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370

Dell Small Business vs Dell Home

370 points posted to Sales Strategies by jamesmoroni1 May 2

The split between Dell Small Business and Dell Home has been an endless source of confusion and frustration for price-sensitive customers. I don't see the need for the two separate divisions. I've purchased computers from both, and keeping track of where I bought which machine is very frustrating. It also makes it harder to be sure you're getting the best price.

Dell SB and Dell Home should go away -- it should be just Dell.com. There could be special options for people who want to purchase several machines at once, but there's no need to have separate storefronts -- the needs of small businesses and home users are very similar.

daniel.versola
May 2		 I think the idea of having a Single Store front at Dell.com is a great idea. The Vostro line could be marketed as a Home system. Then the Optiplex line could be marketed as a Business system. This would be helpful in our sales process when reselling systems. Our customers would see the same systems that we as Partners can sale without any confusions. This would eliminate pricing wars with our customers.

daniel versola / cto / currie computers, inc.
hal2001
May 2		 I agree there is NO need for the split in the Home Office and Small Business line. And now with the Vista downgrade program and Microsoft trying to kill off it's golden boy ( XP Pro ) OS , there is more reason then ever to marry the two in some form or fashion. I agree also that it would cut back on the confusion and price war...
jmxz
May 2		 I see it as an interesting tax on lazy people. Often the same spec'd model will be available for a better price in one of these sections or another (especially when considering coupons that only work in one section or another). Price sensitive customers can spend the time to find the best price. Less price sensitive customers (IT managers using other people's money) can just buy whatever's more convenient at the time.

If I get the time I'll make a "comparison shopping engine" website that'll let someone go to one web page and see if on that day Dell Small Business or Dell Home or dell.com/open has the best prices for any given hardware that day.
winoffice
May 2		 Duplicate of http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/61742/ONE_SHOPPING_CART_PLEASE_dellcom - but still needed.
robert_p
May 4		 Thanks for your great idea. I'm Robert the Community Small Business Liaison.

Just a quick comment here: There are different sections on dell.com because of the different needs of different types of customers. A Small Business customer for example doesn't need or want all the programs offered in an Inspiron, Dimension, or XPS system. Plus the Vostro line of systems is tailored for a business based on their needs for equipment and services.

There are distinct differences in the types of services needed by a business over what a general customer would need, which is why you will see different pricing. We have found that our general use customers request more "hands on" services and programs on their computers, than the business owners..

For example a Small business only running an accounting and billing program would not need an XPS system with extra graphics and high speed video, processing and audio qualities a gamer would want.

For the same token a person into gaming wouldn't purchase a Vostro 200, because of the size and configuration limitations. The different lines of businesses are currently set up on dell.com to best to serve all our customer's needs.

Feel free to order from whatever site you need to based upon whatever configuration you want. If you need help configuring the best system for the best pricing, our sales staff will be glad to assist. If I can assist further, then you can PM me on the Community Forum.

Thanks again.
jmxz
May 4		 @robert_p: "A Small Business customer for example doesn't need or want all the programs offered in an Inspiron, Dimension, or XPS system. "

No? What, for example, might they not want? Some entertainment package's certainly more wanted on a business guy's international flights than it would be on my kid's hopefully educational computer.

"For example a Small business only running an accounting and billing program would not need an XPS system with extra graphics and high speed video, processing and audio qualities a gamer would want."

OTOH, my mom - who's mostly email & taxes wouldn't need such features either. On the other hand, some people at my employer - who do reasonably sophisticated data visualization, probably would want the same stuff a gamer wants.

@robert_p: "Feel free to order from whatever site you need to based upon whatever configuration you want. If you need help configuring the best system for the best pricing, our sales staff will be glad to assist. If I can assist further, then you can PM me on the Community Forum."

Now that's good to know. I hope it can get on to your web site somewhere to make it easier for people to convince their IT departments that it's OK.
robert_p
May 5		 jmxz, you bring out some interesting points.

@jmxz: Some entertainment package's certainly more wanted on a business guy's international flights than it would be on my kid's hopefully educational computer.

That's a great idea, just ask your company's IT department to install those programs for you.

@jmxz: On the other hand, some people at my employer - who do reasonably sophisticated data visualization, probably would want the same stuff a gamer wants.

Then those people would be interested in our Latitude, Precision, or Optiplex line of business computers.
jmxz
May 5		 @robert_p: "Then those people would be interested in our Latitude, Precision, or Optiplex line of business computers."

Agreed. But I strongly advise them to check out the XPSs too, since depending on the week and the online coupon, they're likely to find better deals there.
infinitelink
May 6		 Perhaps merge only the places where things meet, if any? Or maybe shows the lines of computers but have someone, under each line, select "business" or "home" rather than starting with those and then checking computers from there?
robert_p
May 6		 @infinitelink,

That is currently available at the www.dell.com website. Just roll your mouse over the lines of computers, and a drop down box shows the different lines of business and you can choose from there.
jmxz
May 6		 @robert_p:

But what's totally *not* obvious on the Dell web site is that Home customers are welcome to buy from the Business section even if they're not a business.

And that Business customers are welcome to buy from the Home section when the computers there better meet their needs.
robert_p
May 7		 jmxz,

Great Suggestion! You might want to post that as a new idea here on Ideastorm!
phubert
May 7		 Dell would be ahead of the game if they did this. HP has the same problem! Beat them to the punch!
jmxz
May 7		 Done. Added it here.
jervis961
May 8		 I'm a little late to the party in this idea but had to comment.

@robert_p jmxz asked about entertainment software for business users and you responded. "That's a great idea, just ask your company's IT department to install those programs for you. "

I thought Dell was trying to simplify IT? :D
phubert
May 9		 Well, jervis, isn't the problem that most IT departments have _policies_ prohibiting such software on company machines?
jmxz
May 9		 @phubert:

I've never seen an IT department policy that removed vendor-pre-installed software except in cases where the company had it's own disk image it installs - so I think the "simplify IT" argument still holds.
phubert
May 9		 mmmm... so you haven't seen OUR site, then :)

Yes, we create custom images.

And "Entertainment" is empty but for RealPlayer, Volume Control, and (oddly enough) Sound Recorder
jmxz
May 9		 Yes, I realize that your (and many other) IT departments restrict entertainment software. I was just thinking that for those IT departments that do care to have such policies they probably *do* use custom images - so it's no extra work for them if Dell had them pre-installed.
jervis961
May 9		 phubert my comment wasn't so much about the software itself but Dell contradicting its "Simplify IT" slogan. Perhaps there are companies that would like to supply employees with entertainment software for when they travel. Shouldn't the customer have the choice to choose what is installed by Dell across all the lines?
jmxz
May 9		 +1. Customer choice for what's installed across all lines would be the "simplify IT" answer.
phubert
May 12		 Apparently, (btw) our Microsoft licensing requires us to purchase the OS WITH our systems. Seems our contract terms vary each time we renew.
techincc
Yesterday		 I have done this as well. Configured the same "model" computer under both home and small business and end up with different pricing due the varying promotions. It does make for more work on the consumers part.

Robert_P in many small businesses the person buying the computer IS the IT department.
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