A little over a year ago, Trixter, a high-end, fitness-equipment manufacturer, was just getting their sea legs under them bringing their XDream Training Bike to cyclists worldwide.
The cycling gurus at Trixter wanted to add to their product line, which already boasted the popular X-Bike by “upping the ante” from a technology perspective. By bringing gaming elements to the XDream shown on a built-in monitor mounted to the front of the bike, “riders” could choose different landscapes, levels of difficulty and scenery to make their workouts more entertaining and much more like riding a bike outside.
As Trixter found themselves pioneering an idea for which there wasn’t standardized hardware or even something to loosely replicate in the market, they realized they needed a technology provider who could bring the engineering, quality manufacturing and support that only a Tier-1 supplier could provide. And, based on how they could meet these needs, Dell OEM Solutions was Trixter’s choice.
There were multiple reasons for this decision. From the hardware perspective, Trixter needed a system with a compact form factor for the confined physical space of the Xdream and needed to ensure good ventilation to keep components cool over a long day of operation at a gym.
The right hardware
They found the right fit with Dell’s OptiPlex 780 Small Form Factor and a Dell E170S 17-inch flat-panel monitor for large viewing area to create an immersive visual experience.
Trixter was also impressed with the successful and easy upgrades to new OptiPlex models. With Dell OEM, they can deliver the latest technology to their customers without disrupting their production schedules or straining internal resources.
A known variable
Trixter’s sales team found that Dell’s strong brand helped them quickly gain acceptance among new customers. By associating their product with Dell, customers knew they were investing in a reliable product. It made things easier from the start.
Trixter initially launched the Xdream in the United Kingdom, Spain, and Australia, and is now expanding into North America and other regions with global connections and local support from Dell OEM Solutions.
Working with Dell OEM on production makes this an easy thing to do. Without having to establish global relationships with new supply-chain, operations and logistics vendors, Trixter can take full advantage of what Dell does well and concentrate more on what they do well.
This gave Trixter the “luxury” of smart growth that lets them grow as their innovation requires; not as day-to-day operations in each territory may mandate.
With other hardware vendors, it might have taken weeks to assemble the required personnel resources in each new territory. With Dell, that headcount is at the ready from Day One.
Dell OEM Solutions has also improved the company’s operational efficiency by taking over a range of product development tasks. By leveraging Dell Configuration Services for software and hardware pre-installation, Trixter has accelerated production and reduced costs by reassigning personnel to other tasks.
Sameer Garde, VP and GM of Dell OEM Solutions noted that by working directly with Trixter’s product developers, Dell OEM helped them bring something completely unique to an established market. People don’t generally think of fitness bikes as innovative. Increasingly, we are called to help our small and medium-sized business customers bring their intellectual property to new markets and we get to watch them grow their businesses globally. By leveraging Dell’s engineering, operations and services infrastructure they can easily scale without increasing headcounts or becoming instant logistics and supply-chain experts.
By the numbers
How much smoother was Trixter able to run their operations globally?
- Previously, two in-house engineers installed graphics cards and loaded software images, which contributed to the two hours it took to assemble each Xdream. The company has now cut production time by 35 percent and refocused its team members on research and development.
- Trixter estimates they have reduced per-unit costs 30 percent by sourcing and supporting products in each geographic region through Dell OEM Solutions.
- Dell OEM allows them to keep lead times steady at about two to three weeks.
- According to Trixter, with help from Dell, the Xdream business has been growing at approximately 250 percent within the United States alone.
Want to learn more about this very cool company’s very cool technology?
Check them out on Facebook and Twitter: @TrixterWorld
And, recently on CNBC, Trixter’s own Paddy Murray talks about how Mark Wahlberg and Sir Richard Branson get their ride on with the XDream!