Dell EMC Teases Plan to Merge Partner Programs

**Editor’s Note: Click here for a list of recent important channel-program changes you should know.**

Dell EMC is giving partners a glimpse of how they will fit into the newly merged company’s unified partner program.

Cheryl Cook, vice president of global channels and alliances, told us that she and her colleagues are busy categorizing partners from the Dell Partner Direct and EMC Business Partner Program in the new partner program that will launch Feb. 1.

“We’ve been feverishly working at building a unified partner program and articulating and communicating to our respective partners where they’re going to map or line into the framework and the new mode,” Cook said.

The fine details for eligibility requirements and revenue thresholds are forthcoming, but Dell EMC notified partners on Monday about a fairly straightforward way to determine whether they will be in the Authorized, Gold, Platinum or Titanium tier of the unified program. Those in good standing in the previous programs will fit into the equivalent level with Dell EMC.{ad}

“For example, in the legacy EMC model, you might have been a silver level partner. If you’re in good standing, you will be mapped to a gold level in the new program,” Cook said. Likewise, if you were in the Dell program, if you were potentially a Premier Plus partner, you will map to the titanium level in the new program.”

Partners who were part of both programs will attain the highest level status if they are in good standing.

Cook said the company also had a decision to make as it tried to aligned the two companies’ fiscal calendars. EMC closes in December and Dell closes in January. The combined company will follow Dell’s calendar, which means that January is a bonus month for EMC partners.

“We’re going to allow them to earn rebates and accrue MDF at the rates they are today against the targets they currently have,” she said.

Cook said that the decision to afford EMC partners an extra month fits into the company’s promises of being “simple, predictable and profitable” for its partners.

“Where there’s a jump ball or a tie or a decision to make, let’s go pro-partner. Let’s help them. Let’s just make sure they get into the one-time event — bringing the two companies together,” she said.

Dell EMC announced the unified program back in October. Global Channel Chief John Byrne talked to us about his goals for it.The unified program launches Feb. 1.