MORE ANITVIRUS CHOICES!
Dell Web Site, Software submitted by doomlord52
02/19/07
In otherwords. Not Mcaffe. many people say they want Norton, Nod32 (what is that?) and many other AV systems. Why does dell force you to pick one of 3 software bundles? And why are they ALL 15 Month trials. If i could, i would order a system clean of ALL AV STUFF, and load my Copy of norton 2007 onto it. That way, all my systems could run on one firewall. Then if there was a problem on my LAN network, it would happen on ALL my PCs. Instead i have to go... "hmm... is it Norton? Mcaffe? Microsoft?" if i JUST HAD NORTON then i could rule out a solution quickly. And many others probably agree with me when i say that a new system with no AV stuff is a good one!
121
Lighten the load and brighten the display.
Monitors and Displays, Laptops submitted by jjfcpa
02/17/07
I have a number of Dell laptops and what made me eventually buy a Macbook Pro was the lightweight and bright display. Of course, I could have never made the switch without Parallels, but after trying a MBP, I now know what's wrong with Dell's.
1. Too heavy. My MBP is light, svelte, and has great ergonomics. Dell needs to really trim the weight and shrink the box.
2. Too many choices and none of them are right. Apple, as an example, gives you far fewer choices and many less configuration options. Time to reduce the clutter and simplify the choices. I recently configured a XPS 1210 and by the time I was done, I couldn't remember all the options and canceled the order.
3. A nice bright, clear display can win the notebook war. I had a ACER 8104 and couldn't use it cause the display was so bad. The D620 and D820 are better, but not by much.
4. If you really want to start selling laptops, come out with a high end, less configurable, business laptop. Haven't you heard, we business people pay a premium for an Apple laptop and we're happy with them. Lenovo has stumbled with their Thinkpad line and I've just about given up on them. This would be an ideal time to come out with a very high end model for the business traveler. I'd order one right now if it was spec'd right and was lightweight with a great display.
I'd really like to see Dell back on top, but with what you offer me, I'd rather see you sell out to Apple. Get a new design team and get in the game! Believe me, there are users out there ready to spend upwards of $ 3K for a great laptop.
543
Re-inventing the configurator . . .
Advertising and Marketing, Dell Web Site submitted by guidedstar
05/31/07
As a 30-year tech sector marketing & sales veteran and long-time admirer, I'm compelled to reach out as I've been amazed as how Dell has lost its way in recent years. Recent considerations of retail cooperation with the devil behemoth may indeed be avenues worthy of testing the waters, but what is so needed is a return to your roots that, in my estimation, is the primary source of your stagnating growth.
I'm a one-man band independent consultant these past five years and I offer free first reviews to my clients. With Dell, I'm familiar enough to give you yours now -
1 - You revolutionized the industry by inventing the configurator, a simple, fast and easy way to customize the product and see all the options and their cost impacts. Along the way, the marketing geniuses have totally polluted the original attraction and today it is a curse. To be sure of getting the options I want and at the best offered price, I may have to come in through five different doors, some of them dead ends, to get five different prices on, essentially, the same thing. Some recent changes have been a minor help, but there are still the endless attempts to engorge my configuration with more sales options and fully unrelated bundles of music players and the like. Lost, completely, is the understanding of why we loved you in the first place. And like a Baby Bell, you're frittering away the tremendous store of goodwill that you once had. The remaining comments are similarly attuned to this concern, not that it is the be-all and end-all of what you should be doing, but fixing the online experience is undoubtedly job one.
2 - Help Me Choose used to mean something once. Today, the help links do not provide significantly helpful information, for either first-time buyers or advanced users. For example, even for me, staying on top of meaningful information on the current crop of processors and that competition is difficult. The point is that you have tremendous opportunity, hidden in a major interface redesign that builds in real help, to go back to being the one to educate the world, being the expert we come to, where we can expect straight-talk and real answers. Go back to EARNING more of that goodwill.
3 - The ever-present pricing joke. Endless emails screaming of "three days only!" are so yesterday. Really, they never were from this industry, but badly force-fitted here. The joke is the opposite reality . . . hurry up and buy before we reduce the price even more. Worst, I can come in through different doors and get different prices. To do my own due diligence as a buyer, I have to spend several hours wading through playing your game. There is no one place I can clearly see all offers and options - is that not clearly a dis-incentive to my buying today? There ARE ways to address that need to bring in business, but they seem lost (and truly not only to you). Here's the first idea, provide a 30 day price guarantee that gives a credit in Dell products for any reductions in price you make (requires that monolithic price standard).
4 - Differentiation. Your product marketing group seems a tad lost too. Together with the marketing folk, it feels focused on a hip generation of gamers and not the most of us. One significant opportunity seems to me to be in the form factor offering. Mostly, no one really desires a tower chassis anymore. You've got small form factors that you barely market. Smart marketing would have the first question of the new configurator be what size footprint do you want and would you like us to explain the tradeoffs? That most PCs never get opened by the consumer, would seem to me to be a "no-duh" that if you SOLD small footprint, reduced noise, heat and space, you'd dramatically upsell into this differentiated product, not very available at Best Buy. There are a ton of other opportunities too. Please take them and take back your place of leadership!
Okay, enough, you get the drift and either you sense we're onto something or I'm already deleted. But before I sign off, a couple of positives. Thank you for the recycling effort. It is the one thing in recent history that brings you goodwill, at least from me. And thank you also for the Foundation
Maybe Michael needs a fresh, outside voice not beholden to any interest other than truth. Be well! Tim Brady www.GuidedStar.com
370
Better video card in your notebooks
Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by xombox
05/27/07
Hello Dell Team!
Why do you put in all your 14inches notebooks so poor Intel 950 graphic cards? I wanted to buy your Inspiron E1405, but when I realised that it is possible to have it only with Intel, I decided to start looking for a new notebook elsewhere.
So, my generic suggestion: You really should but some Nvidia`s graphic (not ATI which have really bad linux support) accelerators to your notebooks!!! As you did with XPS 1210!
430
No OEM Junk software, revival of recovery DVD/CD's NOT partitions
Desktops, Software submitted by mgin2k3
05/20/07 **UNDER REVIEW**
First, I hate it when I buy a computer and right when I turn it on out of the box, it's got a lot of junk software installed (AOL trial, Nortion Anti-Virus trial, etc). Get rid of these trial and non-trial OEM softwares or at least give the customer the option of not having them installed. I end up wasting so much time trying to uninstall all this junk anyways and I'm sure I'm not alone. I like having a clean install when I get a new computer (or when I'm recovering). And by clean I mean Windows (or whatever other OS the user may enjoy) and NOTHING else. Secondary OEM software can be included on a separate disc for the user to select manual installation (or request preinstallation of for new purchase orders).
Secondly, recovery partitions are terrible. Aside from the fact that they waste harddisc space, if the harddrive were to become toast or to be upgraded, not only would the user lose the original installation, but they would also lose the recovery data. Has this single point of failure not come to anyone's attention? CD's and DVD's can be preciously taken care and you never have to worry about losing both the installation and recovery partition all at once.
940
Better Notebook sound and features
Laptops submitted by foxx
02/17/07
I was looking for a high end notebook for video editing. Every Dell model I looked at was missing something essential.
Most serious is the lousy sound. I can understand for low end notebooks, but high end need A REAL SOUND CARD. I would have been willing to buy a sound card, but that required a PCMCIA slot and you had elimintated those. I gave up.
4729
No McAfee
Software submitted by doomlord52
02/19/07
I think everyone agrees here. No McAfee. i cant unistall my copy because it will take all my settings for the Microsoft firewall with it. That includes my outlook settings, internet, and just about every program. Why cant i say "no McAfee please"??? is it really that hard? use Norton....
15134
Keyboard light
Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by georged1
05/27/07
We have two Dell Laptops, An XPS and Inspiron which we like very,very
much . I also have a Thinkpad A30 and like it alot too. My Thinkpad
has a light for the keyboard which is really nice, why does the Dell
laptops not have this feature.
600
6 major issues to be fixed by Dell
Dell, Sales Strategies, Service and Support submitted by jervis961
02/17/07
Dell became a top company by providing choice and customer service to a customer that wasn't available at the time but has since fallen behind the pack in these areas. Needing a translator when calling customer support is unnacceptable and other companies are rapidly passing Dell in technology advancements. While this site is a good start, many things need to be changed for Dell to become the market leader again.
1. Customer support needs to be in well spoken English and with employees who are allowed to do more than just read from a script. If they are speaking with a computer savvy customer the rep should be allowed to deviate from the script as long as they don't go outside the relm of normal policy.
2. Better options: Other companies offer high end components in small computers but Dell only supplies intel video processors in its 14" laptop. Dell needs to allow customers to get the size computer they need but with options from low cost through the high end so they can get a computer that is "Purely you".
3. Less forced options: I hate that I am paying for and XPS with internet security when I don't need it because I already have a subsciption that will transfer over or AOL is installed when I know I don't need it. They need to add an option of none of the above to all the added software sections.
4. Better pricing: Why is it over $200 to upgrade from 1 GB of 533 MHZ ram to 2 GB of 677 MHZ RAM? I can go to Crucial.com and get the 2GB 677MHZ kit for under $200. Upgrading with Dell after you own is even worse at over $300 this is crazy.
5. Custom Dell website: Customers want to feel special why not make a MYDELL website that when you log in you get a site designed the way you want it. If you aren't interested in the small business site it gets removed, you don't like to go thru the accessories sections when customizing a system so you don't see that section. Click on customer support and a list of your computer pops up asking which one you need help with and only shows the options for that system.
6. Customer loyalty rewards: I have bought 6 Dell systems over the last few years, why can't I get better customer service or pricing due to my loyalty to the company?
6925
Advertise Graphics RAM correctly
Advertising and Marketing submitted by joffe100
04/20/07 **UNDER REVIEW**
When we say we want to buy a 512Mb graphics card we really do want a 512Mb graphics card - not 512Mb with 256mb physical memory with 256mb shared! This is really BAD and misleading advertising - you do not see other RAM memory being sold 1Gb (512Mb physical, 512Mb shared!)
Should read: 512Mb physical memory and it actually be 512Mb physical memory
NOT: 512Mb** and then some tiny asterixed disclaimer on a linked page that points out that the 512Mb is some funky combination of 3Mb physical and the rest being pulled from virtual memory - this kills many graphic intense apps and games...
suprised no-one has sued over this? Not sure many buyers are even aware....
4160
light up keyboards
Dell submitted by theonlyho
05/13/07
Maybe I'm not up to date, but since Apple has lighted up keyboards, it'd be awesome if laptops have lighted up keyboards also. It might be out on Dell now or not, lighted up keyboards are handy either way.
1230
What Dell Needs to do to be # 1 again ..
Dell submitted by lindahewitt
02/17/07
Dell used to be #1 when it came to hardware configuration, engineering, customer support and documentation. In fact for years, Dell's technical documentation won national awards in every category that it entered in. I am not a hardware geek, but the documentation was so good that it make me want to get a Dell and do the hardware work. Now that is real marketing.
Dell's customer support was out of Round Rock and it was A+. As a result of Dell excellence in hardware, engineering, customer support and documentation, I never had a problem recommending Dell to family, friends, associates and clients. But that was in 1994-1999.
Dell needs to return to its high quality roots, if it wants to be #1 again.
It also needs to eliminate some of its deceptive advertising, where customers pay for a premium tech support warranty for "next business day" support, only to discover that the term "next business day support" is defined completely differently by Dell. BTW, my BSOD problem occurred on a 5 month old brand new computer.
Let the customer control what software is loaded on their new computer, so that it could be no OS, OS only or OS & Microsoft Office.
Set up the C partition to only contain the operating system and nothing else. Redirect all data files to the D partition for data files and set up the e partition for programs.
Then if the user gets a BSOD or Dell's tech support says that the OS needs to be re-installed, the OS can be re-installed without affecting anything else. Yes, I know that the programs will need to be re-installed but the user will not have lost any data. In this regard, all customers should receive a CD (or DVD) with their operating system on it, just in case they have to re-install it for some reason. In fact, I think that every computer should come with 2 hard drives, so that data files and programs are completely separate from the OS hard drive. In short, make the process as easy and simple for the customer as possible.
In the case of BSODs, why not develop some prepared documentation, which explains that a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) can be caused by malfunctioning hardware, the operating system or software applications, which is what makes trouble shooting so very difficult. Based on my experience and substantial research, most of the time the cause of BSODs are poorly written software. So, why not emphasize the importance of backing up before installing new hardware or software. Backup restoration should ALWAYS be tested.
If Dell wants to be # 1 and I know that Dell does, then why not deal with only those vendors that have the best products instead of putting Norton AV on the computer.
Companies that I would recommend that Dell consider developing a business relationship with are
Acronis for their True Image (backup) and Disk Director (partition) software
Kaspersky for their AV and Internet Security products
Raxco for their PerfectDisk defragmentation product
FYI ... I do not have a business relationship with any of these companies.
When Dell includes software or add-on hardware, it should always be top of the line quality. In a sense, they are endorsing or recommending this vendor, so the reputation of the vendor gets tied to Dell's reputation as well.
Make it easy, simple and a quality experience to do business with Dell. In 1994-1995, this was the reputation of Dell and it carried you to the # 1 spot. Now it is time to return to your roots.
Pet Peeve:
Every quarter, when your financial reports came out that said that Dell had increased its net profits 27% over the same quarter last year, it only served to remind me that Dell was focused on maximum profits and that they didn't care that they were short-changing their customers to get those maximum profits.
Your customers understand what is really going on and have made their purchasing decisions based on Dell's past actions.
Congratulations on IdeaStorm. This is a great idea and I think that it can work to everyone's benefit.
941
No OS Installed (at a lower cost!)
Dell, Operating Systems submitted by fuscob
05/06/07
We understand that there is already an option to have no OS preloaded on the machine, but it doesn't save any money. A copy of XP Pro OEM costs $139 - the consumer should get that money back if they choose not to have Windows preloaded.
2970
 track my votes
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