IT Procurement

Why strategic IT procurement will save you money in the long run

Whereas previously many companies thought finding the cheapest prices for their IT equipment was sufficient, these days CIO think more about the total cost of ownership when it comes to IT procurement. The reasons are obvious: a cheap server, PC, printer, switch, you name it, might save you money on the day of purchase. A strategic procurement decision, however, will take into account not only the price, but also other factors that contribute to the cost of IT equipment.
Factors that might increase the total cost of ownership for IT infrastructure include quality issues that reduce the lifetime of a device. Another factor are hidden service costs or license fees that have not been taken into account at the time of acquisition. Making sure to invest in future-proof and scalable IT-equipment will also add to the time devices and software can use their full potential, thus saving money when it comes to the lifetime-costs of IT infrastructure.

The administrative side of IT procurement

Our IT procurement services include administrative tasks like creating and managing requests for information and requests for proposals. An essential part of our procurement process consists of establishing und managing good relationships with various suppliers. This includes:

• Doing market research to determine the best suppliers
• Comparing and negotiating prices
• Negotiating terms and conditions for services
• Controlling and handling payment and billing issues
• Communication with the various departments within the business (internal customers)
• Managing warranty issues and maintenance services
• IT procurement contract management
• Asset management – from procurement to maintenance and asset disposal
• Quality control of procured items and supplier feedback

Why it is better to rely on service providers when it comes to IT procurement

As you can see from the extensive list above, IT procurement is way more than just purchasing software or IT hardware. Keeping up optimal supplier relations (vendor management), staying up to date with state of the art and future proof IT solutions are time consuming tasks that require a certain level of expertise and experience. While large enterprises can often afford their own inhouse IT procurement departments, small to medium businesses do better in outsourcing their procurement related tasks to get the best cost of ownership value.

Our services in regard to IT procurement

Our IT procurement team has longstanding experience in ITIL based project management, supply chain management, and procurement. We have built excellent relations with top IT infrastructure suppliers, that have earned our customers’ trust over many years.

From getting you the best quality assets from reliable suppliers for the best possible price, to managing contracts, delivery, implementation, quality tests – we are here to support you. Typically these are the steps in a successful IT procurement process effected by our team of experts:

• Evaluating your requirements and needs
• Consulting on the best strategy to achieve your goal
• Selecting the appropriate vendors and suppliers for your project
• Communication and negotiations with the chosen procurement vendors
• Evaluation of their proposals
• Negotiating the best terms and setting up a contract
• Order the required assets
• Quality check upon arrival
• Installation or implementation of systems (if need be)
• Documentation and contract administration
• Managing of warranty issues and maintenance services

Our team also provides additional services in regard to quality management. These include regular product testing, and product quality checks. If required we can also test the acceptance of new IT infrastructure and software. With new suppliers, we conduct procurement contractor reviews and even facility audits, to make sure our customers get the best service possible.

Contact us for more information on IT procurement

If you would like to know more about IT procurement and the related services we offer, or have a specific project you would like to get an estimate for, don’t hesitate to contact us and we will get back to you with a tailormade offer. We would be happy to support your business with any issues in regard to professional IT procurement.