Quotes by Michael Dell

“Our business is about technology, yes. But its also about operations and customer relationships.”

“Its customers that made Dell great in the first place, and if were smart enough and quick enough to listen to customer needs, well succeed,”

“You know in todays business world if you get behind in your e-mail you fall out of touch very quickly,”

“The Internet is probably the most significant thing that has come along,”

“Twenty years and $40 billion. They seem like good round numbers.”

“All companies use servers of various sizes. Servers represent a disproportionate amount of profit opportunity. Thats why were using our direct marketing model to bring (them to customers), ... Capital Ideas.”

“Its through curiosity and looking at opportunities in new ways that weve always mapped our path at Dell. Theres always an opportunity to make a difference.”

“People consume information better with their eyes,”

“What we are trying to do is appeal to customers with technological experience.”

“The open-source collaborative development model, I believe, is built to succeed in the Internet age, and it makes more sense than the proprietary model of some of our competitors,”

If you want to sustain excellence over a long time, youd better come up with a system that works well. Anyone can sprint for a little while, but you cant sprint for forty years.

I started the business with a simple question: How can we make the process of buying a computer better? The answer was: Sell computers directly to the end customer. Eliminate the resellers markup and pass those savings on to the customer.

Sometimes its better not to ask-or to listen-when tell you something cant be done. I didnt ask for permission or approval. I just went ahead and did it.

Our business is about technology, yes. But its also about operations and customer relationships.

I always knew I wanted to run a business someday.

Ive been fascinated with technology since I was a boy banging around on my fathers adding machine. Back then Id type in an equation, the device made some cool noises, and out came my answer. I was hooked.

The interesting thing is when we design and architect a server, we dont design it for Windows or Linux, we design it for both. We dont really care, as long as were selling the one the customer wants.

Real entrepreneurs have what I call the three Ps (and, trust me, none of them stands for permission). Real entrepreneurs have a passion for what theyre doing, a problem that needs to be solved, and a purpose that drives them forward.

If you think about computing, there isnt just one way to compute, just like theres not just one way to move around. You can have shoes, you can have a car, you can have a bicycle, submarine, rocket, plane, train, glider, whatever. Because you have one doesnt mean you get rid of another one... But PCs continue to be important.

You dont have to be a genius or a visionary or even a college graduate to be successful. You just need a framework and a dream.