By Dan Ayars, Business Development Manager; Mary Morris, Operations Coordinator; and Rich Kenney, Vice President, TechSolutions
One of the things we do here at TechSolutions is sell hardware and software to our clients. Computers are the things we sell more of than any other piece of equipment, with clients contacting us daily to place orders. When clients receive a quote from us on computers they sometimes question the price, with some commenting, and I suspect even more thinking, that they could get a computer cheaper at local retailer like Best Buy. It’s a legitimate question and one I would certainly ask. So just why are the computers we quote often at a higher price point than ones you can get retail? In summary, it’s an apples and oranges comparison, but I think it can be better understood if we delve a little deeper.
Quality
We are a certified reseller of the Dell business line of computers. One of the key characteristics of the computers we sell is they are what you could term professional grade. In fact, Dell does not allow us to sell the consumer line … only the professional line. They are constructed with higher quality, sturdier components, designed to hold up under the rigors of several hours of daily use and configured to handle business applications. The build quality is better and they are not as flimsy, so-to-speak, as compared to what you get when purchasing retail. The models we sell are available exactly as is for an extended length of time so we can promote consistency among the workplace computers. As an example, the OptiPlex computer purchased today can be acquired for many months to come; whereas the Inspiron computer you buy at a retail shop may not be available again even the next week when another purchase is attempted.
Also, for retailers to be able to offer computers cheap, manufacturers often cut corners by using outdated or no-name components that are a lower quality than the business line. There are distinct differences in quality and retail computers are more likely to break down more frequently, resulting in additional expenses and downtime. In general, the hardware components used in retail computers are typically less advanced and behind the technology curve from the moment of purchase. .
Warranty and service
Another key difference is the warranty and service options that are available. The Dell computers that TSI sells come with a 3 year, next business day complete warranty. If your computer breaks down, we determine the issue, call Dell support on your behalf, arrange for the parts and for a Dell tech to come onsite if required.
Most retail computers come with a 90 day or a 1 year limited warranty. For Dell computers purchased through retail channels, most repair work that requires parts replacement can’t be handled entirely through over-the-phone troubleshooting. Dell mails you a shipping box and you ship the broken computer to one of their repair depots such as California or Texas. A week or so later, they call you with the diagnosis which may or may not include a charge NOT covered under your limited warranty. If you decide to move forward, they repair it and ship it back. As you can see, you stand to be without a computer for quite some time. A lengthy repair time may not be the only problem you encounter. One of our clients received a laptop back from servicing and discovered that the original hard drive was missing. When a complaint was filed, Dell waived the repair charge, but unfortunately, the client was informed that the hard drive was history along with all the data. Conversely the computers we sell are repaired in our office or onsite at your office.
Consultation, customization and compatibility
When you purchase retail, you take what they have on the shelf. The configuration may be more – or less – than you need, but regardless, you’ll get what they have. We, on the other hand, will consult with you, the client, and determine how you intend to use the computer. Then, we will create a customized configuration that is suited to your specific needs. Our clients benefit immensely from our years of experience purchasing this stuff. We tell you why you might want to consider this over that and keep you from wasting money on something you don’t need or that won’t work for the intended use. For example, most retail computers come with the Home version of Windows. You can’t take a computer with the Home version of Windows and join it to a business computer network, which is a big problem since most of our clients need that capability. Additionally, most consumer-based laptops, do not allow for a docking station, which is a feature that many business users want.
Hopefully this gives you a little more insight as to why there is a difference in computer pricing. There are more things I could cover, like AMD processors vs. Intel or maximum RAM, but the point is that you get what you pay for. It’s not a matter of similar computers with one being marked up more than the other. In fact, computer sales are not a profit engine for us. We offer it as a service to our clients to help them avoid unnecessary grief and expense.
On your end it’s a business decision when considering whether to buy consumer or professional grade PCs. Our point is that you need to look beyond the upfront price and consider things such as standardizing end user computers, warranty issues, loss of productivity due to downtime, money wasted purchasing underpowered computers, and overall frustration of dealing with all that. The good news is it’s a decision you don’t have to make on your own. We are here for you and ready to put our years of experience to use to ensure you make the best buy.