Dell 2001 Annual Report Download - page 8

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Table of Contents
Consulting Services
Through Dell Technology ConsultingTM, the Company offers a comprehensive portfolio of enterprise-level professional consulting services. The Company's
offerings include the design and implementation of complex storage systems, enterprise hardware training, tuning and proof-of-concept services. The
Company also tailors systems to specific customer requirements by integrating custom-configured hardware and software into the Company's manufacturing
process, coordinating delivery and managing all aspects of an on-site installation, including engineer-to-engineer support, technical account management, and
single-point-of-accountability support for issue resolution of leading enterprise software applications.
Technical Support and Warranty Programs
The Company offers warranty and technical support for all of its products. The specific terms and conditions of these warranties and service and support
options vary depending upon the product sold and country in which the Company does business. For products sold in the United States, the Company
provides a basic limited warranty, including parts and labor, for all computer systems for a period ranging from one to three years. The Company offers
additional warranties based upon the particular product offered and customer needs. The Company also provides 24-hour telephone-based technical support
and a wide array of Internet support. In addition, customers can choose from a variety of customized services and support programs. For example, through the
Premier Enterprise Support program, the Company offers a tiered service offering to help satisfy the unique needs of server and storage customers across a
range of computing environments. Premier Enterprise Support offers four tiers of service, each of which is designed to meet the varied needs of the
Company's enterprise customers.
Custom Factory Integration Services
The Company offers specialized custom factory integration services designed to address specific hardware and software integration requirements of
customers. These services allow the Company to satisfy a customer's particular integration requirements (whether hardware related, such as specialized
network cards, video and graphic boards, modems, tape drives or hard drives; or software related, such as customer proprietary software applications or
drivers) at the time the customer's systems are manufactured. Additionally, through the Company's ReadyWare program, the Company can factory install a
collection of popular off-the-shelf software applications and interface cards.
Leasing Services
The Company offers computer system leasing, as well as a variety of other customer financing programs, for its business and consumer customers in the
United States through Dell Financial Services L.P. ("DFS"), a joint venture between the Company and Tyco International. In fiscal year 2002, DFS originated
financing arrangements for the Company's customers totaling $2.7 billion. For government and international customers, the Company also partners with a
variety of third-party financing companies to offer leasing services to these customer segments. For additional information about DFS, see Note 8 of Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements included in "Item 8 — Financial Statements and Supplementary Data."
Sales and Marketing
The Company's customers range from large corporations, government agencies and healthcare and educational institutions to small-to-medium businesses and
individuals. In general, the Company uses similar sales and marketing approaches across all customer groups, as demand levels for each customer group are
principally driven by similar changes in market prices and overall general economic conditions. Within each region, the Company has divided its sales and
marketing forces
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