7 Scenes From Inside Dell Technologies’ New Executive Briefing Center

Dell Technologies’ Executive Briefing Center: The 'Ultimate Sales Call'

Dell Technologies injected $20 million into three Executive Briefing Centers across the U.S. that host more than 20,000 partners and customers annually. These centers -- from the facility's architecture to the preparation for each briefing -- are purpose-built to drive Dell sales and win deals against the competition.

Dell's newest Executive Briefing Center in Hopkinton, Mass. is a sight to see, with massive preparation put into every inch of the center. Channel partners from around the globe are flocking to Hopkinton for on-site customer sales engagement, training and executive briefings, Dell said. The centers are part of Dell Technologies’ Executive Briefing Program. Dell reported that 95 percent of its customers say they are confident the company can meet their needs after attending a briefing.

"This is the ultimate sales call," said Bonnie Bryce, director of global business process management at Dell EMC, referring to the Executive Briefing Center. "There is an enormous amount of preparation that goes into the briefings. So we want people to want to be here."

CRN recently toured Dell's new Executive Briefing Center in Hopkinton. Here are seven scenes from inside the center you need to see.

Walking In

When walking into the Executive Briefing Center at 42 South St. in Hopkinton, you're greeted by life-size nutcrackers and large screens promoting various Dell Technologies solutions. Dell has one of the largest briefing programs in the world, providing more than 4,000 briefings per year with a total of 14 centers globally including at its Round Rock, Texas headquarters and in Santa Clara, Calif. Dozens of customers, solution providers and Dell executives could be seen shuffling around the Hopkinton facility or attending meetings and lectures. Channel partners can also rent out the center for the day for larger end-user briefings.

Dell EMC VMAX Refrigerator

No, that isn't a Dell EMC VMAX all-flash enterprise storage product – it's a refrigerator. The life-size VMAX refrigerators inside the center are full with a variety of cold drinks like tea, soda and water for guests to grab at any time.

2,800 Discussion Leaders For Briefings

Here's a look inside one of the nine briefing rooms which typically contain video conferencing technology, white boards, refrigerators, snacks and at least one large screen. Dell puts in a substantial amount of time and effort preparing for each individual meeting. Briefing consultants can spend upwards of six weeks getting ready for a single meeting at the center. The company has approximately 2,800 global discussion leaders to choose from who are tasked with leading the conversation for the customer or partner during the briefing.

"There is an enormous amount of preparation that goes into the briefings," Bryce. "We want to know everything about the customer and want to support our partners every way we can. … We'll sometimes have top executives here as well, even [Dell Technologies CEO] Michael Dell. We're helping sales build customer relationships. We'll spend the whole day here with them."

Break Out Center

The center's break out auditorium room has dozens of seats for larger briefings where partners and customers talk with Dell's discussion leaders. Each attendee desk has a button they can press attached to a microphone if they have a question. The desks include speakers and chargers, while the room is fitted with multiple screens and whiteboards.

Spacious, Winding Areas

Although the briefing rooms is where most of the discussions might take place, the center is spacious to allow for small group discussions on couches or small tables. The center's floor plan offers ample room for working or lounging around that can comfortably house large amounts of people. There are several gigantic screens displayed throughout the center which typically play Dell Technologies promotions or successful customer use cases. Additionally, there is a catering service room with food always on hand as well as a self-service bar full of soda, coffee and snacks.

Every Little Detail

When Dell said it labored over every little detail in creating Hopkinton's new center, they meant it. For example, these sprawling windows panels surrounding the center were purpose-build to fade out the parking lot and highlight the trees and sky. "A lot goes into every detail," said Bryce. "We want to make an impact on people. The briefings drive customer loyalty."

A Boston Theme

Located less than an hour's drive away from Boston, the Executive Briefing Center is decked out with artwork and imagines with a Boston theme. Each briefing room is named after a historic place in Boston such as Faneuil Hall, Charles River and the Prudential Tower. Each room contains abstract art or photographs of the place its named after. Dell also highlights several Boston-based customers such as the Boston Red Sox.