Tag: XMA

Lenovo launches three-tier DaaS model in the UK

Posted on June 23, 2021 by - News

Lenovo has launched its device as-a-service (DaaS) offering in the UK spanning its entire device portfolio. The news means that all its partners can now sell Lenovo’s device portfolio through a monthly as-a-service model.

Lenovo director of SMB and channel for the UK and Ireland Jane Ashworth said the DaaS offering is split into three tiers: Simplify, Accelerate and Transform accessible through the Lenovo Partner Hub or through Lenovo.com.

Its Simplify tier is intended as a “starting point” and is targeted at small businesses. Partners can use Lenovo’s online tool to add devices and services on behalf of the customer and calculate the total monthly cost of the service.

The Accelerate tier enables partners to add their own services to the quote, which could include configuration or consulting services.

Stone, XMA and Softcat get (SBS) framework spots

Posted on February 22, 2021 by - News

Stone, XMA and Softcat are among the companies to be awarded spots on an NHS Shared Business Services (SBS) framework.

The Link 3 framework is for the procurement of IT hardware and services and will run for four years. It replaces the Link 2 framework, which expires from 12 March 2021.

Other suppliers on the framework include Ricoh, CDW, SCC and Insight. Stone is listed in five of the six Lots and was previously on the Link 2 framework.

The framework is split into six Lots: Desktop PCs, laptop, tablets, specialist healthcare technology, printing and scanning hardware and a “one-stop-shop” the latter of which is a list of suppliers who can provide two or more of the items together that are covered in the other five Lots.

Ebuyer releases more corporate services

Posted on October 24, 2017 by - News

ebuyer-careersOnline retailer Ebuyer.com is releasing more services aimed squarely at the corporate customer.

Dubbed Ebuyer ProServices, it provides corporate customers with managed IT and cloud computing systems and online and telephone consultancy.

The move is part of a cunning plan to chart a growth in demand for business devices with an increasing number of previously well-known online consumer players while bolstering Ebuyer revenues by entering the B2B space.

As well as delivering a range of managed services the firm is also looking to help meet one of the main challenges from customers, around security. The service will deliver protection against malware, DDOS and other malicious attacks.

Ebuyer’s IT Director, Paul Lyons, said that the launch of the latest initiative should appeal to existing customers as well as give the firm the chance to strike some fresh relationships.

“We are excited to launch our new service.  Our team is looking forward to helping new and existing customers increase their organisations productivity and online security with our bespoke systems”, he said.

 

Tony Brooker becomes XMA’s UK corporate sales director

Posted on August 3, 2017 by - Moving People, News

TonyBrooker-580x358XMA has appointed former Insight and Misco vice president Tony Brooker as its new UK corporate sales director.

Brooker left Misco in February and will be a key part of  XMA’s moves to bolster its corporate sector business as it tried to expand beyond its traditional public sector clients.

Before working for Misco Brooker worked for Insight,  then SCC and then back to Insight.

XMA has always been renowned in the public sector, mostly in education. However it has been quietly developing its corporate space profile and the plan is to grow that in the next six to 12 months across the four locations.

XMA’s corporate team currently accounts for just over 20 percent of XMA’s total business, according to sales and marketing director Ian Cunningham, who harbours ambitions to have a 50/50 profit split between public and private business in three years’ time.

Brooker said the size of the corporate team will be expanded, but it is unclear if the team will be dispersed across the reseller’s offices in Glasgow, Halifax, Nottingham and St Albans – or based in one location. He also didn’t rule out opening “a fifth or sixth” office down the line.

XMA also recently head-hunted Andy Wright from SCC and Kelvin Lee from the Crown Commercial Service,

In its most recent financial report XMA recorded a year-on-year revenue jump of 52.6 percent for the 12 months ending 31 December 2016, up to £358.5 million.

Apple says “we don’t need no education”

Posted on August 1, 2017 by - News

PinkFloydTheWall1Fruity tax-dodging cargo-cult Apple has just staged a night-of-the-long knives on its education partners culling them down to just 14.

Word on the street is that between  24 and 26 Apple Solution Experts – Education (ASE) previously, with Softcat, Insight and Misco are off the books.

All that are  left are Academia, MCC, GBM, Trams, Albion, KRCS, Western Computer, Toucan, Jigsaw24, XMA, BT Direct Business, JTRS and for Ireland Wiggle and Compu b.

The theory is that Jobs’ Mon wants to push more through a smaller number of harder working channel partners in the education sector.  Apple wants more sustainable services which wrap-around either the iPad or the Mac, apparently.

Apple’s relationship with the channel is fraught  due to  it being a little inflexible and always wanting things its way. It has been slowly reducing its resellers over the years as it leant on its own retail channel. This way it can have greater control over how its products are presented and with Apple, presentation is everything.

This being the case, the recent cull will probably do more to lesson Apple’s influence instead of promoting it.

Microsoft extends Surface channel

Posted on May 4, 2015 by - News

image-left-cyan-hero-e1400563125164Software king of the world Microsoft has been expanding its channel for its Surface tablets by adding more partners.

Six UK resellers into its authorised device reseller (ADR) programme including  O2, Academia, XMA, PCS Business Systems, Storm and Total Computer Networks have signed up following a competitive tender process.

This means that there are now 14 ADR’s peddling the Surface in the UK.

Being an ADR gives resellers access to special bid pricing on volume Surfaces and the ability to provide extended warranty and a range of other value-add services around Microsoft’s slow-burner of a tablet.

The first batch of nine ADRs included Insight, SCC, Misco, Softcat, Phoenix Software, Kelway, CCS Media, Computacenter and SoftwareOne. Phoenix Software was less interested in hardware and left the programme two weeks ago to concentrate on software sales.

Microsoft’s Surface distribution strategy after the launch of Surface 3 was likely due its popularity and the fact that Microsoft’s tablet is being demanded by those who need a tablet for business rather than consumer use.

Surface sales started off poor but picked up and demand had been “very strong” since the ADR scheme was launched. Surface sales grew 24 per cent in 2014 driven largely by the Surface Pro 3 and accessories, he said.