What’s hot in personal computers? We ask Staples Technology Solutions

What PC brands and attached services do you specialise in?

Companies run on mixed environments and, being hardware and software agnostic, we have the freedom to work with many different PC manufacturers. In saying that, we have strong relationships with key partners such as Microsoft (Surface), HP and Lenovo.

When did your company first get involved in this area?

In Australia, it’s been around 15 years. Our technology solutions capabilities were significantly bolstered by our Corporate Express acquisition in 2008.

What are your PC credentials?

I’m proud to say that Staples Technology Solutions was Microsoft’s first Surface distribution reseller in Australia and we’ve really driven solid success through that agreement. We are one of only three HP platinum partners in Australia and we continue to build a huge division of managed print services. We’re also a Lenovo diamond partner and STS was awarded Lenovo ‘Partner of The Year’ for 2015.

Have you heard of any cool or interesting developments in the PC space recently?

One example would be Microsoft HoloLens bringing futurist holograms into our world. Another example would be Lenovo’s ‘desktop as a service’ procurement model that delivers a new go-to-market aligned very closely to cloud that we believe is worth exploring.

Can you tell us about a recent PC deployment you have done?

Staples Technology Solutions recently won the Department of Education contract for Tasmania. This encompasses an entire fleet refresh with Microsoft Surface Pros. We’ve rolled out 2,000 devices thus far. Another engagement is with the Australian Institute of Professional Education. Staples has pre-configured, imaged, uploaded courseware, and labelled and repackaged over 6,500 Microsoft Surface Pros.

What is driving customers’ computer and device investments?

We’re seeing Windows 10 as a significant driver of upgrades and refreshes. Also, the ‘consumerisation of IT’ is having a huge impact. Employees and students today want a single, multi-function device to move with them between work and play. They also want the technology experience provided to them to mirror the technology experience they enjoy at home. Cloud is naturally a key enabler of this.

Personal computers are…

A window into the new world of cloud-based applications.