Dell promises more help for MSP channel

Providing managed services can be a big ask for resellers and Dell is enhancing its offer

Dell resellers can look forward to coming enhancements of Dell's managed services channel programme, according to executive director of worldwide channels and alliances Marvin Blough.

Speaking at a channel partner break-out at Dell Enterprise Forum EMEA in Frankfurt yesterday, Blough flagged further development in the vendor's enablement offer to partners selling software and services.

"We're advancing our global SI programme, partnering the likes of Atos and Accenture, but the other thing you will see us coming out with is in the MSP programme," Blough said.

Dell already has its Dell Service Provider MSP Essentials (MSPe) offer as part of its PartnerDirect channel programme, but there is more to come and a stronger focus on helping providers profit from the expansion of services, indicated Blough.

And as reported by ChannelWeb, Dell announced its own managed services offering for partners in 2009. But more help has been flagged, not least because the market continues to move in this direction.

"What we understand, and our guys have been very clear on this, is that more and more customers are saying 'we want to consume things as a service', rather than buying a licence. They want to pay with a usage-based model; they don't want to pay up front," he confirmed.

This can make life tough for reseller partners and other third-party technology providers as it puts pressure on margins and cashflow. Dell recognises this and wants to help bridge that gap for partners as both OEM and partners increasingly push for software and services sales.

"You want to pay for it on a monthly basis, and then you can go and sell it to a customer on a monthly basis as well. So there is more to come on that [MSP programme]," Blough told channel partners. "And some of that, which is coming, might make sense to some of you to have on board."

Further details would be revealed over time, he indicated.