Big businesses have access to a wealth of IT resources. But when your staff operates in a number of geographic locations, allocating IT resources can be a nightmare, no matter the size of your IT staff.
Whether the need is anticipated (a planned hardware refresh for example) or unexpected (due to things like a global pandemic or supply chain issues), an enterprise IT provider can be the extra resource that makes a difference for your company’s IT resource management.
I’ve been in the IT industry for more than 30 years. In my current role at Kelser Corporation, I’ve seen how enterprise IT providers like ours help large organizations maximize their access to resources and increase the efficiency of their internal staff.
I also know that working with an enterprise IT provider isn’t for everyone, but in this article, we’re going to walk through the successes that are possible for organizations that work with an enterprise IT provider.
In this article, I’ll explain what an enterprise IT provider is, what they do and how they can increase efficiency by managing IT resource acquisition, imaging, and deployment for large organizations like yours.
Let’s get to it.
What Is An Enterprise IT Provider?
An enterprise IT provider is an external partner that serves as an extension of your internal IT organization. Whether you need hardware or strategic advice, an enterprise IT provider thinks outside the box and develops flexible solutions to meet your needs.
How An Enterprise IT Provider Helps Manage IT Resources
As an extension of your internal IT department, an enterprise IT provider can handle anything from resource acquisition to imaging to controlled deployment.
1. Resource Acquisition
An enterprise IT provider can leverage its strong relationships with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others to get the equipment a customer needs. If a client needs a large volume of computer monitors for example, the Enterprise provider can procure them and warehouse them for on-demand rollout and delivery.
2. Imaging
When the customer provides imaging information, the enterprise IT provider can test the image in its configuration center and image the hardware for the customer, taking that job off their plate.
This means that when a user opens the computer to use it, all they need is their user id and password and the computer is ready to be booted up and used.
No more waiting on IT to come and image the hardware at the user’s desk. This yields significant time and cost efficiencies.
3. Controlled Deployment
Let’s get back to that customer who ordered that large volume of monitors.
We mentioned that an enterprise IT provider will take delivery of the monitors, tag each asset, track serial numbers, and store them in its warehouse for immediate, on-demand deployment.
Let’s explore how that might look in a couple of real-life examples.
Example A
The customer may call and say they need 300 monitors sent to one location to arrive on a certain date. The enterprise provider will package the hardware, make shipping arrangements with a reliable logistics provider, and track delivery progress, making sure the equipment arrives on schedule.
Example B
Here’s a more complicated scenario. The customer could call and say we need 300 monitors sent for delivery in a few days to 300 separate locations. In this case, the enterprise IT provider readies all of the individual packaging, addresses, and shipping for each piece of hardware to be sent to each individual location.
Each example is similar in process, but the magnitude is different. In both cases, the enterprise IT provider takes on the process management hassle for the customer and provides seamless delivery of the equipment the customer needs in the timeframe required and to the appropriate location.
4. White-Glove Service
Some enterprise IT providers, like Kelser, also offer hand delivery to local sites.
With this service, the provider notifies the customer when they will arrive eliminating the worry of the product being left on the delivery dock or showing up unexpectedly at the end of the day.
As part of this “white-glove service,” some providers hand-deliver a fully imaged device directly to the user’s desk, unbox it, make sure their user id and password work and they are ready to go. Some may even haul away outdated equipment for proper disposal or recycling.
Ready To Find Out More About Using An Enterprise IT Provider To Increase Efficiency?
We’ve talked about what an enterprise IT provider is and how they help with resource acquisition, imaging, controlled asset deployment, and even white-glove service. An enterprise IT provider improves efficiency and makes sure you have what you need, when you need it.
At Kelser, we work with large organizations every day. By managing their entire IT allocation and distribution process, we increase their efficiency. We know that we make a positive difference for our customers, but we also know that enterprise IT providers don’t make sense for everyone.
Wondering if you can benefit from an enterprise IT provider?
Contact us now and talk with one of our specialists to find out how we can specifically help your business get the resources you need when and where you need them. We’d love to talk with you.
