Dell, Tarsus channel make for dynamite combination

With its acquisition strategy aimed at delivering greater value in the enterprise sector, and its client computing product strategy showing the kind of innovation that many of its market peers are struggling to harness today, there's truly never been a better time for the market to be choosing Dell solutions.

That's the opinion of Terence Barter, Dell business unit manager at Tarsus Technologies, who believes the combination of Dell's high-quality products and top-notch after-sales service/support, underpinned by a channel-centric go-to-market strategy, makes for a dynamite value proposition.

“The one ingredient that translates this value proposition into competitive advantage, however, is the backing a distributor such as Tarsus has put behind the Dell brand when it comes to pre-sales support, technical skills, rollout assistance, logistics and ongoing support,” Barter says.

“This has allowed the channel to make quick headway with Dell solutions, while supplementing their skills and competencies with Tarsus' service offerings until their own skills and competencies are up to speed and in place.”

Barter says this presents a strong contrast to the days where Dell's business model was focused on the direct supply of IT solutions to end-user customers, who would in turn draw on the expertise of IT resellers to provide skills and services around those solutions.

“Because there was never any reseller margin attached to the sale of those solutions, there was never a strong incentive for resellers to become familiar with the solutions intimately,” Barter says.

“Resellers would instead rely on their general knowledge of other IT brands, in turn creating an environment where the full value of Dell's solutions weren't being exploited.”

However, now that the channel is intimately involved with every Dell deal, it's an entirely different story.

“Numerous resellers are specialising in the provision of Dell solutions and realise that there's a great deal of value in being able to represent this brand,” he says.

Barter says all that remains is for the rest of the reseller market to realise the same benefits. “I really think there hasn't been a better time to be involved with Dell as a channel partner.

“Together with Tarsus' representation, it has a great deal of competitive advantage,” he says.

“Our doors are always open to channel players who are interested in what the Dell/Tarsus combination can do for their business,” he concludes.