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Summary: Direct from Dell - direct from Mike Dell
Review: After reading this outstanding book by Mike Dell, you will understand why people say "whose Compaq?" and "Hewlett who?"Direct from Dell offers the strategies of the world's youngest billionaire and one of the greatest success stories in American history. Best of all, it's Mike's own words. I also recommend the tapes in Mike's own voice. Direct from Dell is about a revolution in marketing and design.
It's about innovation. It's about strategies from the world's #1 pc maker and in the years to come, the #1 technology company in the world, bar none.
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Summary: Direct from Dell
Review: Overall I found this a very easy read. This is due in large part to the level of reading which is about high school sophomore level. I feel that's okay though, because there are many times that people want to impress us with their knowledge and write right over the heads of others, the result: their point is completely missed. The most important part of the book, as it relates to the strategies, is found in Part I. The strategies are what made Dell Computer Corporation so successful and for me personally, I would have loved to work for this company. Dell Computer Corp. embodies the values that I admire such as being direct, empowering your employees, talking with your customers, your suppliers, your competition so as to bring them into the company - their strategy of the "Direct Model". The "direct model" also brought on the advent of the virtually integrated organization. This is an organization linked not by physical assets, but by information. Perfect for the technology times we live in. I feel that this is one book from which many CEO's and small businesses can learn from, as well as individuals. Mr. Dell sees no end to the growth and believes that they have the right model for the Internet age. A final quote from the book about the real key to their success I believe says it all. Their success:
It comes from knowing our strengths and being open to experimentation. It comes from the determination to learn from our mistakes and look for ways to continually improve. It comes from being willing to challenge conventional wisdom and having the courage to follow our convictions. It comes from an innate fascination with eliminating unnecessary steps.
Well worth taking the time to read.
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Summary: More direct sales from Dell
Review: I am a trainer of Information Technology and an avid listener of audio books. This audio book was horrid. In order to to get the message you have to weed through the constant sales pitch. My advice is to skip this one. Spend the money else where.
Rating: 
Summary: Good and Okay
Review: He's obviously a hard-working, intelligent man with a great deal of drive who has accomplished a great deal in life. This book is good light reading. It's writing style is at a junior high level - similar to what most newspapers carry. The sophomoric prose bored me a bit by the third chapter, and it's obvious it was meant more for mass marketing appeal with the additional agenda as a marketing tool for DELL itself. There are some good lessons learned. However, again, there's too much commercialism running through it. That aspect becomes distracting for any serious business research such as a graduate degree, which is the reason I picked it up. Again, I don't discount it (I wish I could be as successful) because he makes an important point - don't doubt your intuition when you're thinking out of the box. I'm only saying that Michael Dell is not a Peter Drucker in how he presents his story. That's not necessarily bad depending on your motivation for reading it.
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Summary: Good insight into a changing industry
Review: While not deep with theory, this book has some great insights into how Dell created its strategies and grew to become the largest computer vendors in the world. I especially like the discussions on planning, segmentation, and differentiation. I never really realized how different their direct business process was until reading this book. Good book to read on a free afternoon when you are looking for some time to unwind.
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Summary: Dell's tale is inspiring, but...
Review: ...can I be the one to suggest that the practices and principles that make Michael Dell a great success don't exactly make for scintillating reading? The first part of the book - the part that tracks the personal history and rise of Michael Dell - is wonderful stuff. Perhaps worthy of a 20+ page in-depth magazine profile. A "Fast Company"-like piece, for example. But when the book turns to supply chain practices, and custom manfacturing techniques, and channel strategies, and fzkldj;sldg;dsfzmdfklsjmmdxvgf Oops. Just nodded off a bit there...my head hit the keyboard. Sorry about that.
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Summary: Michael Dell (The Opportunist)
Review: Curiosity pays, is what I discovered from this book! About the author: Dell has come a long way in his life, rarely missed a chance to learn things from his mistakes and success stories, and finally didn't give up learning. He recognized opportunities, and most important acted upon them. Hats off! About the book: Direct-to-customer is the mantra, that made DELL a different organization altogether. The book explains it all. Very fundu stuff to read! Notables: "I believe it's better to be first at the risk of being wrong than it is to be 100% perfect 2 years later is too late." Channel stuffing, Excess & Obsolete Segmentation of business and CEO ("divide and rule")! "Fewer the better, complacency kills, proximity pays" When DELL started the server business, with its aggressive pricing, the competitors were forced to bring down the price that to by 17%. Dell.com made $1 million per day when it was launched. The presence of dell.com was made visible in every possible way, visiting cards, ads, hoardings, etc, also on the book's footer! There are 1000s of companies in our field. If one company has a good idea, customers are quick to adopt it. They'll say, "Gee, how come you can't do it like these guys?" Those are the great learning opportunities. "Lowest life cycle cost" "On site service" An idea that solves our customers problem, enhances our bottom line, is a win-win for everyone.
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Summary: Good
Review: This is an optimistic, clearly written book. One thing I like about it is Dell belies that "think long-term and grow slowly" advice you hear so much of. In the long-term we all grow old and die, and what if you want to have a sizable company before your hair is pure white? Dell did it. He has a big company that he grew rapidly, and continues to grow rapidly...! Michael Dell's book is REFRESHING!
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Summary: An Operations Management student's perspective
Review: The book was written by the founder and current CEO of the number two computer manufacturer in the world, Dell Computers. It is written in two parts. The first part is written almost like a biography of Michael Dell and depicts some of his experiences he had while starting and running his first company. He takes us from childhood moments to today's challenges. He writes about successes and mistakes providing insight, hindsight, and lessons learned on each. In the second part, he writes to entrepreneurs who desire to do what he has done. It is written like a cookbook providing the recipes for success that he has learned. The second part incorporates all the ideals that were expressed in the first section. There are a few themes that continue to appear in this book. The number one thing expressed is Dell Computer's selection of its method of bringing the product to the customer. This one concept is the driving factor in every other activity the company pursues. The author terms it the "direct method". It means selling straight to the consumer and avoiding the middleman. Dell further distinguishes its delivery method in that they customize each computer to the customer's order. It is, and was, a very different way to sell mass manufactured computers. The industry method has been for computer manufacturers to make a particular model, pass it to its distribution channels and let the retailers worry about selling the product, that is let the product sell itself. Dell Computer makes nothing until it has received an order for it. They abhor the retail process. Michael Dell's book explains in detail the benefits to be obtained from such a practice. First and foremost, the computer industry is a constantly changing environment where new products are introduced at an astronomical rate. With the retail method (termed indirect), the manufacturer has to worry about getting the products that are on the self off the shelf and into consumers hands. This has resulted in considerable delays in introducing new technology to the individual consumer, as the company does not want to put a bigger, better, cheaper computer on the shelf next to its older version. Instead they pass these dinosaurs on to the unsuspecting consumer then restock with the new models which incorporate the new technology. Sometimes the retailers must make drastic markdowns in order to move these older products. These losses are borne by both the retailer and the manufacturer due to industry standard covenants. Another major benefit of the direct method is that the company receives instantaneous feedback from its buyers. Offering a large selection of various components, Dell is able to immediately see the market's direction for various components. As consumers order directly, Dell is able to see market trend as it occurs. Armed with this information, Dell can alert its suppliers who can either plan to increase or decrease production. Dell has tapped its customers preferences and does an exceptional job at meeting their expectations. Their strategy mandates the incorporation of customer feedback into their process. They in sense acknowledge and cater to the boss - the client. By seeing future trends so quickly, Dell is able to modify its product line as changes occur. New technology is embraced, and if successful, can be delivered within days to the consumer. Success rates can be measured within minutes of product offering due to the direct method. As a byproduct of the direct method, and another leading theme of Michael Dell's book - inventory is king. Early in the company's history, they learned a valuable lesson: attempting to get ahead of the market, Dell made a large purchase of RAM chips which it used extensively in its products. Within days of their "look ahead" inventory purchase, new technology made the chips virtually useless. The company took a huge loss on the inventory and posted its first quarterly loss ever as a result. The author explains that Dell now keeps only 6 days worth of inventory, where the industry standard is 40. He explains that he can incorporate new technology with 6 days to market. Prior to reading this book, I would have only purchased a Dell by coincidence. Today I am sold. I will buy from this company. The CEO, a college dropout, appears to have learned his lessons via 'on-the-job" experience and does an good job of bringing them to the reader.
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Summary: starting a business? Read this book
Review: The first part of the book is extremly useful for anyone wanting to start their own business. I think part II is more for managers and current CEO and other established business with a lot of employess and customers. Read this book before starting your business. Excellent!!! A++++
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