Dell’s Business to Business Marketing

This article provides an analysis of Dell's business to business marketing strategies, including its value proposition and relationship marketing process. It also discusses the forces that impact Dell's marketing activities and its competitors in the market. Additionally, it explores the ethical issues that Dell addresses through its corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Dell’s Business to Business Marketing
Dell’s Company Analysis
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1. Introduction
Dell
Dell is one of the multinational organizations dealing with computers and its other
connected accessories. The company is among the best performing organization globally and is
ranked 165 in Global 500. Since its beginning, the company has steadily grown to be one of the
best global corporations. The establishment started in 1984 and Michael Dell the founder was a
fresh graduate from university. The motivation of Michael was to start selling computers to the
clients directly. This turned out to be a solid foundation to grow and thus became the
accelerating point for Dell. The name of the organization was PC’s ltd which it gained popularity
and customers could request for products. Michael could source products from IBM and sell
directly. Later he adopted the idea of buying parts and assembling them together and sells. Dell
corporation was borne, developed and today is a big conglomerate.
2. The Business Value Proposition
The value proposition describes the stand of the company will give to customers in
relation to values and ideals. An organization through value proposition spells the values and
ideal of its products that will be delivered to the customers. Also, these tell the stand of the
company in connection its reputation and brand equity in the market (Kavadias, Ladas, and
Loch, 2016).
The Point of difference: Dell began by creating a personnel-value proposition. The organization
in understanding that employees play a critical role in the organization restructured the company
and retained the most talented employees in 2010 (Colt, 2019). The HR structure was aligned
from regional alignment to functional alignment. Over a long period, the company consciously
cultivated its proposition, grounded on reality, and dreamt big (Ramirez, 2018). The organization

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utilizes a global strategy by going closer to the customer. The company has a well-established
internet system which is capable of increasing its client base. With this same internet structure,
marketing activities get facilitated to reach the target segment of customers. This gives the
reason why the organization has set offices in different parts of the globe (Ovans, 2015).
Point of parity/equality: The point of equality is seen at Dell, the organization strives to reduce
competition by collaborating with other establishments as a way of extending its business
operation. For example, the company has partnered with Xerox for the purpose of provision of
printing artifacts and services (kazmaier, 2019). The aim for Dell’s collaboration with Xerox is
to integrate technology to the list of its vast business services and thus making the company
serve its customers better. Xerox is known for its quality brand, quality services, and strategic
leadership (Ramirez, 2018).
3. Dell’s Relationship Marketing Process
This is an approach in which an organization establishes the association with its
customers. The aim is to create a long lasting business relationship. Dell in the understanding of
this engages with the customer in different ways.
The first is that Dell provides discounts to its clients. The discounting is a technique
employed in the business where the price stream is determined so as to attract customers with the
aim of getting a better price tomorrow. Dell is using this technique to woo its customers with the
aim of increasing sales volume (George, 2019). In this respect, the organization ahead of the
Memorial Day offers a discount on its Dell XPS products with a discount of allowing as $400
(Levite, 2019). Additionally, the 27-inch monitor is as well on discount Kern, M. 2019.
Furthermore, the organization relates to its customers through a 24/7 chat.

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The organization has set two categories of 24/7 chat: home and technical support. This is
where all the issues get handled 24 hours in 7 days. Customers through the use of the platform
get to ask questions relating to products and services, support in case of issues in use of a
product.
Additionally, the organization interacts with customers on a personal level through email
and alert options on their system. When a customer buys a product registration is done on the
system and this will keep the customer reminded of warranty expiration or a sale if one has
requested for a product but had not completed the sale on the system.
Dell’s site is unique, friendly and much client-centered information. For instance, the
organization has created an auction site. This is where customers get to see, buy or sell
refurbished products as well as accessories of any brand.
4. The Forces that Impact Dell’s Marketing Activities
Marketing is an essential component of increasing sales in an organization. However, in
the process of marketing, there are a number of forces that hinders marketing to take place in an
effective way. For the sake of this investigation, the paper examines two forces that inhibit Dell’s
marketing activities.
Technologies for business models
The widespread of technology among the people as well as the use of technology by Dell
impact the marketing activities. The organization is in a position to sell its products via the
internet with no expenses of resources, and time because the internet allows interaction with
customers. Dell is able to collect essential information concerning its clients and get used of the
information to segment the market so as to focus all efforts to profitable segments (womand,
2017). For example, the use of design tools facilitate the customer design own product as well as

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services and allow companies to make these products or services for them. With the use of such
tools, Dell can lock with its customers and establish a long-term relationship. The company can
hence make use of virtual design teams to solve customers’ problems. It has been established that
the use of virtual tools and teams creates quality and above standard products and services
(yourarticlelibrar, 2019).
Individual Forces
Presently, the living standards of people in society has drastically changed and thus the
lifestyle. It is established that people lead many lifestyles. These lifestyles compel people to
choose services and products that meet their particular needs as well as interests based on the
lifestyle adopted (womand, 2017). This is no longer conforming to the conventional stereotype
where the profession was thought to define a lifestyle. Presently, for example, an individual can
be a teacher as well as a gourmet, fitness instructor among other professions. These professions
get linked with a different lifestyle based on product and services presented (yourarticlelibrar,
2019).
These multifaceted lifestyles increase the buying behavior i[of customers and this makes
marketers difficult to profile the customers in line with the income, occupation, education or
social class. This complexity created makes it hard to target a particular set of the segment and
thus advertising is made difficult and complicated (yourarticlelibrar, 2019).
5. Dell’s Competitors
1) Lenovo: The organization creates products just like Dell and they manufacture, design and sell
computers and associated devices. Owing to its wider distribution, Lenovo is a strong competitor
to Dell. They recently began developing smartphones and HD televisions. This step has given
them an edge over Dell particularly in the market of China which is very large and is leading in

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sales since 2013 in this industry. The firm has spread to over 70 countries and invests much in
research and development which have given them a competitive edge in the market (Bhasin,
2018).
2) Apple: This is the organization which is very popular globally and makes a good number of
products cutting across computers, mobile phones, smart television all the way to the
development of software. It is very aggressive in iPhones and this is the section that generates
more revenue for the organization. The units that develop computers are not so aggressive and
hence not generating much for the organization. Irrespective of the reputation and popularity
globally, the organization get ranked second after Lenovo because of the pricing of their
products. The pricing of their products is quite high as compared to other competitors. Despite
the pricing, the quality of their products is never questionable and the company rides on this fact
to be in the market (Bhasin, 2018).
3) Samsung: This is the oldest established conglomerate; however, it entered the electronic
industry in 1960 and presently specializes in electronic products. It develops smartphones,
televisions, and household products. The organization has never gotten into the manufacturer of
computers, however, it has begun penetrating the PCs market, creation of printers, and scanners;
the revenue from this section is less than 15% of the total revenue for the company. The
company is enjoying the market owing to their brand equity and therefore become one of Dell’s
competitors (Bhasin, 2018).
4) Hewlett Packard: When compared with IBM, Hewlett Packard is a strong competitor of Dell
currently in the market. This is attributed to the fact that the organization is offering wider ranges
of products to various organizations starting from small businesses to large corporations and

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government establishments. The company specializes in computers, printers, servers, and
different imaging accessories (Bhasin, 2018).
6. Dell’s Ethical Issues
Dell is cognizant of the fact that ethically sustainable business is the strategy to forge
forward in the competitive environment where everybody is aware if rights both as an individual
and for society. Dell in building positive CSR have embraced the concept of recycling of waste.
The company pint that what is taken as waste is not waste because it has usefulness when
transformed into another form. The organization has the initiative of recovering waste electronic
products for recycling and has different recycling options at the convenience of its clients. In
addition, these products get recycled safely with the aim of protecting the environment (Dell,
2019). Additionally, the organization supports social entrepreneurship. It endeavors in giving
back to the community by support new ideas with the aim of giving life to these ideas and
besides financial support, the company have comprehensive programs set to transform societies
and empower employees to utilize their unique skills to support talents in the society (Research-
methodology, 2019).
Moreover, the company is concerned with the reduction of carbon footprint in an effort to
protecting the environment. They have set green initiatives that begin from product design and
goes all the way to recycling the product. The aim is to create an eco-friendly environment in a
sustainable manner (Dell, 2019).
The organization design products for the environment through innovation and life cycle
approach. Green packaging is one of the company’s efforts to minimizing material’s impact on
the environment. The aim is to reduce waste by using recyclable materials (Research-
methodology, 2019).

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Furthermore, the organization establishes excellent standards with the suppliers through
prioritization of accountability and sustainability. They established business alliances that are
abiding by ethically sustainable standards that give high regard to the employees, society and the
planet (Research-methodology, 2019). The organization is striving to attain 100% degree of
transparency and to proof this; the organization allows customers, suppliers, and manufacturers
to see how Dell is making their products as well as the employee who make these products.
Moreover, the organization has established a virtual reality where all the company’s processes
get accesses by both the clients and the stakeholders (Dell, 2019).
The organization has put in place policies and positions that highlight how products get
created, and how operations get sustained. They have set strict guidelines for doing business and
with those who undertake business together (Dell, 2019).
Conclusion
Dell created a value proposition based on its employees, customers, and collaborations
with other firms; to keep relationship with its customers, discounting, 24/7 chats, client-centered
association and face-to-face client contacts; technology and individual forces such as lifestyle
hinder the company’s marketing initiatives. The organization has competition in the market and
most fierce competitors are Lenovo, Apple, Samsung, and Hewlett Packard. In terms of ethical
issues, it is apparent that the organization has ethical sustainable CSR that is very positive. This
is seen through recycling, reduction of carbon footprint reduction initiatives, innovation and life
cycle approach; putting in place policies and positions that highlight how products get created,
and how operations get sustained, and establishment of excellent standards with the suppliers
through prioritization of accountability and sustainability. All these are for the benefit of the
people, the society and the planet.

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References
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