Good educational PC supplier recommendation?

[Number6]

Morning again!

 

We're thinking of changing supplier. Our current one has let us down on a few important things

 

Can the panel recommend a supplier, preferably with an office local to Worcester, who can supply and support about 200 Dell desktops + 30 laptops + all sorts of other IT stuff (everything from memory sticks to workgroup lasers)? We'll be ordering similar quantities annually to meet our rolling 4-year PC replacement program.

 

We're not just looking for a box shifter, the company has to be able to offer good and responsive customer and tech support.

 

We'll be ordering all this stuff in June probably and need to sort out a supplier now.

 

Any recommendations?

[mbird]

We have used Akhter computers, who we chose over the big names (NSOptimum + RM) because as a relatively small company there customer + technical support is pretty good.

What i like is that as well as having one account manager - I speak to the same pretty knowledgeable guy in Technical Support.

I'd give 'em a shout!

[featured_spectre]

We used Akhter for our original curriculum server a few years back and they offered a good service, however now we buy the majority of our stuff from Simon at CP, because he is reliable, good with tech support and has been to visit us with his boss to see how things were at our place!

[Tricky_Dicky]

I use Tempus for a lot of stuff. They aren't perfect but they have pretty good support and have a decent amount of technicians for on site stuff.

Steve Buet is the main contact - 0121 233 3100

[BatchFile]

Another Edusponser, SCL Online, make nice systems with a 5 year warranty - I'm using one now!

Novatech do a good value "Ion" atom based system which is great for areas where they don't need mega performance.

[Edu-IT]

Another Edusponser, SCL Online, make nice systems with a 5 year warranty - I'm using one now!

Novatech do a good value "Ion" atom based system which is great for areas where they don't need mega performance.

They were brought out weren't they? I haven't heard anything from them since that.

[BatchFile]

They were brought out weren't they? I haven't heard anything from them since that.

 

Dunno... I did wonder if something was afoot - haven't seen them round here for a while - their website's still there though and there's nothing about being taken over (or otherwise dissapearing) on there - I'd be interested to know if anyone can give a definitive answer of what their status is cos I like their stuff:)

[Edu-IT]

Dunno... I did wonder if something was afoot - haven't seen them round here for a while - their website's still there though and there's nothing about being taken over (or otherwise dissapearing) on there - I'd be interested to know if anyone can give a definitive answer of what their status is cos I like their stuff:)

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/bad-experiences/42098-scl-online-edu-tec.html

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/hardware/34211-whats-happened-scl.html

 

They merged with Edu-Tec.

 

PeterW on the forum still appears to work for them.

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/members/peterw.html

Edited March 8, 2010 by Edu-IT

[jamin100]

I use Tempus for a lot of stuff. They aren't perfect but they have pretty good support and have a decent amount of technicians for on site stuff.

Steve Buet is the main contact - 0121 233 3100

 

Yeh used Tempus here too. Paul Hughes is another contact....

[glennda]

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/bad-experiences/42098-scl-online-edu-tec.html

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/hardware/34211-whats-happened-scl.html

 

They merged with Edu-Tec.

 

they did indeed and we purchased loads at my last place just before they merged and only had problems with the machines with a near 40% fail rate

[localzuk]

My usual shortlist is:

 

CP Ltd,

IDNS,

Insight UK,

CSE Ltd,

& Viglen

 

We also use suppliesforschools.co.uk and bigpockets.co.uk for some stuff too.

 

Between that lot, we usually get what we want at a good price.

[Iain.Faulkner]

We bought 350 machines from Ergo last summer. Had very very few problems (thinking off the top of my head I'd say we've had 5 develop faults in the 6 months we've had them in). Would definitely recommend them.

[cookie_monster]

CP Ltd and Stone Computers are our first choices.

[Number6]

Thanks everyone.

 

Enquiries are now in hand.