How Dell partnered with Agency Mania Solutions to build a best-in-class performance evaluation process.

Context/Problem Statement

Dell Technologies is the world’s largest privately controlled technology company, providing the essential infrastructure for digital business and IT transformation through a family of strategically aligned businesses. Naturally, Dell relies on the capabilities and performance of talented agency partners in various disciplines and regions around the world to successfully promote its solutions portfolio, including EMC II, VMware, Pivotal, SecureWorks, RSA and VirtuStream. To deliver top notch results requires constant refinement and a mutual commitment to collaboration, innovation, creativity and executional excellence from these partnerships, which is made possible through a comprehensive feedback process called Dell Agency Performance Evaluation.

 

Major Obstacles and Considerations 

Dell operates around the world with its agency partners, which are tasked to assign the best possible talent and resources to meet the brand’s ambitious marketing goals. The technology company has defined the most important attributes it is looking for in its agency partners. However, the prior process it instituted was merely scratching the surface, gathering performance scores from Dell employees about each roster agency. The basic reports lacked the strategic substance required to extract rich, actionable insight that could inform plans and immediate course-correction. As a result, the process fell short of delivering value for both the brand and the agencies, and participation was at its lowest level.

Solution 

Dell asked Agency Mania Solutions to uplevel its existing client/agency performance evaluation process to a whole new level of insight and action planning. In close partnership with the Dell Agency Management team, Agency Mania Solutions revamped the end-to-end process, using its EvaluationDeliver™ solution, to bring much greater focus on the analysis and set of recommendations that would ultimately contribute to relationship improvements and better work. Dell also developed and launched a global Dell Performance Assessment curriculum using TrainingDeliver™ to enhance the perceived value and overall quality of the input provided by agencies and Dell client teams.

Consequences/Impact 

The improved process, survey experience and back-end analytics by third-party experts allowed Dell to identify key themes in the relationships and propose actions plans for both Dell and the agencies themselves that will improve the intrinsic value of these partnerships. Participation numbers were high, with 800 people participating across 27 countries from Dell and its agency partners, with an average 85% completion rate and 1,600 thoughtful comments provided. Testimony to Dell’s commitment to the Agency Performance Review and Action Planning process, it has seen a steady increase in performance scores, with an average overall satisfaction rating of 3.8 out of 5.0 from both Dell of its agencies, and agencies of Dell. This was particularly impressive in the most recent survey, which was held as Dell and EMC transitioned into a single organization. High scores and positive comments suggest that Dell’s agency health remained strong, and even improved, during a time of change, transition and uncertainty. The Dell Performance Assessment online training was completed by 400 individuals globally.

Dell’s Agency Performance Assessment Training ensures participants receive a comprehensive overview of the process they are asked to contribute to.

 

Dell Performance Assessment curriculum using TrainingDeliver™ to enhance the perceived value and overall quality of the input provided by agencies and Dell client teams.

Lesson Learned 

Because it was equipped with actionable insight that could be put into immediate action, Dell drove accountability and ensured that these valuable resources, both internal and external (agencies), were spent on bringing to life these improvement opportunities and focusing everyone on discussion points that matter most to the brand’s success in the marketplace. Holding itself and its agencies accountable to certain performance standards allowed Dell to set the bar high and encourage conversations on how to reach new levels of productivity and performance together. Online training provides useful context for participants before they take the training, and enhance the quality of the input provided.

“By partnering with Agency Mania Solutions, we’ve been able to build a robust evaluation process around the world that encourages more productive dialog, greater accountability and contribute to better quality work, higher performance and stronger partnerships with our agencies.” - Stori Waugh, Marketing Director, Dell

Toolkit
• EvaluationDeliver™
• TrainingDeliver™

Results
• Improved user satisfaction and survey participation
• Robust process and streamlined orchestration
• Greater insight, improved analysis and action plans
• Improved relationships and work output