| Title: | The Digital way of working |
| Moderator: | QUARK::LIONEL ON |
| Created: | Fri Feb 14 1986 |
| Last Modified: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 5321 |
| Total number of notes: | 139771 |
As long as we (Digital) compete in the familiar marketplaces with the
familiar competitors, we will have familiar battles and familiar outcomes.
If we are to truly recover and flourish, we must consider alternatives.
Digital should sell products and services the way a number of other
progressive companys are doing it - "Network" or "Multi-Level
Marketing". Enable every employee and customer to become a distributor
to sell the nifty Alpha laptop and access to distributor services.
While the price may be slightly higher than what a person could go into
a discount computer outlet and buy a system, a good argument could be
made for buying an Alpha and becoming a distributor:
Distributor Services - this will include access to many Digital and
distributor resources, such as messaging, online training, distribution,
conferencing, etc. Perhaps some level of Easynet access.
Lower cost - by introducing the product to others, a purchaser can
reduce the cost of their system - or even make extra income
Simple Decision - the distributor presenting the product will be
knowlegable and provide an adequate solution to their computing needs.
But WHY should WE as Digital consider this path?
Instant consumer/industry image perception - "Digital is progressive"
Work force options - enable every employee, customer and friend to
become a distributor. Employees will have more options, be more
enthused and knowlegeable about company and products.
Access to IMPORTANT TARGET CUSTOMER - the corporate worker who is
considering career options, including entrepreneurship.
What do you think?
A Quorum Distributor
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3002.1 | CSOADM::ROTH | Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball. | Sun Apr 17 1994 20:21 | 27 | |
Sounds ill-advised to me. How many companies can you name that are successfully using multi-level sales techniques(*) in the commercial space? We're not hustling consumer electronics, we are vendors of commercial goods and services. While multi-level marketing may be the rage for consumer products, it would be shunned by the commercial markets. If I were a business, I would want a stable, identifiable company with a staff of professionals that I could get a hold of (hmmm... do we do that now? insert one-half smiley here). Some guy peddling a PC out of his trunk just will not do in today's business world. What if they need support after the sale? What if the PC will not run WNT with the new video card they just bought? If DEC were already building products for the consumer space, then I might say fine, go ahead with somthing like this. But DEC is a seller of goods and services in the commercial space and I think that we need to get our house in order and concentrate on that space... an exploration into consumer goods would, IMHO, not be a good move at this time. Lee (*)Multi-level sales techniques = E.G. Currently used by Quorum, Amway, Primerica, etc. where there is a focus on recruitment/building of downline distributors as well as selling of products. | |||||
| 3002.2 | ..consumer stuff | BREAKR::BUDZOWSKI | Shouldn't you be committed? | Sun Apr 17 1994 20:48 | 4 |
RE .1 I was thinking more along the lines of consumer level stuff like
laptops, not data center stuff. We ARE in the consumer electronics
business. Who are those PC catalogues we're turning out supposed to
be targetted towards?
| |||||
| 3002.3 | Do you have one of our PC catalogs? | CSOADM::ROTH | Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball. | Sun Apr 17 1994 23:28 | 7 |
re: .2 Catalog is aimed at businesses... biz catalog has LAN adapters in it, hardly a home item. If the PC catalogs were aimed at consumers we'd have games and software items like Quicken instead of WNT and Lotus stuff. Lee | |||||
| 3002.4 | A minor point I'm sure. | RICKS::PHIPPS | Better plant some more trees | Mon Apr 18 1994 08:44 | 16 |
>Catalog is aimed at businesses... biz catalog has LAN adapters in it, >hardly a home item. If the PC catalogs were aimed at consumers we'd have >games and software items like Quicken instead of WNT and Lotus stuff. And I'm not defending our catalog but the Insight catalog I received last week is into LAN adapters, networking, office software and Gigabyte drives. Not to mention uninterruptable power supplies and "Global Software Support (tm)". Yes, they have games too. If you are saying consumer = home purchase and that should be our main thrust, it's not going to get us above the line in the profit column. I thought we did have Lotus stuff. mikeP | |||||