Shopping for PC Vendors

In my last column I wrote about some of the notebooks and netbooks I spotted at the Windows 7 Launch Event last month. I offered a few details about some of the portable PCs from each of four different vendors -- Dell, Lenovo (News - Alert), Acer, and HP -- suggesting that you might want to consider them for your mobile users.

 

After writing that column, I started thinking about the overall topic of PC vendors. How do you choose a PC vendor in the first place? What criteria do you use? Are you happy with your current vendor, or is it time to make a change?

 

After going through an intensive process of picking a PC vendor at my former company, I thought I could share a few ideas on the subject.

 

When I first started in IT at my old company, we faced a hodgepodge of computers scattered throughout the user population. There were some HPs, some Dells, even some no-name clones.

 

Naturally, that situation made things difficult for those of us in PC support. We had to deal with different vendors for hardware problems, upgrades and related issues. There was no standard hardware setup, and no way of maintaining the same software configuration throughout the company.

 

After an internal reorganization of IT, the company decided to standardize on the same PCs -- both desktops and laptops -- for all users. This would reduce costs since we’d only need to maintain a relationship with one vendor. It would also free us to use the same hardware setup, operating system and core applications on each PC without reconfiguring them for multiple brands.

 

I was fortunate enough to be a member of the team that was formed to review different computer vendors. As part of that process, we discussed our own internal needs and requirements. What did we expect from a PC vendor? Which vendors would we consider?

 

Choosing a PC vendor for a large business is intricate. You need to ensure that the computers themselves have a good track record of reliability, stability and performance. Beyond the PCs, you want to look at the vendors and their potential relationship with your company. How do they work with their customers? What are their support options?

 

I remember our team came up with a list of five different vendors -- Dell, IBM, HP, Compaq (still its own separate company then) and Gateway (News - Alert). Our company already had a relationship with Compaq since it supplied our servers. We felt the other four companies should be on our list as well.

 

Today, a list of PC vendors would look a bit different than our list from 15 years ago. Dell and HP would undoubtedly still be there. IBM (News - Alert) has given way to Lenovo. Compaq is now part of HP. Gateway is now part of Acer.

 

So to Dell and HP, I would add Lenovo. I would also consider Acer (News - Alert), a company that has grown by leaps and bounds over the past several years. Acer has developed into a leading notebook vendor, second only to HP at this point.

 

Of course, other vendors might be worth reviewing -- Asus, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba. Even Apple has made more of an inroad into the corporate market, albeit on a very niche basis. Some vendors are still known more for the consumer market than for the business market, so that would probably keep them off the list.

 

Once you’ve compiled a list of vendors, the next step would be to research the reliability and performance of their hardware. You can certainly find many resources on the Web with this type of information. Both PC World magazine and PCMag.com publish surveys based on reader responses tracking the reliability of different computer brands. These surveys and accompanying articles can provide good feedback on a brand’s performance issues, repair costs, and related features. I also recommend reading surveys from the past several years so you can chart a brand’s long-term record.

 

Once you’ve narrowed down your list, it’s probably time for the RFP (Request for Proposal) process. Here you create a formal document detailing your requirements and expectations for a PC vendor, which you send to the prospects on your list.

 

After the RFPs come in, you’d set up meetings and presentations with the different vendors. And this is when you can get an overall feel for each company. Watch how the vendor handles its presentation. Does the presentation provide substance and concrete information, or is it more of a song and dance. How does the vendor address your questions and concerns? Do they seem responsive and professional, or are they scrambling to just tell you what you want to hear?

 

Another important key is to get references. You can’t really know how a vendor will treat you, but speaking with current customers is one good resource. Get specific references, and follow up with them.

 

Finally, dig up all you can about the vendor, including its future prospects. Our team first recommended IBM as our vendor of choice because we were impressed with the company’s product line, support options, and professionalism. But we then soon heard a rumor that IBM was thinking of selling or closing down its user desktop lineup. That concerned us because we wanted to buy our desktops and notebooks from one single vendor. Erring on the side of caution, we ultimately picked our next vendor of choice, namely Dell (News - Alert), a decision that worked out well.

 

There’s certainly more to the process of choosing a vendor than I’ve discussed here. But hopefully, my experience can be of help the next time you’re in the market for a new vendor.