Dell EMC launches assault on mid-range storage market

UK channel boss Sarah Shields talks CRN through Dell EMC's new storage loyalty programme

Dell EMC has launched an "aggressive counterattack" on the mid-range storage market, bolstering its SC and Unity ranges and announcing a new loyalty programme for partners.

The vendor has added two all-flash arrays to its SC range, as well as a range of software to its Unity portfolio.

Dell EMC's UK and Ireland channel boss Sarah Shields (pictured) told CRN that the vendor is making an "aggressive counterattack" to address moves from other vendors in the market, which have refocused their portfolio to make themselves more accessible for partners.

"Since we became Dell EMC we've seen an uptake from our competitors in the mid-range having a far more narrow portfolio, which they have the ability to be far more targeted with," she said.

"When you take that through the channel this really starts to resonate, whereas with Dell EMC we have multiple solutions and you have to identify which is the right one.

"We've simplified our offering and added to the power of our two mid-range portfolios."

Alongside the product releases, Dell EMC has also launched The Future-Proof Loyalty Storage Programme which allows partners to provide a three-year satisfaction guarantee to customers buying from the new SC and Unity ranges.

The vendor is also offering customers a free year of Virtustream Storage Cloud.

Shields said that the product upgrades have been built around feedback from partners, specifically picking out the new data deduplication software as something partners asked for and have now been given.

"We've realised that we have two cracking products in mid-range storage and we have seriously sharpened up those two product ranges," Shields added.

"What we have done - and this is the power of the channel - is listened to what our partners are telling us. We've added the feature sets that our partners are saying are missing. Now with these new versions we do have the strongest mid-range storage play in the market."

Of the loyalty programme, Shields said that partners will be able to offer a degree of assurance to businesses, particularly with uncertain economic times ahead.

"For the partner it offers a reassurance," she said. "As we head into 2018, certainly in the UK, we have economic headwinds that are coming.

"This [programme] gives an additional level of assurance around infrastructure investments that are required for all organisations.

"There are other options out there but there is nothing that goes to the extent of three years."

Speaking more broadly of Dell EMC's progress, Shields said that partners can expect further improvements to the partner programme in 2018.

"We made some really bold statements," she said. "We have had some speed bumps along the way but we've remained transparent, we've remained absolutely committed, and more importantly this has resulted in a channel that is growing.

"We're seeing some record numbers globally and in the UK, and the partners that are absolutely thriving are the ones that are selling across multiple lines of business with us.

"As we go into next year there will be further enhancements around the programme. The one key area that partners told us needs to be our focus around our programme is we have to make it simple, so it's about [giving them] access to powerful but simple information and tools."