Desktops and Laptops: Channel Loves Dell

Most channel partners are satisfied with Dell for its marketing and after sales efforts; these are the same parameters where HP faltered and slipped to #3.

This was the first time the Channel Satisfaction Survey was conducted amongst partners combining desktops and laptops together as a category. It made sense since it was the same set of partners dealing with both and laptops were gradually starting to cannibalize the desktops market to an extent; naturally, in the last few years it was the same vendor emerging as the channel favorite in both categories.

The combined category has thrown surprises galore in its first year. Dell, who was #2 in both categories last year, has emerged as the new winner. Lenovo, the #3 in both has moved up to the second position overall; but the big surprise has been HP, the channel favorite for both desktops and laptops last year, has gone down to #3 in the overall satisfaction index.

Marketing and after sales support were the Dell strong points that attracted the partners surveyed.  Since embracing the indirect model, Dell has gone on an advertising blitz and this seems to find positive repercussions amongst the channel community. They are also pleased with Dell’s innovative market development programs and how it allocates funds for marketing.  Unlike few years back, Dell has also become prompt in stock replacement and its ability to provide satisfactory repair and replacement services.

Lenovo has moved to the #2 slot primarily on the basis of its high ratings amongst partners on commercial terms. Partners feel that Lenovo not only has reasonable pricing, but it is transparent in commercial terms and policies, prompt with its schemes, back-end incentives and schemes and most importantly gives good profit margins to vendors.

HP’s fall from grace is a little surprising, though partially this can be attributed to the ironic travesty of trying to please too many partners. HP, no doubt, still has the maximum number of partners and it failed to satisfy many of them about the transparency of its commercial terms, its credit policies and its non-proactive service approach.  Many partners feel HP is not serious about retaining dedicated personnel for maintaining channel relationship; this change in personnel not just disrupts the relationship but also hampers HP from honoring its commitments made to the partners. Nevertheless, the partners still feel HP has the most diversified range of products and leads others on the technological quality.