Interview Chris Schildermans & Kristof Neubauer

Chris and Kristof, can you briefly tell us what the Workspace team does on a daily basis? 

‘Workspace and the workplace services were set up primarily as a response to market demand. The IT market is dynamic, and in recent years we’ve noticed that our customers’ expectations are changing. IT teams are being downsized, which means they have to do more with fewer resources. The conventional way of staging a customer for a new team member means it either gets delayed or is simply not feasible. 

We and the team are constantly looking for ways to support our customers and optimise processes. This can range from something as simple as applying a screen protector to the full roll-out of devices via zero-touch deployment,’ explains Kristof. 

Chris continues, ‘That’s where we’d like to make efficiency gains. If your current IT team, equipped with limited resources, is tasked with a large-scale roll-out of different devices, our services offer a value-added way to manage this. For example, we can also provide additional workforce on-site to help with the roll-out.’

 

The modern workplace is a major focal point for both of you. In your view, what constitutes the perfect modern workplace nowadays? 

Kristof begins, ‘In a nutshell, it’s about being able to work from anywhere and efficiently. The modern workplace is all about flexibility and efficiency. It includes the use of laptops instead of desktops as well as ergonomic features such as sit-to-stand desks, larger monitors, ergonomic mice and keyboards. Whether you work in the office, at home or as a nomad, the modern workplace should always offer the same functionality. It’s all about creating an environment that enables employees to be productive anywhere, anytime.’

Chris explains, ‘Hybrid working is especially important, given that working from home has become normalised. However, that workstation needs to be just as well equipped as the office. You want to be able to work anywhere as efficiently and effectively as possible, but this relies on having the right tools and components. Essentially, people want to be able to work anytime, anywhere, at their own convenience.’

 

Which services are important in this respect? 

‘The IT department’s job is to ensure that employees enjoy this flexibility in practice. They often have to do this with fewer resources than they used to have, so any help they can get is more than welcome. I’m talking about additional, preparatory services performed on devices. That way, an IT team can do its part to ensure a competitive job market, customer satisfaction rate goes up, and end users are happy. Companies absolutely must keep up with this development. We can simplify and facilitate this transition by offering the right services if you’re buying hardware for your modern workplace,’ explains Chris. 

Kristof adds, ‘We are an extension of the IT team. We support them all the way, so that they can focus on facilitating a company’s growth.’

 

We also offer a Service Catalogue. What does this contain?

Kristof begins, ‘It’s a summary of all the services we offer today. The catalogue shows what extra services we can offer to customers buying a permanent or mobile workstation. See it as a menu of solutions to everyday market demands.’

Chris adds, ‘We also explain all of our services and describe what they entail. Additionally, we’ve created our own bundles of frequently purchased services. The bundles are tailored to market demand and are flexible enough to cater to a range of customers’ needs.’

 

We recently released the new version: the Service Catalogue 2.0. How is this version new and improved? 

Kristof says, ‘The Service Catalogue 2.0 contains two new elements that enhance our range of services and make us even more attuned to our customers’ needs. The first element is Logistics on Demand. Our experience of larger and more complex projects is that customers buy devices over a longer period of time because they don’t have the space to stock the items. And with IT teams getting smaller, it’s not always possible to process larger volumes of items. Logistics on Demand lets them purchase items in large quantities and access them at different times. We offer additional flexibility, giving customers the option of phased device roll-out, for example at six-month intervals.’ 

Chris explains, ‘The second new element is Replay Services, aimed at the end-of-life phase of devices. This could include devices that are often stored in a cupboard or drawer because it’s unclear what they should be used for or there’s no usage plan. We can then retrieve those devices and perform certified data erasure or, in some cases, destroy them. 

This is also in line with our sustainability strategy. We sit down with customers to explore how we can manage the devices in the best possible way. After erasure, the devices might be donated to charity or assessed for their residual value, for example.’

Kristof says, ‘Our launch of Logistics on Demand and Replay Services in the Service Catalogue 2.0 draws on the idea of flexible roll-out and focuses on sustainability.’ 

 

Do we offer other services besides those for permanent and mobile workstations?

Kristof says, ‘We also focus on employee choice. For example, we have support portals available to employers and employees. When rolling out a cafeteria plan, this can offer valuable support in implementing these benefits for your employees. Our larger customers with multiple business locations and an interest in DAAS or a device swap option can benefit from various solutions, such as local lockers where devices can be swapped at any time.’

 

Read more about the benefits of IT services in our infographic. 

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