The personal computer (PC) has become the go-to device for online classes, binge-watching movies or attending webinars, says Raj Kumar Rishi, vice-president & managing director, Consumer & Small Businesses, Dell Technologies India. “With the intersection of traditional hardware, new technologies and architectures, such as AI and 5G, PCs can now deliver a truly smart, customised, and tether-free PC experience,” he tells Sudhir Chowdhary in a recent interaction. Excerpts:

How has the role of the PC expanded as the centre of the digital experience?
The PC is playing a central role in how we have reimagined the way we work and play. While retaining its position as the hub of activity, both professional and personal, now its role has expanded to anticipating what’s needed for productivity and efficiency. From online classes to binge-watching to attending webinars, PC has become the go-to device for digital experiences. It has evolved from a high-spend purchase to a need-to-own device. Currently, there is a dynamic shift in consumer behaviour with multi-PC set-ups at home the norm.

What are the trends in buying behaviour that you have witnessed since April?
The most important trend is the speed of digital transformation—whether individual or as a business—it has accelerated. The initial wave of buying was focused on quickly procuring need-based PCs. There is a new-found dependency on PCs with many families now owning separate devices for everyone. While PC purchase rests on the utility factor, the trust and reputation of a brand have helped consumers make their choice. PC buying has been an informed decision for first-time buyers; for instance, an educative purchase platform like dell.com has helped customers navigate through portfolios and draw comparisons at ease. For mature buyers, they are usually clear about what they want in their PC technology. The launch of the new XPS portfolio, for example, saw high interest from the moment the sale went live on affiliated e-commerce platforms.

How has your strategy for retail and e-tail evolved in the current situation?
Dell established a channel network early on with 600-plus Dell Exclusive Stores (DES) addressing customers who purchase technology after experiencing it. This year, we’ve worked in collaboration with our partners across GTMs, with a clear agenda to delight customers with the best and safe shopping experience. Our collaboration was designed to help customers receive their PC orders, either from DES or Dell.com. This was a win-win across. On dell.com, we maintained our traction via a robust product portfolio and support from trusted technology advisors for our small business customers as they navigated the new normal.

What are the initiatives taken by Dell to enhance customer experience?
Customers are relying on PCs more to connect to the world—and our current environment is showing us that technology matters. While technology has always helped us collaborate, these times are proving the value it brings to our daily lives more than ever before. For Dell, customers are at the core of everything. Our omnichannel approach ensures customers can find us across all touchpoints—DES, retail, and e-tail. We have created a robust portfolio catering to a variety of users and use cases.

Whether the user is a family with children in developmental years, a PC gamer or an entrepreneur, we have something for everyone. Additionally, customers want to connect with a brand they can relate with. For our channel partners, we are structuring our programmes to ensure they are well-equipped with a good mix of SKUs, improved cashflows, incentives, and training on delivering a seamless buying experience. Dell is also leading with post-sales support, and our ProSupport services offer customers with direct access to engineers for hardware and software challenges and pre-emptive issue management.

Do you see this trend leading to the revival of the consumer PC segment?
The PC is far from dead—that has been proven true. It is the gateway people use to access work, play, and learn when they are home. Because of this intimacy, people expect more from their PCs —and Dell is listening. With the intersection of traditional hardware, new technologies and architectures, such as AI and 5G, PCs can now deliver a truly smart, customised, and tether-free PC experience— that is what we’re excited about.