Procurement and Vendor Management

Procurement of the right equipment

When it comes to hardware or software procurement for your business, the options can be overwhelming, especially when there seem to be countless products with little to differentiate them.

Rest assured, we are independent of any manufacturer or supplier, so we can give you completely impartial advice regarding purchases and upgrades. Some of the brands we work with include:

• Dell
• Hewlett Packard
• Toshiba
• IBM
• Acer
• Compaq

We will work with you determine exactly what functionality you require, and recommend a comprehensive procurement solution that gives you exactly what you need, and avoids you paying for functionality you will not use.

Software licensing

Software vendors have various licensing models. With some, you will purchase a particular version of the software as a one-off cost, but then need to purchase again when a new version is released. With others, you will pay an ongoing amount for continued access to the software. Some vendors offer an option, for example Microsoft allows the Office suite to be purchased outright, or ‘rented’ as part of Office 365. To add to the complexity, some vendors will include support as part of the licensing costs, whereas others (most notably open source software) will charge separately for this.

We will help you navigate the licensing minefield and work out which model is most cost effective for you, given your number of users, type of usage, and projected lifespan.

Full lifecycle asset management

For hardware, the purchase cost is only the starting point. It can be much more difficult to predict the overall lifetime costs. Factors include:

• Choosing between purchasing a manufacturer’s extended warranty, an external support contract, or simply paying for repairs as-and-when needed
• Choosing between devices, such as printers, with low purchase costs but high running costs, and vice-versa
• Resale values

ComplexITy can clarify the lifetime costs of various options, facilitating more accurate financial planning, and enabling you to make better use of your capital and operating budgets.

We are your single point of contact

When your IT setup comprises hardware and software from multiple vendors, it can be a hassle to deal with them all individually, particularly in cases where there is an issue and it is not obvious where the root cause lies.

Each vendor will also have their own licensing timeframes, warranty periods, and support mechanisms. It is easy to overlook these when you are focussing on your business, and suddenly find yourself unable to use key software, or discover that crucial hardware is no longer supported.

ComplexITy can act as a single point of contact for your organisation. We will keep track of all your hardware and software, and ensure that it is licensed and supported at all times. If there is an issue, we can liaise with all the relevant vendors’ support teams on your behalf until it is resolved.