Coventry University Group powers growth in students with Lenovo TruScale Device as a Service Solution

As the university has grown in recent years so has the number of devices being used across campuses, considerably adding to the IT team’s workload as the time spent on managing the ageing and disparate device estate grew. Coventry University Group looked for a more efficient solution.

Steve Rogers, CTO at Coventry University Group, explains: “Over the years, we had accumulated laptops and desktops from multiple vendors, with no standardised approach to device procurement or management. Our complex device universe was time-consuming to manage and costly to operate – and users had to hold onto their devices for up to seven years before we had the budget to replace them.”

Simplifying the group’s approach to devices

With further expansion expected in the coming years, it was vital that the group ensured its students, faculty and staff had reliable access to the tools needed for their work and studies. However, procurement decisions were often made on a departmental basis, leading to a situation where 188 distinct models from a range of manufacturers were in operation, with many being used beyond their suggested lifespan.

The challenges of managing these devices went further than the number of models. Users were located across the globe in both domestic and international locations, but the IT team needed to manually set devices up before they could be given to their new owners.

To simplify its approach to device procurement and management, Coventry University Group turned to Lenovo and its managed service provider partner CDW. Lenovo introduced the Group to Lenovo TruScale Device as a Service (DaaS), a consumption model that provides an extensive range of digital workplace solutions with flexible payment options, allowing organisations to easily scale and manage their IT estates.

Given the challenges faced in rolling out new devices, it was also vital to Rogers and his team that any new model came with more support options that would help free up time spent on manual processes. Rogers commented: “Lenovo and CDW were one of the only vendors we found that could integrate with Microsoft Intune. That integration is a key benefit for us, as it means our IT team doesn’t need to touch the machines at all – everything ships directly to the end user.”

High quality devices backed by robust support

Through Lenovo TruScale DaaS, Lenovo and CDW equipped Coventry University Group’s users with a suite of modern hardware and the ability to refresh laptops and notebooks in a highly cost-effective way. Devices provided include Lenovo ThinkPad T14s, X13 2-in-1, and X1 2-in-1 laptops, which are now all available at a single, predictable monthly price.

“Of all the DaaS options we considered, the Lenovo and CDW proposal gave us the best balance of price and performance,” recalls Rogers. “Lenovo and CDW also have a global distribution network, which enables us to deliver ready-to-go devices directly to our users anywhere in the world.”

The devices themselves are higher performing than those used previously, giving users a better experience and requiring less support from the IT team. All devices will be replaced after four years in service, minimising any reductions in performance and management time for older laptops.

“Lenovo TruScale Device as a Service offered Coventry University Group comprehensive solutions, optimising IT management and enhancing productivity,” comments Abdul Hakim, Executive Director, Digital Workplace Solutions at Lenovo. “The Group experienced reduced operational costs through flexible device deployment and lifecycle management. Additionally, they benefited from increased efficiency and scalability, tailored to their evolving business needs.”

As well as quality devices and a flexible pricing model, Coventry University Group also now benefits from Lenovo Premier Support. Previous approaches made it harder for users to access technical support when needed. Now, they have a single point of contact for all support requests, backed by 24/7/365 direct access to Lenovo engineers.

New faculty devices are now pre-configured by Lenovo and CDW, and then delivered directly to users’ preferred locations, where they are enrolled automatically on first use. “With Lenovo TruScale DaaS, our team has slashed the time spent on provisioning and managing devices,” confirms Rogers. “We’re saving approximately 40 hours a week with TruScale DaaS, which is time we can reinvest in supporting our staff, students, and faculty around the world.”

Support for sustainability goals

Another driver for change was the desire to advance Coventry University Group’s sustainability goals, with its commitment to net zero emissions by 2030 for scope 1 and 2, with a 30% reduction for scope 3. Working with Lenovo, to date, the Group has been able to offset 223 tons of carbon emissions through Lenovo CO2 Offset Services, which estimates CO2 emissions across the average lifecycle of the customer device(s), and helps offset them by purchasing credits to support verified United Nations Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Climate Action Reserve, and Gold Standard® climate action projects aimed to help reduce CO atmosphere. Plans are also underway to leverage Lenovo Asset Recovery Services, which will allow devices to be recycled, supporting a circular economy and unlocking additional cost savings.

Taking DaaS across the organisation

Working with Lenovo means Coventry University Group can take a more strategic and sustainable approach to its hardware. It has been able to move from a more traditional procurement model to one that provides high quality devices, transparent and predictable pricing and support in reaching emissions targets.

Inspired by the time saved in provisioning new devices and ease of support, the Group is now considering expanding its use of Lenovo TruScale DaaS for its on-campus workstation environment. “TruScale DaaS is the ideal fit for our organisation,” concludes Rogers.