Dell to make house calls

Dell wants to come over and help you set up your newest electronic doo-dad--whether it's a flat-screen television or a home network.

The Round Rock, Texas, company, which began offering Dell-branded consumer electronics last year, appears to be eyeing a more comprehensive catalog of companion in-home services for setting up the gear. Dell said in an email to reporters that it will outline consumer services offerings at a news conference on Thursday. A spokeswoman declined to reveal further details.

The company, which has already promised to offer several levels of in-home installation services for its latest flat-screen televisions, may want jobs such as installing home networks or assessing consumers' data security. Dell's latest TV offerings include two 42-inch plasma-screen TVs; the company will start taking orders for them this week, shipping them next month.

Dell will format the new service offerings so that customers can pay a set price for a given job, and then a Dell representative will "pull up in the van and take care of your problem," said Mike George, vice president of Dell's U.S. Consumer Business, in a recent interview with CNET News.com. George did not give further details.

Feeling right at home
As Dell attempts to make a name for itself in consumer electronics, it's natural for the company to offer more in-home services--as a tool for customer retention, if nothing else. Offering product installation could help reduce returns.

"I think Dell needs to be there" with consumer services, said Steve Baker, an analyst at NPD Group. "When you sell complicated stuff (such as home networks) you need to make sure it stays sold. Providing either free installation services or low-cost installation...in the long run, is very effective against (customers) taking things back."

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