Rahul Sood, the founder of boutique PC maker Voodoo, said in an interview with X-bit labs that the personal computer makers need to rethink their strategies and try to concentrate on things that are different from pure technology. The competition for the lowest price or highest performance on the market of commodities inevitably leads to lost identities, poor user experience and lack of personalization.

"The fundamental problem most PC companies face is they try to lead with technology – in a market where technology is easily duplicated and commoditized. They end up fighting a raging battle to the bottom, and in the process they risk losing their identity. I am a big believer that if you focus on things that matter, like your brand identity, the soul of your company, your organizational culture, and most importantly your customers – you can be forever successful in a market full of commodities," said Rahul Sood, the general manager for system experience in the interactive entertainment business at Microsoft, in an interview with X-bit labs.

Mr. Sood was talking about the PC industry in general and about HP's PC business unit (which once acquired Voodoo only to disband it several years later) in particular. High-ranking executives from large PC makers, including HP and Dell, brag that they can sell personal computers in unbelievable volumes, but at the same time they complain about thin profit margins and commoditization of the PC in general.

Mr. Sood, whose Voodoo was always known for perfect engineering, reckons that is relatively easy to build a high-quality computer and even develop high-quality software. However, it is not enough to be achieve comprehensive, all-round success. Manufacturers of PCs and other devices should think beyond just their devices, think about services, usability, design, customer experience and many other aspects that are associated with purchased and usage of their products.

"I believe PC makers need to think beyond the devices they sell in order to be immensely successful. Sure they can sell devices all day long, but everyone is doing that - why not go back to the basics of building a soulful business," asks Mr. Sood.

Tags: Voodoo, VoodooPC, HP, Hewlett-Packard, Business