But not question to focus on this segment

Fell from its pedestal of world number one from the PC in 2007 for the benefit of HP, Texas manufacturer Dell is launched in a permanent revolution under the leadership of its founding CEO, Michael Dell, income specially in order to boost its group. But the party is still far from over. If the group based in Round Rock, near Austin, always points in the second position, the Taiwanese Acer might pass before the next months. And the crisis was settled nothing. Again, in the first half, turnover plunged 17, to $ 25.1 billion. But Dell action still colors the last few months, with a jump of more than 60 for the Nasdaq since January 1. This is better than HP ( 28) and IBM ( 40), its main competitors. Evidence that investors begin to believe again.

If Gartner still provides a decrease of 6 of global PC sales this year, the firm hopes to be reconnecting with the good years. His great patron, Michael Dell, assured him: "It is has had so many investments delayed that they will gradually resume in 2010." Companies will have to replace their equipment if they want to increase their productivity. "Another leader of the Texas Group, TR Reid, insists:"information technology expenditures are relatively robust in emerging countries." And with the release of the Microsoft operating system, Windows 7, companies will accelerate their hardware replacement cycle. "But in the meantime resumed, it is time of savings at Dell. The Group wants to reduce its costs of $ 4 billion. With the objective to increase the operating margin above 7. As Michael Dell, "Dell is a company that offers products and services to other businesses."Nevertheless: the Group invests heavily in the public. Retail sales now account for 22 of net sales, against 15 two years ago. But the operating margin from this division is 1.5. Hence the iconic decision of mid-2007 to revise completely the "model Dell" which was based on the single sale direct from the manufacturer to the consumer. A concept become obsolete with the generalization of the e-commerce. Now, Dell PCs are sold at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Carrefour or FNAC. The Group has multiplied the agreements with more than 43,000 stores around the world. The results are "significant". But Dell products still struggling to make a difference with those of Acer or HP, both in terms of technology and price.

A smartphone in preparation

Hence the decision to rely on the design. In 2007, Ron Garrigues, the creator of the Razr, this phone that made the success of Motorola in the years 2000, arrives. With a credo: "Don't think more like a PC manufacturer but as a designer of consumer electronics products."

A year later, he hires Ed Boyd, a designer from Nike. "Dell wanted someone who understands the people and their lifestyle," says one. 5 Designers early 2008, the team of Ed Boyd moved to 140 today, installed in Austin, Miami, Taipei or even Singapore. Irony of history, this "task force" of the design works on Apple machines. Different creations are out of these "studios". As Adamo, a rather luxurious super-slim laptop to counter the iBook to Apple. $ 1.499, Adamo is the first attempt of Dell to attack high-end. But not question to focus on this segment. Everyone is entitled to his Dell. The teams have created 5 types of products, dedicated to each use, such as AlienWare, a PC designed for games, or Studio, dedicated to music and video. Netbooks (SFF) were designed by Ed Boyd teams, like the future smartphone from Dell, which will be first sold by China Mobile. The record is classified "secret defense". But it must expect the birth of a new family of products: "it would be irrelevant for Dell to have than a smartphone model", concedes Ed Boyd. Michael Dell confirms: "It is an interesting opportunity." The ecosystem is to stabilize and we have a friendly strategy with operators such as ATT, Verizon, Vodafone, China Mobile.

But this "pocket computer", as it is called the Texas pattern, is not his only priority. When we questioned its strategy in the mobile, Michael Dell replied: "but why you are interested you in this small bright object". Dell has sales of servers and storage equipment activity that works also very well.