Reporting on breaking tech news, it’s easy to forget there are thousands of companies that have yet to start their digital transformation journey. With the advice “transform or die” hanging over their heads, these companies are under pressure to make the leap to digital, and to do it fast, safely and cost-effectively. It takes a fearless leader to take the first step on a journey that is both filled with challenges and critical for future success.

“All our customers are looking to figure out how do they apply these emerging technologies to their business so that they can open up new revenue streams or create new business opportunities to really win inside their industry,” said Charlie Haney (pictured), senior vice president of consulting services at Dell Technologies Inc.

Taking a short break from leading Dell’s customer transformation crusade, Haney spoke with Rebecca Knight (@knightrm) and Dave Vellante (@dvellante), co-hosts of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile livestreaming studio, during the Dell Technologies World event in Las Vegas, Nevada. They discussed how Dell is responding to its customers’ sense of urgency to transform, guiding them toward positive outcomes in a competitive marketplace (see the full interview with transcript here). (* Disclosure below.)

Don’t get befuddled by the multicloud muddle

Confusion over the complexity of multicloud has replaced fear of digital disruption and job loss from automation. True hybrid, multicloud, autonomous, edge … on-prem, off-prem or everywhere in between? Getting a grasp on the multiple options is challenging. If the experts need guidelines to define hybrid cloud, how are customers new to technology supposed to understand?

As part of solving the cloud management conundrum, and in line with Dell’s strategy to go “all in on hybrid cloud,” Dell announced a new cloud operations hub: Dell Technologies Cloud.

The service promises to bring “cloud without the chaos” to Dell EMC customers, simplifying cloud management by providing single-pane-of-glass management across hybrid environments. “On-prem, off-prem, these are ways that, as a technology company, we’re able to help customers start to stitch these technologies together in a more seamless way to help enable what they’re trying to do inside their business,” Haney said.

One surprising problem Haney encounters is overcoming internal disagreements on what path to take toward digital transformation. “Oftentimes we can’t get the organization itself to agree on the vision and the guiding principles of a multicloud strategy,” he said. To combat this, Dell offers advice to customers through ProConsult Advisory Services.

Although bickering and infighting may seem petty, it can lead to disaster. Cooperation and coordination is essential for a trouble-free technological journey, and the key is strong leadership, according to Haney.

“I can tell you the customers that we’ve engaged with, that are having the most success, absolutely it’s starting at the board level,” he stated. “It is a top-down support and focus for the organization.”

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the Dell Technologies World 2019 event. (* Disclosure: Dell Technologies Inc. sponsored this segment of theCUBE. Neither Dell EMC nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE