Archive

Described as a new centre for innovation, XMA have relocated its entire warehouse and configuration services operation to Andover alongside parent company Westcoast. The opportunity the new Andover warehouse provides is immense – just like the warehouse itself – 341,871 square feet of flexible space with a huge configuration and PDI centre.

With a view to future proofing our continued growth, we have increased our operational efficiencies by moving to a facility capable of meeting increased demand. Through the Andover warehouse we can now dispatch large quantities of stock to our customers across the UK, keep all operations cost-effective and efficiently meet customer expectations.

This new location boasts some sizeable stats:

• 5,000 devices configured per day
• 90 HGV parking spaces
• 65,000 pallet locations

Kelvin Lee, Operations Director at XMA had this to say of the move:

“The XMA Board are immensely excited about our transition into the Andover facility, which we see as the next step in our evolution as one of the top value added resellers in the UK.

This move is fantastic news for both XMA and our customers as we can now provide storage, logistics and configurations on a much larger scale in this state of the art, automated and highly secure centre. We look forward to welcoming all of our current and new customers for a tour in the coming weeks.”

If you would like to find out more about the services we can provide from our new facility, or would like to visit Andover for a tour, please contact your Account Manager or email us on info@xma.co.uk.

Understanding your end user wifi experience has never been so easy. The award winning Aruba User Experience Insight sensor and dashboard helps you deliver a consistent user experience and performance.

The sensor itself is silent and compact and has a stylish design that looks good in any setting. It constantly checks your wifi and wired network letting you know if your users are having a good or bad experience, sending readings to an easy to use dashboard that shows the health of your network performance.

Watch the video below for more information or contact: info@xma.co.uk 0115 846 400

XMA are thrilled to have been named the winners of two prestigious awards at this years CRN Sales & Marketing Awards, taking home the win for both Best Sales Team and Best Marketing Campaign.

The XMA Public Sector team were named Best Sales team, following years of expediential growth and customer success. When announcing the winners for the category, the judges said:

“An absolutely fantastic entry that stood head and shoulders from the considerable competition. Humorous, packed with information and testimonials while showing impressive achievements. A stand out winner!”

Matt Biggs, Public Sector Sales Director had this to say:

“It is an absolute privilege to have been awarded Best Sales Team of the year by the CRN judging panel. Our team has gone from strength to strength and we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional value to our public sector customers. During a year like 2020, it is great to be recognised for all our efforts and I couldn’t be prouder of what we have achieved together. Thank you CRN!”

Following in the footsteps of our parent company Westcoast, XMA went on to win Best Marketing Campaign in the reseller category. Comments included:

“The Judges unanimously voted this entry as the winner with a campaign that engaged school children with tech through a clever competition and drove sales and teacher engagement with that tech to a new level. Brilliant!”

Helen Workman, Head of Marketing at XMA had this to say:

“What an incredible triumph for the XMA marketing department. I’m very proud of this achievement, and this is a fantastic way of showcasing the true value effective marketing can bring to an organisation. Not a lot of people will realise the amount of work that goes into the planning and execution of marketing campaigns, and for this particular project to be deemed award-worthy by CRN is a fantastic recognition for all of the teams hard work. We felt truly passionate about producing a campaign that encouraged young people to be creative with technology, and wanted schools to realise the endless potential of using iPad in the classroom. We will continue to produce meaningful, engaging and relevant campaigns across the IT channel that will make a difference to our customers. Bring on next year!”

The winning campaign saw school children from across the UK take part in a digital self-portrait competition using iPad. Details around the competition and its winner can be found here

You can also find a link to our gallery holding all the amazing entries here

Congratulations to all this years winners!

The growth of the video conferencing industry has been seen by us all, from work video conferences, to quizzes and birthday parties. To say that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we know it is already an overused statement, but it’s hard to argue with it. Whilst growth predictions for many markets are now cut, video conferencing is by no means in the same situation.

In early February, when the COVID-19 pandemic was in its infancy, one provider saw a surge of 15% in its stock price. Analysts predict this company could potentially double its value by the time the pandemic settles.

The COVID-19 pandemic has driven greater demand and adoption of video conferencing tools, and this has seen many short-term benefits, as well as challenges created by the demand. Whilst some companies offering video conferencing have gained negative attention for privacy concerns and technical capacity issues, overall, the demand has increased exponentially. These new levels of growth have been driven by this increased demand, predominately from corporations organising remote working solutions.

2020 is already said to be the ‘Year of Remote Working’, with many businesses making the decision to change their business model to a remote working organisation, or an organisation with new degrees of flexible working, this growth is set to continue. Research demonstrated 57% of small businesses will continue to work at home after ‘Stay-at-Home’ orders are relaxed. Many big employers are also talking about introducing or building upon their work-from-home models, including Facebook, Twitter and Google. Like most changes to routine, this can feel unusual and daunting, however Video Conferencing technology allows for continued collaboration and teamwork.

In 2018, the global video conferencing market was valued at just over 3 billion dollars. This is estimated to more than double to 6.4 billion dollars by 2026. This means a compound annual growth of 9.8%. As we are all adjusting to the ‘new normal’ and connecting in new ways, video conferencing will become an increasingly important tool in productivity, collaboration, and connectivity.

If you would like any help or advise, please contact your XMA account manager.

There’s a wide variety of benefits that can be seen by organisations who introduce MPS, from cost reduction through to reducing your environmental footprint. Let’s take a look at the top 4 benefits your business could experience from MPS.

Flexibility- Businesses change. Especially in this current climate and through MPS you can tailor your own printing solution with options to reduce fleet size or change device mid contract enabling a printing solution that adapts to your changing business needs.

Reduction in costs- By instructing a specialist to firstly carry out an audit on your current print fleet you can benefit from consolidating your current printers or replacing them with efficient newer technology which can reduce printing costs overall by up to 30%.

Sustainability- An introduction of MPS to your organisation can dramatically reduce waste and lower your environmental footprint by identifying fleet areas that can be rationalised and implementing rules around best practices for printing within your workforce.

Print Less- Overall a Managed Print Solution will focus on monitoring print usage and maximising efficiencies.  XMA’s ‘Print less’ solution is based upon three pillars: sustainability, flexibility through innovation and a focus on delivering an outstanding service.

For more information on how your organisation can benefit from the above and introduce a managed print solution, Email: print.solutions@xma.co.uk

Ben Coley, Microsoft Surface Global Technical Specialist, has provided us with his insight into Modern Deployment, what it is, and how it works.

“One of the most interesting parts of my job is talking to customers about Modern Deployment with Surface devices. Traditionally, most customers I speak to are using classic deployment methodologies and tools, where they will build a custom image, deploy it to a device, push down policies, settings and then finally applications – essentially overwriting what originally came on that device.

The advantage with Surface devices is that the image that comes installed from the factory is a clean build of Windows 10 Pro, which has all the latest drivers and firmware pre-installed, and all the optimisations required to deliver a great end-user experience, as well as the latest Office 365 Pro Plus applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

What most organisations are doing is essentially throwing away this image, and then doing their best to recreate it, which can lead to all sorts of problems
and complexity.

This is where Windows AutoPilot comes into play. AutoPilot essentially takes that clean gold-standard image that ships on a Surface device, layers down settings on top of it, optionally activates the Office apps and gets a user to their desktop in record time. So no waiting around for a two hour deployment – it can be accomplished in just over thirty minutes (depending on what apps and settings are being deployed). Another advantage is that it is a user-driven process, so instead of IT having to do the deployment, the user can unbox the device themselves and the device will automatically configure itself.

So, how does it work?

Essentially, your business would work with XMA as a Cloud Solution Provider (CSP), which then gives that CSP the right to enrol devices into your organisations environment on their behalf. When the end-user turns on the device, such as a Surface Pro 7, it checks in with the AutoPilot service (once connected to the internet) and sees that it is registered, so deploys the relevant settings applications for your organisation.

The whole service is underpinned by Azure and Intune, the organisation needs to have all their user accounts in Azure AD, and Intune is then used to configure a deployment profile and push down the relevant settings and apps to a device. Once all this is in place, you are able to move to Modern Deployment using devices like Surface – drastically speeding up their device deployment and removing the requirement for a device to pass through their IT department before it is deployed, as everything can be configured remotely.

Additionally, for certain use-cases, there is an extra service called Whiteglove deployment. This allows the CSP to automate most of the deployment and pre-stage all the configuration and applications without user credentials. This means when a user receives their Surface device they are simply prompted to sign in. Everything is already there ready for them to use, and complete set-up of a device is less than five minutes!

If you are interested in looking at AutoPilot with Surface devices to save your organisation time and deliver a better end-user experience, then please reach out to your XMA account manager who will be able to assist further in getting you on the road to a Modern Deployment experience.

Contact us to find out more about Microsoft Surface deployment.

It’s rare for businesses and institutions to face huge shifts in working practice. And, on those occasions when a firm chooses to change location, review working practices or update multiple offerings, leadership would usually demand a detailed plan of action and a period of time to execute it. Recent events have – for many businesses – forced unforeseen change. So, where contingency planning hasn’t provided all the answers for your business, how will you create the plan for your new way of working?

With these 4 steps to Navigating the New Normal, I’m providing some guidance to help us all build the right foundations for our business’ new normal.

Preparing for Business Continuity

When your business is facing a crisis, finding a way to maintain continuity is the first priority.

For organisations with a predominantly desk-bound workforce, having to restrict access to office locations can cause a number of issues – ensuring systems access and flexible processes will be the initial concern.

Remote working isn’t new, so many organisations will feel quite comfortable suggesting employees take home their laptop and create a makeshift desk. But is this enough? Systems and processes designed for occasional remote working by a small number of staff might not be robust enough to support an entire workforce homeworking. Are the secure systems able to maintain the number of users necessary? Is access possible on this new scale? Can we ensure employees are using only company devices and secure networks?

There are solutions for all these concerns, which will be dependent on an organisation’s existing infrastructure. And, while businesses will make immediate decisions to enable business continuity in an emergency, following up these decisions with consideration and an eye for the future is the only way to ensure continuity going forward.

Developing a Digital Capability

Many organisations were already developing their cloud-first agenda before we all started talking about Covid-19. The reality, however, is that this work will likely have been pushed at a rate – and possibly even in a direction – which companies hadn’t previously expected.

While embracing the cloud will bring many benefits, understanding the impact of these large-scale changes will take time – and meaningful data. To understand your organisation’s usage trends as well as it’s readiness for cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools, will require information and assessment. And, only once the right data has been gathered can a meaningful strategy be developed.

The world has changed, your processes and systems have changed, ensure those changes are built on a clear understanding of what you have and what you need to build the right capability for your future.

In our current position, as humans as well as employees, keeping our focus and being productive may not be our main drive. Particularly in roles where remote working has – in the past – not been possible, expecting employees to pick things up at home will undoubtedly face hurdles.

Organisations have the opportunity to develop new processes and strategies with tools which will benefit everyone:

• Online communication tools to maintain relationships and encourage collaboration
• File sharing through cloud services for the same
• Chatbots to reduce enquiry traffic through helpline services can be used both externally with customers and internally to manage queries

And, while these tools will make change easier to handle, it’s also well recognised that employee engagement is a major factor in productivity. So, when considering new tools, think about the implications for the user. Ensure employee engagement is at the forefront of these changes, enabling those employees to see true benefits and realise the value of increasing productivity for everyone.

Balancing Innovation and Security

Many organisations have moved quickly to ensure continuity, and this speed has – necessarily – brought with it risk. It is essential that these organisations continually review.

Retrospective checks on security and governance are needed to ensure vulnerabilities haven’t been introduced, to confirm systems are managing the necessary scale, and to ensure teams responsible for managing these requirements are in control.

Creating an environment and culture where these responsibilities are framed correctly will also be key.

Reintroducing the Physical Workspace

So, what about when this is over? When the office doors are open again and the desks have been dusted off – how will your organisation react?

For some, the instinct will be to pull everyone back behind their desks to return to “business as usual”. For those who previously pushed against workplace flexibility there are likely to be questions from employees – and now isn’t the time to lose the momentum you’ve gained for change.

The ideal would surely be to use this time to review – to understand the benefits of our working practices before and during this crisis – to make changes for the better. Which of those changes in working practices are improving life for our employees and the business? What can we learn about the physical space we have and how we have used it?

Having made bold steps into the future, organisations who strengthen their position and continue to ask questions will find their future opens up in a way they may previously have missed. The fact is that many organisations too scared to develop agile solutions in the past will have either leapt to make these changes in haste, or struggled to survive. Having taken those steps to change, now is the time to review, refocus and reinforce – to ensure these changes aren’t short-term fixes but strong, positive developments which will lead to future growth.

It’s important we look to the future, and seek opportunities to collaborate with those who can support us going forward. We’d love to talk.

Contact us now on info@xma.co.uk or by completing a contact form.

Want more online information around how you can tranform your digital workspace? Check out our Workspace section on our website here.

Written by Terry Chana – XMA Workspace Solution Director

According to a study by The Sutton Trust, 15% of teachers report that more than a third of their students from the most deprived areas would not have adequate access to an electronic device for learning from home, compared to only 2% in the most affluent state schools.

This suggested a huge gap in learning for those students without access to technology during the UK Lockdown and COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the Youth Sport Trust to launch their Digital Deficit Campaign.

Thanks to a charitable donation of £100,000 from entrepreneur Sir John Beckwith CBE, it is expected 300 children will benefit from access to a device for activities and guidance that will keep them moving, boost their wellbeing and ensure they have access to education, even when not in the classroom. With the hope that other organisations will support the cause, their goal to raise £1 million would extend this reach to up to a quarter of a million children.

Sir John Beckwith, president and founder of the Youth Sport Trust, said:

“This pandemic has brought to the fore just how many children miss out because they do not have access to technology at home. It was an issue I felt strongly about before the pandemic struck but now with home schooling and remote learning due to continue for some time there are too many children missing out.

I also hope this donation can highlight how technology can play a part in active lifestyles and encourage active learning at a time when we know less than 50% of children access the recommended 60 active minutes a day and the least active, are again, the most disadvantaged.”

XMA have partnered with the Youth Sport Trust to assist with the supply of iPad’s, technical support and training to be delivered by our team and network of Apple Professional Learning Specialists. As an Apple Authorised Education Specialist, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to provide Apple technology to schools and students that need it most, at a time when distance learning and the need to stay connected is more important than ever.

Ian Cunningham, Director at XMA had this to say:

“XMA were thrilled to be presented with the opportunity to work with Youth Sport Trust. Equipping young people with the equal opportunity to access learning, regardless of their circumstance, is at the heart of what we have continued to do for many years alongside our key educational partners including Apple, Microsoft and Google.

Our purpose has always been to empower learners through the efficient use of technology, and together with Youth Sport Trust this continues to become a reality. As an Apple Authorised Education Specialist, our in-house team of qualified educators will support and mentor teachers and learners in adopting this technology, both for use in the classroom and at home.”

The Youth Sport Trust are a children’s charity working to ensure every child enjoys the life-changing benefits that come from play and sport. Find out more about what they here

If you’d like to know more about their Digital Deficit Campaign, please visit their campaign page here

Coronavirus Statement Update 22/06/20

XMA has continued to operate a full service across all areas of the business during the COVID-19 pandemic, and continued to meet its 3 key objectives:

1. Continuing to support and deliver to our customers the goods and services they need to support their changing requirements
2. Making sure our employees are cared for to the best of our abilities
3. Securing the long-term future and stability of the XMA business, so that our customers and staff can have confidence in these challenging times

We successfully transitioned our staff to home working at the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown and the XMA Board have acknowledged how well our staff managed the complete transition whilst maintaining service levels, delivering critical projects to the NHS and Education sectors and supporting all of our customers during this time.

Our continued success is underpinned by our ‘key worker’ employees who have continued to operate from our offices and warehouses and we truly appreciate the commitment and efforts of each of these individuals. We have ensured that Government guidance has been followed to protect these key workers in terms of safe working practices, PPE equipment and social distancing.

As the lockdown restrictions begin to be eased, XMA has put in place plans to ensure our staff can return to work safely, in a controlled manner and on a timescale to support their individual concerns and commitments.

This planning has been undertaken by our dedicated ‘Return to Work’ team who have put together an induction programme to prepare employees for the changes to office working brought about by COVID-19. This comprehensive online programme covers the changes required to maintain a safe working environment, with sections covering:

• Setting the Scene
• Practicing Good Hygiene
• Office Operations
• Monitoring your Health
• Communication

Our priority through the return to work transition will be to continue to protect our employees and enable them to operate from our offices in a safe and secure manner. To achieve this, we have carried out Risk Assessments at all locations in accordance with Government guidelines and these assessments have been made visible in reception areas of all locations to promote best practice. The Risk Assessments are reviewed weekly and updated as appropriate to meet current Government guidelines, ensuring we are taking all possible measures to reduce the risk to our employees.

The return to work scheme will be done at a pace that ensures XMA meet all Government guidelines whilst continuing to deliver services to our customers, to meet both the needs of changing working environments and ongoing and future projects.

XMA are pleased to confirm that we have maintained a ‘business as usual’ approach throughout the lockdown and look forward to further supporting our Customers, Partners and Suppliers going forwards.

Please contact us at approvals@xma.co.uk if you need to discuss your business needs.

XMA Commercial Director Andy Wright has joined this year’s CRN Women in Channel judging panel for the first time. Joining other industry peers including XMA’s Jen Norman – who has also been a judge in previous years – Andy and Jen will be working to identify those in the channel who go the extra mile and are inspiring the next generation.

Andy had this to say:

“The CRN Women in Channel Awards is a great initiative that highlights the achievements of those across the IT channel, who can also act as role models for young women considering a career in the industry. I am pleased to have the opportunity to be part of the judging panel at a time where equal opportunities for all is so very important in our society.”

Jen will be joining the panel for a third year running and had this to say:

“I am absolutely privileged to be on the CRN Women in Channel judging panel again this year. Every year I see so many inspiring women throughout all the categories, so I am honoured to be part of celebrating their achievements. It’s always brilliant to read the successes in every entry and to see the powerful potential that these women have.”

XMA have three nominees for the 2020 awards including Jade Barlow, Kavita Chauhan and Shaira Alibhai. The awards take place in October and we look forward to seeing the shortlist reveal in a few months time.

Best of luck to all the nominees!