“It came as a surprise, but it makes sense”
Rupert Cook, Director, Krome Technologies
How did the move go down at Krome?
Obviously it’s a good thing for partners, particularly ones who are technically led with storage like us. It came as a surprise but it makes sense when you look at what’s been going on with downsizing. Storage projects for clients are often complex and it’s one of the areas where a partner can add most value.
Are you seeing other vendors move more work to the channel as they downsize direct staff?
We are seeing an increase in vendors looking to the channel for support and sales; whether it’s because of downsizing or just because the market is tougher at the moment is difficult to say, but certainly there’s more of a push than ever at the moment. The other element is vendors who are looking for technically capable partners, not just ones with a big sales team. I’ve had two calls with other vendors this week who have explained how they’re looking for people who can really add value and help clients get the most out of their investment.
How likely is it that Dell will extend this partner-led strategy beyond storage and across its infrastructure portfolio?
That I don’t know to be honest. We’ve seen the opposite from Dell in client recently, with it appearing that they’re trying to take that back in house more aggressively. It may be that they’re relying on partners for the more complex sales where they can add value, or that could just be our experience.
“Other vendors are doing the opposite” . Which partner leader said this? See next page…
