And the 2004 winner is... Donald A. Gardner Architects
What they do: Offer award-winning pre-designed residential plans, modification services, technical support and marketing/public relations assistance for builders, developers and designers.
Web site: www.dongardner.com
Headquarters: Greenville, S.C.
Number of years in business: 25
Number of employees: 54
How they use technology to serve customers: Give customers information, options and virtual offices in a practical, convenient format; connect customers with others; allow employees to better serve customers.
Meet the other nine finalists for the Dell/NFIB Small Business Excellence in Customer Experience Award. These winners were selected by members of the Herb Kelleher Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Texas at Austin because of their spirits of innovation. They stood out in how they apply information technology in their business practices to improve the customer experience.
Technology has catapulted small business into the global marketplace. It allows a small business to look like a big one without losing that special touch. Read on to learn a little more about the finalists and to see if any of their ideas would work for your business. Click on the business name to access in-depth profiles about each of the companies.
Charter Auction.com
What they do: Provide private air-travel services at competitive prices.
Web site: www.charterauction.com
Headquarters: Quincy, Mass.
Number of years in business: Four
Number of employees: 26
How they use technology to serve customers: To help customers bid on private jet travel trips and to provide customers with safety reports on the operators, aircraft and pilots.
El Clasificado
What they do: Publish the nation's second-largest free Spanish-language weekly magazine.
Web site: www.elclasificado.com
Headquarters: Los Angeles, Calif.
Number of years in business: 16
Number of employees: 91
How they use technology to serve customers: To make their design process easier and more cost-effective and to better manage their classified ad customers.
EnableMart
What they do: Provide total computer access solutions for individuals with disabilities
Web site: www.enablemart.com
Headquarters: Vancouver, Wash.
Number of years in business: Four
Number of employees: 11
How they use technology to serve customers: To help customers with disabilities get the most out of available technology.
ImarcsGroup.com
What they do: Help clients develop database-driven Web sites, moving traditional business practices closer to their customers through the Internet
Web site: www.imarcsgroup.com
Headquarters: Tallahassee, Fla.
Number of years in business: Four
Number of employees: Seven
How they use technology to serve customers: To improve speed to deployment, increase quality assurance and decrease cost of communications.
J.M. Wilson Corporation
What they do: Managing general agents for insurance companies
Web site: www.jmwilson.com
Headquarters: Portage, Mich.
Number of years in business: 84
Number of employees: 100
How they use technology to serve customers: To automate the workflow in their offices and to identify and fix customer-service problems.
Mythic Entertainment
What they do: Develop and publish online games
Web site: www.mythicentertainment.com
Headquarters: Fairfax, Va.
Number of years in business: Nine
Number of employees: 140
How they use technology to serve customers: To offer real-time tech support to gaming customers.
Top Dog Daycare
What they do: Provide daytime and overnight dogboarding kennels, grooming services and dog training
Web site: www.topdogdaycare.com
Headquarters: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Number of years in business: 4.5
Number of employees: 15
How they use technology to serve customers: Developed software to make scheduling and booking easier for employees and customers and to allow clients to watch their boarded dogs through a Web cam.
V.E. Brackett Co.
What they do: Manufacturers representatives agency
Web site: www.vebco.com
Headquarters: Fayetteville, Ga.
Number of years in business: 30
Number of employees: 11
How they use technology to serve customers: To make their outside sales force more efficient.
Zipcar Inc.
What they do: Car-rental, member-based company that allows customers to pick up rental cars at self-service parking lots across metro areas of the Northeast
Web site: www.zipcar.com
Headquarters: Cambridge, Mass.
Number of years in business: Four
Number of employees: 25
How they use technology to serve customers: To help customers facilitate the process of finding, scheduling and picking up rented cars.
ROUND ROCK, Texas -- Dell today opened up competition for a newly created customer experience award program.
The program, established in conjunction with the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), will honor small businesses that instill the spirit of innovation and apply information technology to improve the customer experience. Selection of the winner will be announced at the NFIB National Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., June 16 - 18, 2004.
The winner will receive $20,000 in technology from Dell; a "Day with Dell" program with Dell experts, including Michael Dell, to share best practices in technology; a lifetime membership to NFIB; and other prizes. Nine finalists will receive a Dell Latitude notebook computer and a one-year membership to NFIB.
"Twenty years ago, as a small business, we introduced the direct sales model, with a singular focus on listening to customers and working hard to get them exactly what they need," said Michael Dell, chairman and chief executive officer. "This approach has been instrumental in our growth. Our partnership with NFIB gives us an opportunity to highlight the successes of small businesses through the award program."
"Small businesses fuel our economy and their success is essential to the productivity of the nation," said NFIB President and CEO Jack Faris. "NFIB is pleased to join Dell in honoring small businesses that provide exceptional customer service."
To be considered for the award, small businesses must show how they have used information technology to drive a significant change and/or develop a competitive advantage in delivering superior customer value and experience, including customer case studies.
About NFIB: The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is the nation's largest small-business advocacy group. A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1943, NFIB represents the consensus views of its 600,000 members in Washington and all 50 state capitals. NFIB's 2004 National Small Business Summit will be held June 16-18 in Washington, D.C. More information is available at www.NFIB.com/summit.
About Dell : Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) is a premier provider of products and services required for customers worldwide to build their information-technology and Internet infrastructures. Company revenue for the past four quarters totaled $39.7 billion. Dell, through its direct business model, designs, manufactures and customizes products and services to customer requirements, and offers an extensive selection of software and peripherals. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained at www.dell.com.
CONTACT: Roe Thiessen, 512.725.1405
