have integrity for all net new deal registrations moving forward."

Fast-forward to 2017 and the programs will come together, said Ambulos. " We will have one common approach for deal registration to ensure you are all protected, and we will offer robust incentives to drive cross-selling opportunities as well as incremental business and net new accounts. "

The merged business "will have a centralised global channel structure, to ensure consistency worldwide", he added, with "field-based channel resources that will be aligned with out sales organisations. This is similar to the way EMC goes to market today in the channel."

Following the channel chief's presentation, partners were given a Q&A presentation by Dell founder Michael Dell and EMC chief executive Joe Tucci, though media were not allowed into this session.

The journalist travelled to EMC World as a guest of EMC.