The Importance of Robots, VR and IoT to Channel Partners in 2018

Last month we celebrated one year of the new and improved Dell EMC channel partner program. And what a year it was! We learned a lot during this time and I’m pleased to say we have listened to the feedback from our channel partners and customers and actioned it.

We’ve kicked off 2018 on a high by announcing improvements that will continue to increase the benefits for our valued partners. With a new rebate structure and a competitive MDF strategy, we have shown our intention to always to reflect on our offering and continue to make the program simple, predictable and profitable for our partners. Locally, we hosted our first Partner Advisory Board of the year; it’s a great event where we drive truly meaningful conversations that allow us to continually invest and improve the program. But these ongoing changes are just one part of the strategy that helps our partners remain successful.

At the end of 2017, Dell Technologies predicted 2018 to be the year that human-machine relationships reach new levels. So, what does this mean for our channel partners? Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) will dominate the conversation. Just this week, an Australian school revealed it was using a robot to teach alongside a teacher. The AI capabilities of the robot provide a two-way experience that goes above and beyond a child using a mobile device. The potential for AI to disrupt all industries is here and we are about to jump in head first. It’s important to ensure that your business is not only aware of what can be achieved using the technology but also have the technical understanding of the infrastructure changes needed to create a modern data centre.

Advances in the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing are progressing faster than we anticipated. This extra processing and analytical power is already changing the way we live with more connected homes and cars, and greater consumer expectations in almost every industry.

One of my favourite customer stories of last year is about Tassel and our partner Intuit Technologies. Using IoT to farm more data on how their salmon pens were performing seemed like a straightforward solution. By predicting multiple variables, the team was able to produce better outcomes for the business. But to run the IoT, Tassel needed to upgrade its IT systems, which is where Dell EMC came into the mix. We provided the hyper-converged infrastructure required to store, manage and automate all the extra data the IoT element was producing, allowing for a real-time decision-making process. This journey had two parts to success and we encourage our partners to become experts in both.

As we continue to see these incredible use-cases and explore new ways of working with technology, our partners need to remain ahead of the curve. Immerse yourself in the possibilities that can be achieved so, when the time comes, you can help to bring these incredible use-cases to life.

With Dell Technologies World and our annual Global Partner Summit taking place next month in Las Vegas, we encourage all our partners, resellers and customers to join us. In an action-packed agenda, we’ll explore the latest technology trends with our experts, hold workshops and training on our full product portfolio, and share great stories from our customers. It promises to be an inspiring week with lots of insightful discussions. What are you waiting for? Find out more information and register for the event here.