Buying and leasing IT equipment: how to manage it best?

What is IT procurement?

This is the process of :

• Optimize IT procurement flows;
• Acquire new computer equipment;
• Manage your computer equipment in an optimized way.

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As IT plays a central role in most businesses today, IT procurement is just as critical to improving your performance and limiting the risks and hazards associated with this process.

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Why is IT procurement important?

The benefits of procurement for your business

Let's first focus on the reasons to invest in structuring your IT procurement.

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This brings you many benefits, including:

• Productivity gains : more efficient computers save time for employees, who can do more work for the same amount of time;

• Quality improvement : up-to-date computers allow to install all the necessary applications, thus being able to carry out more qualitative and advanced work;

• Cost reduction : Procurement focuses on buying the best equipment at the best price. Negotiating the price of your IT equipment generates a direct benefit for the financial performance of your company;

• Savings : by managing your inventory and your IT assets, you ensure that you do not end up with an over-stock of IT equipment (any tied-up inventory represents a financial cost, potentially significant depending on the volume of your inventory).

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The 4 key steps of IT procurement

Let's look at the main steps to set up and optimize your IT procurement.

Sourcing, first of all, consists of identifying and selecting the best suppliers, then negotiating the prices and overall conditions of the service.

Procurement also involves planning the necessary supplies, in terms of quantity, quality and delivery times.

It also involves managing the administrative and practical aspects (purchase orders, goods receipt procedures, choice of contacts, etc.).

Finally, equipment configuration is also an essential step in the process, in order to provide turnkey tools to your teams.

Rzilient supports this configuration, for example via our Zero Touch solution via Apple Business Manager.

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How does Rzilient facilitate your IT orders?

With a delivery time of only 10 days, our platform allows you to order your equipment from a vast catalog of referenced suppliers.

Then, we take care of the configuration of your machines, to ensure a complete service.

Calculate the cost of your inventory and your computer park

IT procurement is also concerned with the stock of IT equipment available in your company.

This is an important question, because a stock costs money!

Any equipment held in inventory is not productive, by definition.

It is better to invest the immobilized cash in the form of stock, or to use it to finance the development of your company (marketing, R&D),

business development, etc.), so that this money "works" for you!

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Difficulties related to IT procurement

One of the challenges of the IT procurement process is its level of complexity. There are many steps involved in the

processes, involving providers, often based abroad...

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Increasing difficulties in sourcing computer equipment

The successive crises of the last few years (Covid-19 pandemic, raw material supply crisis, war in Ukraine, geopolitical tensions,

etc.) have dealt a heavy blow to the supply chains of computer and electronic equipment.

This results in longer production and delivery times, which causes problems with responsiveness in the process.

Automation, a growing challenge for the procurement function

61% of decision makers plan to partially automate their warehouses by 2024!

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The constant appearance of new materials

Another problem frequently encountered by our customers is a form of "leakage" with regard to the updating of hardware and software.

Manufacturers compete fiercely to offer new products on a regular basis, often without much real contribution to the

previous generations.

Companies must therefore carefully assess their real needs and not give in to the temptation (or to employee requests) to systematically obtain the

as soon as they are released on the market.

We can also mention here the risk of programmed obsolescence of certain computer products and software, which undermines long-term planning.

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The financial impact of IT procurement

Another difficulty is the simple fact that the supply of computer equipment is expensive.

Many companies are experiencing financial difficulties due to the economic and inflationary crisis in Europe, and must therefore keep a close eye on

their expenses.

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And if you choose the leasing your computer equipment ?

Growing environmental issues

Finally, IT procurement must do its part to protect the planet.

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To produce a smartphone, it pollutes!

85 kg of CO2 are emitted to produce a smartphone, on average.

4 times around the world : this is the logistical circuit of the smartphone between the beginning of its production and its arrival in your company.

Rare metals, plastics, glass... A smartphone is made of more than 60 different materials .

And let's remember that 75% of French people own a smartphone.

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In a Green IT approach, which consists in reducing the environmental and social impact of your computer park, favour reconditioned equipment and use more

for a long time these are two simple actions to take. Plus, they're good for your cash flow!

Please note: It is not always possible to buy refurbished, so Rzilient also offers the supply of new computer equipment.

Solutions to optimize your IT procurement

How to optimize your IT procurement?

One of the key solutions is to automate the entire process as much as possible. This prevents stock-outs, saves you time

This reduces the risk of errors and oversights and simplifies the overall decision-making process.

It is also useful to be able to rely on a panel of suppliers, rather than being dependent on a single partner.

This is what Rzilient offers with the help of its catalogs, listing our various suppliers, selected for their professionalism and the quality of their offer.

Finally, to properly manage a process as complex as IT procurement, it is crucial to have a tool dedicated to IT asset management.

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