Dull Dell tries to spruce up flagging brand with ad campaign

dell.jpgIs anyone surprised Dell is struggling?

The computer maker has learned of late the price sword, which the personal computer maker wielded for years, cuts both ways.

Rivals such as Hewlett-Packard Co. and others have become price competitive since 2005 when customers again gravitated to stores to buy computers, negating the advantages of Dell’s direct sales model. Last year, Dell lost its status as the No. 1 seller of personal computers to H-P. Now Dell is looking to regain its edge.

Round Rock, Tex.-based Dell is set to launch a worldwide ad campaign this week in an effort to create a hipper image, according to the Wall St. Journal.

As the computer becomes a cheaper commodity, Dell has learned it needs more than a boring, cheap gray box to attract and retain customers. Apple, with its well-designed Macbooks, H-P and Sony (to a lesser degree) learned these lessons years ago.

While its on the self-improvement campaign, the company should spruce up its customer service department too.

I’ll never forget my first experience with Dell some 5 years ago (call me bitter). I paid $150 for shipping and still had to pick up my computer from a local Purolator courier.

Ensuing technical problems were dealt with by customer service representatives in India who I waited 45 minutes for on the phone.

Good luck Dell!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118402169686361431.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

July 10, 2007 | Filed Under News Items and Commentary 

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