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Technology Stocks : Dell Technologies Inc. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lee who wrote (23867)	12/2/1997 12:42:00 PM
From: Lee	Respond to of 176387

Rosemary, Apparently the BTO, CTO designation isn't as obvious as it sounds when comparing CPQ and Dell. Dell does BTO and CTO for every order. In fact, when a customer goes to the website to input an order, (see link below), they essentially configure their order based on the their preferences. From these inputs, Dell does the system design, configuration (adding pcbs (printed circuit boards) according to requested functions), purchases parts, assembles, adds software according to customer requests, tests extensively, then ships. CPQ on the other hand only builds chassis, CPU boards, and specs out parts based on "standard" systems. From their factory go these standard parts to be assembled by "channel providers" such as Entex, CompUSA, Inacom, etc. These providers then assemble the parts per a customer order, add software and then do some minimal testing before shipment. So the CPQ factory only outputs standard parts, irrespective of any customer order. Apparently end users can only interface with CPQ via the channel providers. So, it is apparently wrong to use the BTO words with CPQ PCs at this time. I don't know if this clears things up but it looks like Dell has a direct link with the end user so "channel providers" are excluded. Ergo, better margins/revenues. Hope this helps, let me know. Lee commerce.us.dell.com