Dell vows to grow channel and direct units equally

Sarah Shields says 50:50 split between the two businesses will remain for the foreseeable future

Dell has no plans to push a greater portion of its business through the channel, vowing to develop its channel and direct businesses equally.

Dell first announced in 2012 that in EMEA, just over half of its business went through channel partners. This figure has been cited by the firm ever since when it wanted to talk up its channel credentials.

Speaking to CRN about the firm's progress in the past year, Dell's UK general manager Sarah Shields (pictured) mentioned the figure again. When asked if the business will sway more in favour of the channel in the coming months and years, she said she doesn't see a "significant change" on the horizon.

"I think the key is we want to grow all areas of our business," she said. "So yes, I want to grow the channel business, but as an organisation, we want to grow our direct business as well. We've had some great market share achievements this year across the board. That's super, but we want to be able to be omnichannel to give customers choice: direct with Dell, through our partner programme or through distribution.

"I don't see a significant change in [the split between direct and channel]."

Shields said that Dell does not publicise the channel-versus-direct split in individual countries. As a result, she would not be drawn on what the split is in the UK, but insisted she is "very, very happy" with it.

In its last financial year, which ended three weeks ago, Dell claims to have added "thousands" of new partners to its PartnerDirect programme. Shields added that in the UK, a large number of mid-ranking Preferred partners have moved up to achieve top-level Premier status.

She said this is part of the company's plans to invest more heavily in the most dedicated and committed partners.

"I think we've had in the region of a 20 per cent increase in the number of partners that have moved from Preferred to Premier, which is brilliant," she said.

"The focus is on how we grow and nurture the relationship we've got with the channel. How do we get partners to be from the Registered space, to Preferred to Premier? Because what that gives you is an opportunity to have more deal reg in place. I mean, the ability to log a deal with Dell to protect you from Dell as well as other partners."