AC S |
19
T ere are times when an honest appraisal of a situation, even if it’s not necessarily what the client wants to hear, is the only way to ensure trust and positive outcomes on both sides. Such was the case when ACS dealt with a large Government Executive
Agency to supply 1,200 devices through the Crown Commercial Services framework on a Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) model. T e devices were to be rolled out to employees across multiple
departments, and fully supported with Microsoft’s productivity suite for remote collaboration whether in the offi ce, or with hybrid and home workers during and after the pandemic restrictions. Led by Paul Freeborough, Public Sector Account Manager, the
ACS team was tasked with providing Microsoft Surface Pro 7 devices supported with additional lifecycle services. Such services included a secure factory build process, warranty support, data cleansing and rebuild for warranty devices, accidental damage cover and end of life data erasure services all wrapped into a single cost-per-month payment plan. ACS have been a Microsoft Gold-Certifi ed Partner for many years
and were recently awarded Surface Gold Partner status. A Microsoft Gold-Certifi ed partner is a company that has agreed to collaborate and establish a close working relationship with Microsoft. Having that title means the company that applied itself has earned the highest standards of Microsoft’s widely recognised partnership programme. Providing the customer with peace of mind that stock levels were
suffi cient was one of the hurdles faced by ACS. Availability was a key part of the requirement and ACS were able to work with Microsoft to ensure that the devices would be readily obtainable. T roughout the life of the contract, ACS will continue to work in
partnership with said Government Executive Agency and Microsoft to ensure a smooth upgrade transition from the Surface Pro 7 to the Service Pro 7+. Paul Freeborough said: “T e truth is that there are constraints on the
market at the moment. Some suppliers will promise the earth, but we know that you can’t shy away from telling customers diffi cult things. “Most companies have seen people transition
from desktop to laptop over the past year and a half. Laptops have been in high demand because companies want to know that people are set up to work from home if they need to. “Add to that the factory component constraints,
and staffi ng issues throughout the pandemic, it’s just not always possible to promise that devices will be available in the numbers the customer requires. But we have a good relationship with vendors and distributors, which means our customers can trust us, and as long as we stick to honest two-way conversations, and try to manage their expectations, they can be assured we’re doing our best to get them what they want, when they need it.” One of the key benefi ts of Microsoft’s Surface
Pro 7 and Surface Pro 7+ is that the devices can be confi gured with the standard build software built into the server on top of it. T is was carried out in a secure environment, with the clients build server connected by a dedicated leased line into a secure facility. ACS’s discussions with this Government Executive Agency continue to evolve, and as the
client looks to provide more fl exible device options, ACS and Microsoft are ready to support them in this, helping them to make the process more fl exible while remaining secure. ACS has been accepted onto several Crown
Commercial Services frameworks and it’s as an approved supplier on these frameworks that this particular contract will run for a minimum of three years. It includes the entire procurement, set up,
warranty, lifecycle services, and the option to provide a dedicated purchasing portal for Microsoft accessories and supplies. All IT assistance is delivered collaboratively via
Microsoft Teams, so any technical support is an message away, via a technical and support team that are in direct contact with the service desk team that manage these devices. The client added: “We had an existing
relationship with Paul and ACS before they were awarded places on the Crown Commercial Service framework, and it’s one based on trust. We’ve already expanded beyond the requirements from original bid, and those needs will continue to be reviewed throughout the contract. “We have found that by having the Device-as-a-
Service arrangement, tailored with end-to-end ACS services and support, that we defi nitely receive a more cost-eff ective service than had we purchased the devices upfront.”
Contact ACS on 0203 752 3320 or email
info@acs365.co.uk or visit
www.acs365.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
