New Dell UK channel boss comes out of hiding

Dell GM Sarah Shields says she spent first few weeks 'getting under the covers' of new role as she adds channel to existing responsibilities

Dell's UK SME and consumer boss, Sarah Shields, has had her remit increased to include the channel business in a move she claims will remove any ambiguity for partners.

In line with Dell's decision to bring its global channel and segment teams under one roof last year, Shields – who reports directly to Dell UK general manager Tim Griffin – was handed control of Dell's partner business in February.

"I've spent the last few weeks getting under the covers of the channel business and understanding how it operates," Shields (pictured) told CRN.

"I've been looking at the teams and how we approach the market and I've now being fully released so I can meet some customers and talk with some knowledge."

She added: "I'm responsible for the end-to-end business now, which sends a great message to our sales team in terms of our omni-channel approach. It's up to customers whether they want to engage with us directly, via a channel partner, via distribution, or online. Whichever is the easiest route, it all comes up to me, which gets rid of any ambiguity that might have existed."

Shields, who is one of three UK GMs who report to Griffin alongside large enterprise boss Aishling Keegan and public sector head honcho Richard Rawcliffe, outlined a number of new tools and initiatives Dell is launching today which are designed to boost rewards and make life easier for partners.

This includes an incentive that allows partners to earn 4,500 points in PartnerAdvantage when they certify in networking and a new mobile app providing partners with free access to Dell's helpdesk and other PartnerDirect services.

"We want to get the message out that networking is a real differentiator and growth area for our business," Shields said.

"We've listened to the feedback partners have given us and have invested heavily in training. We've increased our training portfolio to over 250 courses. It's not just about our product business: we had 550 people take our course in using social media as a business tool and 99 per cent said it was absolutely worthwhile."