Marshall chooses Dell computers for their reliability and integrated mobile technology

For custom home building company Brad Marshall Homes, providing outstanding customer service is the top priority. "Many home builders and remodelers can provide a quality product, but few companies offer the level of service that customers need and should expect," says Brad Marshall, founder and president of the company. "Providing unmatched customer service is our mission-it's why I began this business, and it's what differentiates our company from the others."

IT plays a vital role in delivering that quality of service. "We want to enhance communications between our customers and our staff, at every stage of the process, through the use of information technology," says Marshall. "The first step was to implement a Web-based application hosted by an outside vendor that enables our customers to view the status of their project anytime and anywhere. They can log in securely through our Web site to view schedules, pictures, and plans, and to keep track of their budget."

Finding computers that could deliver outstanding reliability was essential. "We're a small company-we don't have spare computers sitting around. If we have to wait too long for a repair, our productivity suffers and we stand to lose customers," says Marshall. "We need computers that are reliable, and we need a strong service plan so we can get back up and running quickly if a problem does arise."

In selecting the notebook computers, ruggedness was also key. "For our mobile team, we need notebook computers that can withstand a decent amount of abuse," says Marshall. "Our field workers are on the go, all day-there is always the possibility that someone will drop a notebook. Our construction superintendents, meanwhile, are in environments with lots of dust and dirt. They need the most rugged notebooks available."

Marshall chooses Dell computers for their reliability and integrated mobile technology

After evaluating products from other hardware vendors, Marshall selected desktop and notebook computers from Dell. "We had been using Dell desktops already for some time, and we had a very positive experience. They were exceptionally reliable and easy to manage," says Marshall. "Our business is also located close to Dell headquarters, so we are quite familiar with Dell products and the people who work at Dell. In addition, Dell offers discounts to businesses through the National Association of Home Builders-of which we're a member. Ultimately, it was clear that Dell could provide computers that met our specifications, and we felt confident the company could provide the necessary support."

CHALLENGE

Custom home builder Brad Marshall Homes wanted to enhance customer service, increase the efficiency of the building process, and decrease computer downtime by deploying new desktop computers for the office and new notebook computers for field workers.

SOLUTION

The company selected Dell^TM desktops to provide the dependability required in the office and implemented Dell XPS^TM and Dell Latitude^TM ATG notebook computers in the field for their rugged reliability and integrated mobile technology.

BENEFITS

Get IT Faster

• Accelerated building projects by an estimated 20 percent by improving the efficiency of processes.
• Increased the responsiveness of field workers through mobile technology.

Run IT Better

• Minimized computer downtime by moving to reliable Dell hardware across the company.
• Handled approximately 25 percent more projects without increasing the workforce.