Steljes names Dell as reseller

Channel faces upheaval as Dell is appointed as Elite reseller for interactive whiteboards

Audiovisual resellers are facing upset following a move by distributor Steljes to appoint Dell as an Elite reseller for the SmartBoard range of interactive whiteboards in the education market.

Elite, the highest of the Steljes accreditation levels, requires resellers to meet criteria such as providing end-user demonstration suites and evidence of 20 end-user SmartBoard sales.

Paul O’Reilly, commercial director at Steljes, admitted Dell has also applied to become a reseller in its other vertical sectors, such as SME.

“Dell has met all the requirements for the Elite level. We have worked with Dell on strategic SmartBoard partnerships in the past and it has made available all the required information,” he said.

However, some resellers expressed concerns about their own sales following the appointment.

The managing director of a Steljes partner that resells SmartBoards in the education sector, said: “Discounts at Elite level are quite high, and that will be an advantage to Dell. It has a strong presence in the education sector. That will help Steljes, but it could mess things up for other resellers,” he said.

Andrew Roland, product manager for interactive whiteboards at reseller Research Machines, said: “It’s possible that Dell will undercut rivals, but SmartBoard resellers have more experience with training and support. It is more than just a price-based sale.”

Dell declined to comment.