A few days back I wrote about Multi-Core processing technology and how most people don't need it. Well, it seems my timing was dead on. Since then I've been embroiled in a number of discussions about hardware standards for our organization here at work.
We're wasting thousands and thousands of dollars every quarter on hardware we simply do not need. The basic reason for this is the same reason so many people are going out and snapping up dual core systems with vista and the latest versions of office.
It's no longer about correctly spec'ing what you NEED it's about how much you or your organization are being swayed by the market. FOR GODS SAKE YOU'RE THE MARKET! YOU are the end-user. We're letting these companies get away with murder and it's OUR fault!
It doesn't matter what deals HP or Dell have cooked up with Intel, AMD or Microsoft. These companies are so wrapped up in making deals with each other it seems they've really forgotten who their customers are.
Sure, I understand that cutting a big deal with your processor and OS suppliers is the quickest way to insure competitive pricing but you seem to be forgetting that the REASON you're trying to be competitive is to sell US computers. As the organization that employees me wrestles with our vendors it seems like what they really want to do is sell us the products that Microsoft and Intel are trying to sell to them. STOP IT! There are two main reasons this is bad for the market.
First, selling new technology for new technologies sake only drives up your costs. Splitting your support, manufacturing and process. The faster you phase technology in and out of your products the higher these costs go. The vendors serving us end-users need to push back on their suppliers with what we NEED and not just roll over to every new gadget that the big guys are trying to pass off.
Your customers would have a lot more money to expand their technology base with your products if we weren't constantly wrestling, week to week and even day to day in some instances to build a planned, homogeneous environment. Yes, we want power, performance and support but stop selling us .05% performance increases.
We don't NEED Vista. We don't NEED multi-core processors. Microsoft NEEDS vista, Intel and AMD need multi-core. Who's your frigging customer? These companies are trying to shove their new products out the door for their own bottom lines, not yours and not for the end users.
Secondly by filling the market with doublespeak and by serving as a lapdog to the major players and pushing their crap on the market you are making it nearly impossible for consumers to really make an informed decision.
If your customers understood your products more accurately and could plainly see the differences available without having to dig through reams and reams and reams of specifications to find answers to simple questions their satisfaction would be increased and that drives repeat business.
Simply put the flood gates are open on new "better" technology hitting the market. Stop cow towing to the manufacturers and demand a better product for your product. The current environment makes it nearly impossible for REAL and significant technology break through products from reaching for us. There is far too much swamp to slog through to find the high ground.
I'm an experienced old geek, I can look at a user and what they do and spec a machine for them - but what I can't seem to do is get a good deal, a straight answer and a fair price on that spec. I'm always pushed up a notch and I'm losing the ability to push back.
Looking at HP business laptops recently I was only able to find ONE system listed on their site that is not multi-core. I didn't look at each brand and model, but the one I DID find was a freakin CELERON. C'mon! How many of my road-warriors need dual-freakin-core? Maybe, 10 - so I would like to have the option. My other 400 users however SHOULD have a single core processor. But, I guess HP has decided that's not necessary.
Another factor is that RAM is RIDICULOUSLY priced on their site. 512MB as the base? Give me a BREAK! Sure, most can do 4 and some are limited to 2GB but to charge me a premium for a 1GB configuration? You're really trying to milk us, and we know it. I could go out and order the RAM from another vendor and install it myself, but for crap's sake I'm the customer, I want to buy 1GB configurations from the factory, why ask me to bend over? I'll take my business elsewhere if I have to.
You should be building configurations to provide maximum value for what your customers are demanding. You are building configurations to best suit the needs of your suppliers and to maximize the profit you make on the reach-around and cramming them down our throats. I can see it, we can all see it. Stop it!
We could go back to the good old days where we buy the case we want from the case company and the processor we want from the processor company and so on. But, there is a market for VALUE ADDED resellers and system builders. So, start adding some freaking value to the process by building us the machines we want and need and providing reliable support and supply.
You end-users need to get on the ball as well. Stop buying the crap they're selling. Go to their site and custom configure the system you want and need. If you don't like the price call em up and bust their balls. Take their best price and take it to their competitor to see if they'll beat it. It doesn't matter if if it's a Dell or an HP or a Gateway, it's all the same parts packaged together for YOUR use. The "deals" they list on their site aren't what is best for you, but what they can make the best kick-back on from the manufacturer. Hold 'em accountable.
When you're ordering a system INSIST they remove the components you don't want. This includes the crap software and bullshit trial versions that come pre-installed as well as the bells and whistles hardware. If they won't pull it, or if they don't cut their price for removing it go to someone who will. It's the only way to turn these "value-added" re-sellers back into OUR advocates on the market instead of their vendors.
Good Day.
