New Year 7 intake - laptop leasing?

[TonyJM]

Hi All

 

I was wondering if anyone deals with a leasing company who is able to deal with personal finance?

 

The plan is that new year 7 students will get the choice to buy or lease a new laptop when they start at the school. But... rather than the school buying/leasing the equipment and then sub-leasing it to the parents, I have been tasked to try and find a finance company who is able to finance a standard spec machine directly to the childrens parents. Ideally they would be able to login to a portal and register their details - then once approved the laptop would be ordered and delivered to the school where the schools image can be installed on the laptop before its given to the child?

 

Does anyone have any experience in this as the leasing companies I have contacted so far only deal in corporate leasing rather than personal deals.

 

Many thanks in advance.

[pete]

Try Sonja at Utility Rentals (http://www.utility.rentals).

 

But make sure the school has a backup plan for parents unwilling (or unable) to subsidise the school's IT infrastructure or (if able) unwilling to allow the school to install MDM on a device the parent's paying for.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Try Sonja at Utility Rentals (http://www.utility.rentals).

 

But make sure the school has a backup plan for parents unwilling (or unable) to subsidise the school's IT infrastructure or (if able) unwilling to allow the school to install MDM on a device the parent's paying for.

[TonyJM]

Thanks Pete, I will call her tomorrow

[Sanchez]

Not quite the same as you (we do Chromebooks), but Freedom Technology https://freedomtech.co.uk/ I think does what you need. Ordering portal for parents 3 year repair cover (they've repaired hundreds of smashed screens for us over the years and never a quibble). As we do Chromebooks they open and enrol each device, not sure what services they might offer for windows devices.

Parents get the choice of a single payment or spreading the cost over 1-3 years. If a parent stops paying or the student leaves and they return the device the cost is covered too.

It works well for us, the majority of students opt in and we have a bank of bookable Chromebooks used by students who opted out.

 

As for school controls, if it isn't wholly owned by the student they have no choice but to have it managed by the school. Once paid for they can request that we remove management but the device is no longer allowed on the network so it becomes essentially useless in school. Very few have ever requested this.

[TonyJM]

Thats great - I will speak to them too... thanks

[Max_Power]

We use CHG and they have always been fantastic, for price, support, developing the right solution. Always crystal clear information, they've been a good solid company to work with.

https://www.chg-meridian.com

Hannah is the Account Development Manager in the Education Team

[TonyJM]

Thanks @Max_Power - I had a very productive meeting with Freedom Technology yesterday and it turns out that the school already have some kit leased through them, so the relationship is already established and they are familiar with the process. So, I think there is a real likelihood that they will partner with them.

 

Some very useful information above and hopefully might be useful for anyone else looking for the same thing - thanks everyone

[TechMonkey]

You can try Easy4U. They provide a portal and can show whatever devices you need. They provide insurance as well which is good and spare devices for returns.

 

Just some things to ruminate on.

- If you go the portal route, everyone will say they can but I would avoid the companies that are acting as third party. I have found in the past that it makes a complicated triangle of companies (manufacturer, supplier and portal).

- Check with the supplier how long their quotes last. You can get in a weird position where the portal has to go off line and then be prepared again to open with new prices every month.

- As easy as it sounds having a portal only open certain times of the year is a pain. you will always get joiners or someone suddenly needing one. This may be different for you if every pupil has to have the same device.

- Check with the finance company if the finance is down to the parents or reliant on the School. We had one company say it was all the parents but then slipped into the conversation at the last moment that the school would be the intermediary of the funds. Any losses or non-payments could potentially fall on the school.

 

Do give a yell if you want to chat more.

[simpsonj]

We're also using Freedom Tech, and I've got a meeting with RM next week as they offer a similar scheme, so they might be worth talking to.

@Sanchez how long have you been with FreedomTech? We'll be entering our 4th year come September, and I'm a little concerned about our Year 10 and 11 students who will have paid off their Chromebook and will no longer have the insurance and warranty. Knowing how quickly students can damage their devices, how do you manage those students?

[jnfarmer]

We've signed with Easy4U and one of the main positives was that their portal is open all year round. Sure they have a cut off date if you want a bulk delivery on a certain date, but with the portal being open all year round the rest will arrive shortly after. Also means any late joiners won't have to wait until the next date for the portal to open. They have loads of other positives, but as a boarding school that seems to recruit all year round this was a massive bonus for us.

[TonyJM]

Thanks TechMonkey appreciate the feedback

[TonyJM]

Thanks @jnfarmer - a valid point as I know my school were concerned about late starters and the fact that they will need to wait for mop-up portal openings.

[fiza]

We've signed with Easy4U and one of the main positives was that their portal is open all year round. Sure they have a cut off date if you want a bulk delivery on a certain date, but with the portal being open all year round the rest will arrive shortly after. Also means any late joiners won't have to wait until the next date for the portal to open. They have loads of other positives, but as a boarding school that seems to recruit all year round this was a massive bonus for us.

 

Not heard of Easy4U, is the agreement for rental/purchase directly between Easy4U and the parent so that the school has no financial burden? I believe with Freedomtech the agreement is with the schools rather than directly with the parents.

[jnfarmer]

Not heard of Easy4U, is the agreement for rental/purchase directly between Easy4U and the parent so that the school has no financial burden? I believe with Freedomtech the agreement is with the schools rather than directly with the parents.

 

Rental agreement between Easy4U and parent, but device is still enrolled in our MDM so we still have overall management of it. I do believe Easy4U say that the school will pick up part of the payment if the parent defaults, but I think it was only a certain amount per default and we worked this to be cheaper than what we're providing at the moment. They have really strong links with Dell and Microsoft at the moment, and are accredited repair partners, so will be able to do all repaires in house rather than sending them back to Dell/MS. They're definitely worth a look.

[TonyJM]

Not heard of Easy4U, is the agreement for rental/purchase directly between Easy4U and the parent so that the school has no financial burden? I believe with Freedomtech the agreement is with the schools rather than directly with the parents.

 

Yes, we have been talking to FreedomTech and the agreement is with the school, my understanding is they set up a direct debit mandate so the parents pay the funds directly to the school. The school then pay the lender directly. This negates the need to credit score every parent applying for a unit and the possibility of some not being eligible. They told me that in the event any parent defaults on payments FreedomTech will reimburse the school.

@TechMonkey @jnfarmer I have been trying to get hold of Easy4U, when you ring their phone and select from the menu it just cuts off and when I emailed the address on their website I received an undeliverable message... so, I have sent one last email to their sales@ address and if I get no reply I will have to try someone else.

[TechMonkey]

I've DMd you the contact details I have for them, hope that helps.

 

Check with your Bursar if they are fine with that process with FreedomTech as mine was dead against it and made noises that it made accounting rules very tricky. FreedomTech also told us that potentially the school could be on the hook, so I would make sure that is very clear or if that has changed. May be a difference between state and independent though.

[TonyJM]

I've DMd you the contact details I have for them, hope that helps.

Thanks - I will reply to your DM

[pmurphy]

Hi Tony

 

RM Education also provide a similar service for schools.