Dell 2007 Annual Report Download - page 8

Table of Contents
focused and efficient, providing customers access to our experience and guidance on how to best architect and operate IT operations.
– Deployment Services. Our deployment services simplify and accelerate the deployment of new systems, PCs, and TV's in
customers' environments. Our processes and deployment technologies enable customers to get systems up and running quickly and
reliably, with minimal end-user disruption.
– Asset Recovery and Recycling Services. We offer a variety of flexible services for the secure and environmentally safe recovery
and disposal of owned and leased IT equipment. Various options, including resale, recycling, donation, redeployment, employee
purchase, and lease return, help customers retain value while facilitating regulatory compliance and minimizing storage costs.
– Training Services. We help customers develop the skills and knowledge of key technologies and systems needed to increase their
productivity. Courses include hardware and software training as well as PC skills and professional development classes available
through instructor-led, virtual, or self-directed online courses.
– Support Services. Our suite of scalable support services is designed for IT professionals and end-users whose needs range from
basic phone support to rapid response and resolution of complex problems. We offer flexible levels of support that span from
desktop and laptop PCs to complex servers and storage systems, helping customers maximize uptime and stay productive. Our
support services include warranty services and proactive maintenance offerings to help prevent problems as well as rapid response
and resolution of problems. These services are supported by our network of Global Command Centers in the U.S., Ireland, China,
Japan, and Malaysia, providing rapid, around-the-clock support for critical commercial systems.
– Managed Services. We offer a full suite of managed service solutions for companies who desire outsourcing of some or all of
their IT management. From planning to deployment to ongoing technical support, our managed services are modular in nature so
that customers can customize a plan based on their current and future needs. We can manage a portion of their IT tasks or provide
an end-to-end solution.
Financial Services
We offer or arrange various customer financial services for our business and consumer customers in the U.S. through Dell Financial
Services L.P. ("DFS"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dell as of January 2008. DFS was formerly a joint venture between Dell and CIT
Group Inc. ("CIT"), and has been included in our consolidated financial statements since the third quarter of Fiscal 2004. On
December 31, 2007, we purchased CIT's remaining 30% interest in DFS, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary. Financing through DFS is
one of many sources of funding that our customers may select. For additional information about our financing arrangements, see
"Part II — Item 7 — Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Off-Balance Sheet
Arrangements" and Note 6 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in "Part II — Item 8 — Financial Statements and
Supplementary Data."
Sales and Marketing
We sell our products and services directly to customers through dedicated sales representatives, telephone-based sales, online at
www.dell.com, and through a variety of indirect sales channels. Our customers include large corporate, government, healthcare, and
education accounts, as well as small-to-medium businesses and individual consumers. Within each of our geographic regions, we have
divided our sales and marketing resources among these various customer groups. No single customer accounted for more than 10% of our
consolidated net revenue during any of the last three fiscal years.
Our sales and marketing efforts are organized around the needs, trends, and characteristics of our customers. Our direct business model
provides direct and continuous feedback from customers, thereby allowing us to develop and refine our products and marketing programs
for specific customer groups. Customers may offer suggestions for current and future Dell products, services, and operations on an
interactive portion of our website called Dell IdeaStorm. This constant flow of communication allows us to rapidly gauge customer
satisfaction and target new or existing products.
4