Dell Thinks Outside the Box

Louella Fernandes, Associate Director, Print Services and Solutions

Quocirca Viewpoint
In a highly commoditised market and an evolving digital and mobile workplace, printer vendors are challenged with keeping their products relevant. Dell is moving in the right direction with an expanded portfolio that encompass solutions beyond print, enabling its latest multifunction printers (MFPs) to be used as cloud-centric document processing devices. 2013 has marked Dells 10 year anniversary in the printer market. Dells printer strategy began with a partnership with Lexmark and further expanded, Dell subsequently using OEM partners that included Samsung and Xerox. In those 10 years, Dell has gained a 10% share of a market dominated by industry stalwarts such as HP, Canon, Lexmark and Xerox. Dell has significantly evolved its printing business from just a few models to 19 unique products today. As with other parts of the company, Dell is transitioning its printer business from a hardware-centric to a solutions-driven approach. Despite overall print volumes being on a downward trajectory paper remains a key element of document workflow for many businesses. (MFP) to bridge the paper to digital gap. Today MFPs have evolved beyond print and copy devices to become sophisticated document processing hubs that can also capture and route documents whether its through the cloud or to on-premise applications. The growing use of cloud services such as Dropbox, Google Drive and Microsoft SkyDrive means that more of us have and want access to documents in the cloud. By providing access to a personal cloud space directly from the MFP and enabling the digitisation of paper documents, businesses can better utilise their MFPs as document productivity tools and make them integral to automating paper to digital workflows. The introduction of the Dell Document Hub is certainly a step in the right direction. It provides SMBs with a simple and flexible approach to document collaboration allowing users to share, create and print across many common cloud document platforms including Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive and Microsoft SharePoint Online from a single access point. Through single-sign-on, users can search and Dell, like other vendors, is seeing an opportunity to help businesses drive more efficiency beyond print, using the multifunction peripheral

Dell Thinks Outside the Box

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2013 Quocirca Ltd

manage documents across several cloud services either scanning to the cloud or printing from the cloud. What is particularly unique to Dells Document Hub is the ability to aggregate search and print from more than one cloud service simultaneously. A key differentiator is also its built-in optical character recognition (OCR) which allows documents can be scanned and saved in their native format whether its Word, Excel, PowerPoint or PDF. Multiple business cards, for instance, can be scanned and saved as individual .vcf files. The Dell Document Hub is an embedded solution for the Dell Colour Multifunction Printer, the C2665dnf, and is also available as an app on Windows 8, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT devices. At a time when SMBs are becoming more receptive to cloud-based services, the Dell Document Hub could be a key differentiator for Dell in targeting SMB users. However, competition is intensifying and many vendors such as HP, Lexmark and Xerox are already well advanced in the solutions and services journey. To serve the SMB market effectively Dell is looking to better engage with its partners, and is working to expand its channel through its newly added Dell Imaging and Print Strategic Partner Programme. In the bigger picture, the recently re-privatised Dell is a new company with a lot to prove. When outlining his enterprise plans for Dell, Michael Dell stated the PC is not dead, but the company is expanding beyond the PC. This may as well apply to print and the need to expand beyond the printed page. Dells strategy to leverage its broad array of hardware, software and services including security, systems management, networking and storage - isnt unique. HP is also trying to push an integrated mobile/PC/print strategy and with a stronger presence in the printer market, HP has a significant head start. For now, Dell appears committed to print as part of its future strategy and its renewed focus on software and services, combined with its PC heritage should help it strengthen its footprint in the SMB space. Nevertheless it faces stiff competition and its ability to capture greater mindshare in the market will rely on forging closer channel partnerships and developing a strong solutions and services proposition.

Dell Thinks Outside the Box

http://www.quocirca.com

2013Quocirca Ltd

About Quocirca
Quocirca is a primary research and analysis company specialising in the business impact of information technology and communications (ITC). With world-wide, native language reach, Quocirca provides in-depth insights into the views of buyers and influencers in large, mid-sized and small organisations. Its analyst team is made up of realworld practitioners with first-hand experience of ITC delivery who continuously research and track the industry and its real usage in the markets. Through researching perceptions, Quocirca uncovers the real hurdles to technology adoption the personal and political aspects of an organisations environment and the pressures of the need for demonstrable business value in any implementation. This capability to uncover and report back on the end-user perceptions in the market enables Quocirca to advise on the realities of technology adoption, not the promises. Quocirca research is always pragmatic, business orientated and conducted in the context of the bigger picture. ITC has the ability to transform businesses and the processes that drive them, but often fails to do so. Quocircas mission is to help organisations improve their success rate in process enablement through better levels of understanding and the adoption of the correct technologies at the correct time. Quocirca has a pro-active primary research programme, regularly surveying users, purchasers and resellers of ITC products and services on emerging, evolving and maturing technologies. Over time, Quocirca has built a picture of long term investment trends, providing invaluable information for the whole of the ITC community. Quocirca works with global and local providers of ITC products and services to help them deliver on the promise that ITC holds for business. Quocircas clients include Oracle, IBM, CA, O2, T-Mobile, HP, Xerox, Ricoh and Symantec, along with other large and medium sized vendors, service providers and more specialist firms.

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Dell Thinks Outside the Box

http://www.quocirca.com

2013 Quocirca Ltd