July 9th, 2009
Dell's FastTrack: now shipping popular systems overnight
Dell today announced a new service, called FastTrack, that puts the most popular laptops into the hands of consumers or businesses in a day or two.
For consumers, the company is offering next-day delivery on the most popular systems - including a laptop, a desktop and a mini computer. For businesses, the turn-around time is two days for a lineup of four laptop models with seven different configurations.
By tracking customer orders, Dell is identifying which laptops are the most popular and keeping those systems on-hand for quick delivery. In a statement, Erik Dithmer, vice-president and general manager of Dell’s small and medium business division, said:
The new FastTrack for Business program is all about responding to customer requirements and giving them options in how they choose to buy and use Dell technology. The majority of customers will continue to fully configure their Latitude laptops, but we now have an option for those who need mobile solutions quickly for a new employee, before a business trip or when they need a replacement unit fast.
Interestingly enough, the FastTrack program originated in IdeaStorm, the company’s virtual suggestion box that allows customers and employees to offer up suggestions on how to improve business. The suggestion that sparked this program, presumably written by a customer, said it was crazy that a pre-configured laptop showcased on the site and not customized in any way would take as much as five weeks to ship. The customer’s post put it all on the line for Dell when he wrote:
if I am buying a unit that you are showing in the website as your standard, I should be able to get it next week not in 5 weeks. Also consider the fact that I am paying you TODAY and you are not delivering the product for another 5 weeks. That is a loan to DELL with no interest, and DELL is not giving me a discount for waiting either.
Well said.
Sam Diaz is a senior editor at ZDNet. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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