If you’ve followed Dell much in the past few years (and since you’re reading our blog, you probably have), then you know we’re proud to talk about our robust portfolio of products and services. That’s why we’re excited today to announce a new addition that will offer even more choice for our business customers when they seek technology to improve employee productivity.
Beginning early October 2015, we will be selling Microsoft Surface Pro and Surface Pro accessories through our North America sales organization, and rolling out to other regions starting in early 2016. No other PC maker is doing anything like this with Microsoft, and Michael Dell wants to tell you about it himself!
Business customers will be able to buy Surface Pro from Dell, the same way they buy our Venue Pro tablets and Latitude 2-in-1s and laptops, configure, deploy and support them throughout their organization the same way. Now customers have a “one stop shop” to get the very best Windows devices in the market backed by award-winning Dell Support and Configuration & Deployment Services. Surface Pro devices sold through Dell will come with a one-year Basic Hardware Service with the option to extend it up to 4 years and customers may also upgrade to ProSupport or ProSupport with Accidental Damage Service.
Many businesses are evaluating Surface Pro tablets, and when our team proposed this in a recent Dell Customer Advisory Council meeting, those customers told us they love seeing this level of collaboration and choice. Some customers have told us that they would like to use Surface Pro tablets, in addition to their Dell devices, but require the IT management, services and support that only Dell can provide.
Dell’s tablet portfolio focuses on meeting a wide range of customer needs from mobile productivity for knowledge workers with the power and screen size to get real work done – like the Venue 11 Pro, Latitude 2-in-1s and Surface Pro – to application-driven tablets that are purpose-built to meet specific customer use cases, like our Venue 8 Pro that has been deployed broadly in hospitality and retail. In today’s business environment, the mobility that tablets offer is vital to all types of businesses – even traditionally conservative industries like banking.
“The reason we chose Surface Pro 3 is because of its unique 2-in-1 design that helps customers meet the needs of their employees with a single device. The Surface Pro 3 provides employees with the lightweight tablet when they are mobile, and a powerful laptop/desktop when they’re at their desk. And since it runs Windows, our customers are able to seamlessly integrate Surface Pro 3 into their existing security protocols and IT processes, so they can immediately start using all of JHA software in a mobile world,” said Tommy Bradford, Jack Henry Managing Director.
Another reason we’re excited about this unique partnership is the growth we are seeing in Windows tablets, and that will only get better. Take the Q2 IDC CY2015 WW Tablet share results:
- Dell rose two ranks to number two with 14.4 percent market segment share in worldwide Windows Commercial Tablets
- Microsoft kept the number one rank in worldwide Windows Commercial Tablets with 30.4 percent market segment share
Now that Dell will offer both the number one and the number two commercial tablets worldwide to its business customers, we are uniquely positioned to offer not just the devices that customers want, but the services and enterprise manageability that they require.
Microsoft and Dell have been long-valued partners and this is an extension of that collaboration. We see the Surface Pro family as complementing our current portfolio with its 12-inch form factor and distinct industrial design, and look forward to hearing more of your thoughts.