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Brexit Committee News Update – August Update

Given that we have experienced a period of lull whilst the new government takes shape – the direction of travel now looks clearer – we are heading for a ‘No Deal’ Brexit at pace and hence all advice from government and business organisations is to prepare for a hard Brexit.
Seeing as XMA were making such preparations in March – management’s thinking is much the same and our Brexit committee met earlier to set out what we must do internally and to advise our customers on steps they can take to mitigate the effects on their business.

CBI & BCoC Advice

The CBI has produced a long document setting out the effects and the preparedness of the UK, the EU and the UK & EU together. A copy can be found here. In essence, it shows that the UK is better prepared than the EU but both are woefully under-prepared for 31st October. In addition, the fact that the new Brexit day comes at the height of the Black Friday and peak retail periods, poses more dangers for logistics businesses.

The British Chamber of Commerce has also set out a neat Risk Register as an update to their Business Brexit checklist.

This simple checklist will act as a good guide to ensure that XMA and our customers are considering the right areas to prepare for the difficult time ahead. Most areas are rated red.

People

Leadership is important here and XMA are ensuring that all EU nationals and their families employed by XMA are assisted in complying with the EU settled status scheme. We urge our customers and vendors to do the same. Perhaps the one area that the new government has softened is immigration, with no talk of reducing immigration but merely being able to control it.

Funding

XMA do not receive EU funds but this appears more positive for those that do.

Tax

It appears that the UK government will introduce a relaxed approach to VAT deferment on imports and exports for a period not less than 1 year. This will reduce any cash flow burden on XMA and hence our customers.

Regulation

Given that XMA and our parent company (Westcoast’s) goods are also sold in Europe, we do not anticipate any disruption to supply as a result of either UK or EU regulatory divergence post Brexit. Clearly this could change in the future but should not affect trade in the short term.

Data

The UK government will impose a limit on mobile roaming charges incurred in EU countries. This is not the case for EU tariffs in the UK. Data governance under GDPR has been adopted by UK law and is currently EU compliant. A ‘No Deal’ scenario is unlikely to alter EU data compliance although businesses should be alert for divergence.

Trade

There are still no tariffs anticipated on almost all goods and services sold by XMA under WTO rates at present. Clearly XMA will keep this under review in light of US/China tensions. However, neither the UK government nor the EU are likely to impose import tariffs on IT products.

Borders

This is where a ‘No Deal’ situation will have the biggest impact on trade. Whilst the British government are increasing spending on ports and customs officials as well as promising speedy entrance of goods from the EU, imports will still be dependent upon accurate paperwork. The Westcoast Group are spending time ensuring that appropriate information including commodity codes are available on shipping documentation. At present over 90% of codes have been collected and systems are being updated to ensure they are available when required. The EU have made no such arrangements and hence may well levy fines for inaccurate paperwork as they do for imports from outside the EU today.

Despite all the plans, delays at port are still anticipated by every logistics company that XMA have spoken to. XMA and Westcoast’s management are working with vendors to increase stock holding over the difficult peak period to avoid short term shortages. In addition, our new warehouse in Andover will more than double capacity and allow for increased stock holding. However, we urge customers to take the following steps:
i) Engage with XMA account managers to predict large roll-out orders in November/December to give earliest visibility to ensure goods are available in the UK.
ii) Switch selling from Configure-To-Order (CTO) stock built in vendor factories to channel inventory as soon as possible
iii) Where this is not possible, ensure lead times are managed with end-users to factor in delays at port

Ireland

Assuming that the UK exits the EU without a deal, the Irish market will be affected significantly given the border complexities. Westcoast’s warehouse in Tallaght is only sufficient for roll-out management and Westcoast do not anticipate making this into a fully managed warehouse at present – i.e. most goods will still be shipped from the UK and will be subject to border delays. Irish customers should engage with their XMA account managers to ensure stock held in Tallaght is forecast and distribution can be managed effectively.

FAQ’s

EORI – Westcoast do have a UK EORI number which will be sufficient for all declarations
AEO – Westcoast have not applied for this status as management consider this will not be effective in speeding up customs procedures
TSP – Westcoast have now received this accreditation from HMRC
Warranty – No vendor has as yet amended their warranty terms so we can anticipate that warranty procedures will be the same as currently available post-Brexit
VAT – Exports on goods shipped from the UK will not bear VAT from the UK as currently
Tariffs – Where they exist will be applied on the full price of the goods (i.e. before discounts)

For any questions or queries contact our XMA Brexit committee at approvals@xma.co.uk

Read previous Committee Update for March 2019

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Every HPE GreenLake Flex Capacity solution comes with enterprise-grade support from HPE Pointnext and active capacity management to ensure that your solution grows with the business needs.

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• On-premises for better control over compliance, performance, and security
• Simplified IT that’s operated for you to free up resources and add business value
• Faster time to value with solutions that are ready quickly and evolve ahead of your needs
• Better economics with a flexible, pay-per-use model that offers simplicity and financial clarity

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Read more

Click below to view the full Infographic 

Take it from us, the experts; there has never been a better time to migrate your business to Azure, and we believe that the success made possible by the cloud should be accessible to every business and every organisation—small and large, old and new. But not all businesses are created equal. Some of you are just beginning your cloud journey.

Every company—regardless of industry, legacy, or technology pedigree—can thrive in the cloud. We want to paint a picture of the cloud landscape, and explain how Microsoft Azure can solve complex business problems while also making new business models possible. Now is the time to ‘spring clean’ all your apps, data, and infrastructure and migrate them to Azure.

Why cloud migration?

So, why are more and more businesses considering it a priority to migrate to the cloud? Well… do any of the below sound familiar to you?

• Your datacenter contract has an expiry date
• Your business does (or will in the near future) need a software and a hardware refresh
• You know that there is all of this amazing technology solutions out there, but it’s too much pressure on your internal IT resource to solely deliver
• As an IT manager, you’re expected to know about all the new technology available to you, but you can’t keep up and the delivery of new infrastructures is a little overwhelming
• The business is growing, and as such, so is the expectation to host a technology solution that can serve as high capacity. But you need to deliver this without a huge capital investment..
• Windows 7 End of Support is fast approaching, and you are concerned about the cyber-security threats to your business if you do not migrate in time

But for us, this is about guiding you through your journey to the cloud – not just providing the technology.

The 4 pillars of Azure

There are 4 key pillars that explain why Azure is different to any other cloud solution. Our customers choose Microsoft Azure time and time again, because of the value that can be provided in one central cloud platform.

1. Productivity: Your business can build applications, and get those apps to users more efficiently than ever. You can also manage applications no matter how large or complex. The best part is that Azure provides built-in support for an end-to-end management experience. Think about monitoring… logging analytics… patching… backup… and site recovery. With built-in security and management features, you have the assurance that security, compliance and policies are in place.
2. Hybrid: This is so much more than just being able to move an application into the cloud. You can increase end-user productivity by using Azure Active Directory for single sign-on to both cloud and on-premise applications – your business is now working on a unified platform, which provides a consistent experience across the entire organisation.
3. Intelligence: Azure provides an SQL server that connects to Artificial services. This enables the quick adoption of technologies, the ease of integration, and the development of breakthrough apps with built-in intelligence. Azure offers comprehensive set of services, infrastructure, and tools to build AI-powered experiences including bots that naturally interact with users and built-in advanced analytics tools, such as R, to make faster predictions for your business.
4. Trusted: Compliance and trust is not an afterthought for Microsoft. With Azure’s security centre, you can get a unified view of all of your on-premises and cloud workloads. Collect, search and analyze security data from a variety of sources, including firewalls and other partner solutions. By finding vulnerabilities and being able to remediate them quickly, you can limit your organisation’s exposure to threats and respond swiftly to attacks. Did you know that 90% of Fortune 500s trust the Microsoft Cloud for security, privacy and transparency?

We understand that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’

There’s no one-size-fits-all any more for your IT. Make it as bespoke as you want with Azure’s easy-to-use platform, it can do so much more than replace hardware and software; the way you communicate, analyse data, prepare marketing campaigns and deliver new and innovative features to your users will be revolutionised. And, bottom line, it saves a ton of space, money and the IT helpdesk headaches.

XMA can help you successfully move your business to the cloud.

To find out more, please contact us on:
01727 201890 | softwarelicensing@xma.co.uk

We are currently in the age of the cloud worker, but what does that mean?

The way in which we work has evolved due to the developing transition of cloud technologies and the increasing number of organisations adopting these ways of working. The progression towards cloud technologies can be seen throughout many industries and all sizes of organisations who are keen to uncover and utilise what cloud can offer them.

Employees in their personal lives embrace a plethora of cloud technologies: from ordering food and transport to shopping, all within a touch of their screen. It could be suggested that this has heightened their expectations of the workplace where they now require efficient and effortless technologies to do their job.

The evolution of the workforce can’t be ignored, with 1 in 4 employees currently seen as a cloud worker. A cloud worker can be defined as a worker who uses cloud apps and either laptops or tablets daily spending a minimum of 3 hours a day within a browser (Forrester, 2018).

A recent survey on employees showed:

• 65% believed their technology requirements for work are constantly changing.¹
• 73% rely on their employee to continuously improve their approach to devices/apps that support their productivity.¹
• 80% agreed they needed instant access to information from a variety of sources to succeed in their job.¹

There is an increase in workers operating on-the-go, using shared devices and working within large international teams. They are relying heavily on cloud-based apps and want to be able to do their job through any device and at any time of the day; structured 9-5 working is becoming a thing of the past. The working behaviours of employees are changing sufficiently enough that workplaces are adapting the working environment to ensure efficiency, retention and productivity are high.

A recent survey on ITDM enterprises showed:

• 71% agreed technology developments had evolved organisations expectations of employees day to day work.¹
• 73%consider employee experience as a top priority when making decisions about devices and business applications.¹
• 73% believed that complementing employee tasks with tech like AI cloud ans mobility is crucial to my organisations future.¹

(Forrester, 2018)

The growing trend of  employees rating flexibility to work anywhere anytime as essential in carrying out their job effectively means they embrace technologies that help them do that. Working for an organisation who understands this and puts time and effort into the employee experience has never been so important. Introducing cloud technologies into the work place to enable these workers will have a positive impact on: attracting and retaining talent as well as productivity and efficiency whilst the right technology will also keep organisations safe and secure from cyber-criminal activity.

3 ways to empower your cloud workers:

1) Workplace efficiency

Cloud workers are on the go and busy throughout the day so need features that will help them do the job and assist with increasing  productivity. Chrome OS automatically secures data with a cloud-based back up system enabling them to work worry free, from any location. Updates run automatically in the background and do not disrupt users whilst working, introducing new features over time to maintain device performance. Employees can also stay on task whilst being offline and save and sync features help them to stay productive on any device.

2) Premium hardware

Cloud workers care about having the best quality hardware to do their job efficiently and effectively whilst using helpful features to empower them to get the job done. Just like this portable Chromebook device that provides secure cloud access and a seamless transition from online to offline work. The Chromebook provides full interactivity on a single device and accommodates users who need to share company materials on the go as well as those who need secure, reliable data access to collaborate with team members across different locations.

3) Enterprise applications

Cloud workers need to securely access a range of applications that enable them to perform tasks effortlessly. Chrome enterprise enables access to SaaS apps, directly from the dock with safe browsing technology to protect users. Google Play gives seamless access to leading apps including: Cisco, Jabber, WebEx and more whilst continuously protecting users. The G suite app is readily available in the dock at every login with no browser setup required

Want to find out more about Chrome Enterprise?

Contact a member of our team today to discuss cloud worker empowerment for your work environment.

A Modern Workplace; this is now an employee’s expectation and a big necessity.
Today’s workforce have an expectation to be able to work anywhere at any time, and it’s more important than ever that organisation’s embrace and empower mobile working. Implementing a modern workplace is essential if your business wants to:

• Attract and retain talent: 82% say that workplace technology has an influence when deciding whether or not to take a new job¹
• Embrace new workstyles: 50% of the workforce will be mobile by 2020. It’s imperative that your employees are not restricted on mobile working²
• Inspire innovation: 72% of workers believe their future success depends on their ability to be creative³

We understand the challenges businesses now face when embracing the modern workplace.

For example, cyber-attacks are increasingly becoming more sophisticated… customer expectations outpace internal adaptations… and attracting the best talent in the market means becoming a digitally enabled leader in a saturated environment.

And with a minefield of technology available to businesses, how does an organisation select the best device that suits their needs and budget?
Microsoft devices offer a number of benefits that are suited for every organisation, no matter what industry you might operate in.

Here is a list of Microsoft features that we at XMA have implemented ourselves, and feel are a great platform for collaboration, reporting, and relationship building:

Hardware and software working in unity, just the way they were intended

XMA have started rolling out Microsoft Surface devices across our own business; the hardware and software are built in unity, making them easy to deploy and simpler to manage.

Our employees have agreed that their Surface device has allowed them to ‘increase productivity even on the most common tasks’… ‘more flexible working which has allowed us to embrace an “always online” approach’… and last but not least, they are proud to be seen with it! This has increased employee satisfaction and encouraged them to “use it all the time” because of the great device and M365 experience.

We’re all working as a Team

XMA have recently embraced Microsoft Teams as our primary platform of communication. This is where we communicate from one department to another, can create specific channels to engage with select individuals, share files and relevant information which can be collaboratively edited within Teams, and instant message individuals both inside and outside of the organisation.

Microsoft Teams perfectly integrates with an O365 environment and can be used as the central area for all communications across a business.
It doesn’t just end there – Teams can be used for sales teams to engage with customers. Files can be instantly shared and edited, there is a ‘chat’ feature to encourage seamless conversations between employee and customer, and the Teams groups are by invite only, so you can invite in the people you want, and keep out those who you don’t!

We make the most of Microsoft 365

Our Surface devices allow us to work with the essential foundation and familiarity of Windows 10, the protection of Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security, and the Office 365 productivity apps which we all rely on every day. For example, OneDrive; with OneDrive syncing across devices, files are stored in the cloud. If someone accidentally leaves their beloved Surface device at home, they can now pick up any device, securely log in, and instantly pick up where they left off.

There’s a Surface device suitable for every department

Directors: Providing leadership across an organisation, no matter how big or small, comes with a number of challenges; overseeing the health of the business and wellbeing of customers… providing guidance and support across multi-functional teams… task and responsibility randomization… and being a positive reflection of the organisation’s brand.

The best device? A Surface Book 2 for Business. Directors can oversee the business by approving documents and providing feedback through Office collaboration features, perform complex analysis with confidence, and represent the company through Surface’s premium hardware and elegant design. This high powered and all-day battery life device has a detachable keyboard, which allows the user to stay on top of work and industry news, even when limited on space.

Creative design department: A company designer have their own challenges they face each day. For example, communicating with their colleagues and customers on design work… engaging in meetings both on-site and remotely… create modern designs for both the business and its customers… and collaborating on promotional plans. The best device? The Surface Hub 2S together with pens can be used as a whiteboard to present new and exciting designs anywhere, with a remote stand and long battery life. It enables real-time document editing whilst working with a widely distributed team through the Teams application. The stunning wide screen shows each detail in crystal clarity and will never fail to impress in customer presentations.

Sources:
1 US Future-Ready Workforce Study, 2016
2 SectorWatch, MarketWatch, April 19, 2017
3 Steelcase, “The Future of Work is Creative, How Technology and Place Enhance Creative Behaviours”, 2017

Last year there were almost double the amount of cybersecurity incidents in companies compared to in 2017, with 159,000 data breaches driven by ransomware or new attack methods.
And the global cost of cybercrime is expected to exceed $2 trillion by 2019.

Gartner recommend organisations with a focus on security adopt Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions to increase cyber-resilience with hardening, investigation, incident detection, and incident response.

However, in their 2018 “Endpoint Protection and Response” survey the SANS Institute highlight, that only 50 percent of organisations had next-gen antivirus, and 37 percent of these had not activated the advanced capabilities due to its complexities.

Organisations are finding it hard to strike the balance between deploying the best possible network protection without becoming overwhelmed by false alerts which need investigating or simply the complexity of administration.

Advanced cybersecurity systems produce massive amounts of data—much more than any number of people could sort through and analyse – in a relevant time frame.

This is why Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its subset Machine Learning (ML) are applied within EDR solutions, where the software learns to solve problems and think by itself in a way that’s similar to humans. These technologies are able to sift through the vast amount of network data turning it into security intelligence able to detect threat events, traditional antivirus products would miss.

By learning what normal network activity consists such as programs used, user activity and traffic patterns, deviations from these norms show a greater threat potential and can be highlighted and dealt with in a faster fashion.

However, it is here where the threat of alert fatigue can kick in with too many false alerts requiring investigation mean that only a small percentage can be adequately dealt with. Should the security solution require administrator intervention shutting the user or process out this can seriously impact operations.

The EDR solution must be advanced enough so the AI and ML technologies handle routine tasks and first level security analysis, leaving security analysts free to focus on more critical or complex threats.

While not a “philosophers stone” AI and ML are useful tools in your security arsenal to shift the approach from reactive defense to proactive real-time threat hunting and detection.

A new cybersecurity paradigm is born.

Panda Security realised back in 2010 that existing endpoint protection techniques were limited and started from the ground up building a new single platform which is today known as Panda Adaptive Defense 360 providing 100% process attestation, meaning no process is allowed to run until actively classified as good and Threat Hunting included as standard.

This approach was only made possible through the development of a cloud-based automated detection service to classify every new Portable Executable (PE) process and identify and block fileless malware and other threats which ‘live off the land’ utilising legitimate tools – such as RDP, powershell, macros etc – repurposed for their nefarious ends, moving laterally on the network stealing credentials, browsing history, and data.

This concept was further developed into Panda Security’s Threat Hunting and Investigation service, where fed by hypotheses from the experts at PandaLabs Security Operations Center, these technologies can gather and analyze data, trace threats, search for vulnerabilities, respond to breaches, and thus reduce the IT team’s workload. This way we can focus on the really dangerous attacks.

Panda Adaptive Defense 360, and its Advanced Reporting Tool, Data Control and Patch Management modules, help you to secure your network and comply with regulatory requirements such as GDPR.

For your free demonstration or trial of Panda Security solutions, contact your XMA Account Manager.

Brexit Committee News Update – March Update

As UK Parliament move towards a crucial series of votes, HMRC are still advising businesses to prepare for ‘No Deal’. Below sets out some key actions XMA are taking before 29th March to prepare for such an eventuality.
It is worth pointing out that should a deal be passed by parliament in the coming days, the resulting transitional period lasting to at least Dec 2020 would mean that business would continue to operate as they do today with free movement of goods between the EU and the UK and would give XMA and its partners further time to prepare for any changes we would face as part of the final withdrawal agreement. We may face exactly the same issues we currently face or even a different set of issues for which we may have little time to prepare for. However, it will allow the Government to prepare more robust customs procedures and processes as well as negotiate favourable trade deals with both the EU and other countries.

Inventory

As mentioned in previous updates, XMA have negotiated increased one-off stock holding deals with its main hardware and supplies partners. This will result in a significantly increased stock holding. Whilst naturally not a long-term solution, it should mitigate any immediate shortfalls as delays at ports build up. In addition, we are advising customers to ensure they order channel stock as opposed to product built to order in EU factories to ensure the best service to customers. XMA have stepped up its services capability to configure locally to ensure end-users are serviced well during this period of uncertainty.

Customs & Border Control

Customs declarations will be mandatory for imports and exports for trade between the EU and the UK. Through our parent company (Westcoast) we are well versed in managing such declarations and have been busy collecting standard (UK will continue to be consistent post-Brexit) commodity codes (HS codes) for all live SKUs in our portfolio to understand whether tariffs will be applied. This work is on-going and to date we have confirmed codes on over 73% of active products in Westcoast’s catalogue. Any tariffs levied by the UK on imports or the EU on exports will be passed on to customers in the cost of goods along with admin fees levied by our customs clearance partners. At this point, we have identified very few risk areas, yet we encourage you also to take proactive steps to identify whether SKUs you wish to purchase from us could attract additional tariffs. Westcoast will inform customers when tariffs – currently at WTO non-preferential rates – are levied.

Safety and security declarations will be mandatory for imports and exports and Westcoast have a strong partner that will handle any such declarations.
It is mandatory for delivery documentation for goods being exported to show cost prices in order to clear customs effectively. Customers should note that whilst you may feel this is not ideal for direct deliveries to your end users, XMA must comply with all necessary customs clearance requirements.
We are only expecting physical customs checks on a small fraction of consignments particularly as not all ports have Border Inspection Posts (including Calais, Ostend and Normandy). All have plans to build new facilities, but it is not known whether these will be ready and sufficiently staffed in time for 29th March. Whilst we are not anticipating delays to XMA shipments, it will be checks on other products that bear significant tariffs that will create delays as well as the five-fold increase in HMRC custom declaration workload.

Ireland

There are likely to be delays in delivering goods to Ireland from the UK. Through our parent company (Westcoast) Ireland’s warehouse in Tallaght, Dublin, XMA will be have the ability to manage roll-out projects and cross-stock only. Customers are advised to discuss their project deals with their account managers to ensure appropriate space can be allocated. Single pick items will still be delivered from the UK using Westcoast’s logistics partner although some delays may occur at ferry ports.

FAQ’s

EORI – Westcoast do have a UK EORI number which will be sufficient for all declarations.
AEO – Westcoast have not applied for this status as management consider this will not be effective in speeding up customs procedures.
TSP – Westcoast have applied for this accreditation and the application has been acknowledged as received by HMRC.
Warranty – no vendor has yet amended their warranty terms so we can anticipate that warranty procedures will be the same as currently available post-Brexit.
VAT – exports on goods shipped from the UK will not bear VAT from the UK as currently.
Tariffs – where they are imposed, they will be applied on the full price of the goods (i.e. before discounts).

For any questions or queries contact our XMA Brexit committee at approvals@xma.co.uk

Read previous Committee Update for January 2019

Brexit News – January Update

With much heightened activity around Brexit, this XMA update is written following the sizeable defeat of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the House of Commons and the recent instruction that the Bill might pass if the EU agreed to significant changes in the backstop arrangements.

XMA’s Brexit committee can take no comfort in the UK Parliament’s stated desire to avoid a ‘No-Deal’ scenario on 29 March and continues to follow government advice to make best preparations for such an eventuality.

Key elements

Logistics

Much of the sector are highlighting the extreme difficulties that would arise in a ‘no-deal’ scenario including XMA’s parent company and main distributor (Westcoast) whose lead courier into Europe – Europa, state, that if either the UK or EU customs were not ready, this could lead to significant delays at channel ports.  The majority of Westcoast’s and XMA’s import and exports come/go through Dover-Calais.  At present, the likelihood of such customs readiness is extremely low and hence customers will experience both shortages and delays in receiving goods.  Perishable goods are likely to get priority leading to greater delays for IT and consumables.

Many PCs and Servers are built to order in Eastern Europe and XMA are working with manufactures and customers to ensure forecasted products can be held locally in the UK.  Our parent company Westcoast have purchased increased warehousing space to accommodate such requests and XMA are advising all customers to forecast demand beyond March 29 and engage with your XMA account manager to ensure XMA can place appropriate forward orders on your behalf.  Post 29 March, XMA recommend that customers should attempt to order stock available in the channel and reduce their reliance on specific build to order devices.

Through our parent company (Westcoast), XMA are also stocking increased quantities of a wide range of products from major vendors that are realising their supply chain is likely to be disrupted.  Whilst all vendors have been engaged, all have an array of plans to minimise disruption.  However, many will involve XMA taking increased inventory which XMA are ready for.

As the OEM of Viglen Desktop PCs, Ultrabooks and Chromebooks which are assembled in the UK, XMA have established all known customer forecasts for 2019 and have pre-ordered components to meet projected demand plus anticipated additional demand in the event that supply constraints are experienced across Europe.

Ireland

Through Westcoast Ireland, XMA are able to deliver next day to the majority of the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland from the stock based in the UK.  Whilst XMA are working with Westcoast to anticipate increased stockholding in its Irish facility in Tallaght, Dublin – this will be limited and hence Westcoast have a strong engagement with their delivery partner Primeline to ensure goods are delivered either through Dublin or Belfast, whichever is speedier.  Delays are inevitable in their opinion though.

Much the above delays will lead to increased cost of delivery which Westcoast will incorporate into the cost of the product and pass onto customers.

Exchange Rates

This is the Brexit Committee’s biggest concern given the general indication is that the British ports and customs processes are not yet adequately prepared for a no deal Brexit. A small delay will potentially cause huge delays to goods deliveries in both directions and non-perishable goods will not be prioritised. As a result, we are looking to take the following steps:

Tariffs

XMA’s parent company Westcoast’s Data Governance Office are working hard with vendors to ensure commodity codes are accurate and stored so that all paperwork contain appropriate identification for customs to clear/obtain excise duty.  Whilst there are very few products and regions that are anticipated to bear tariffs and Westcoast have not identified any on WTO terms at present – this may not always be the case.  Accurate identification of goods will be critical and forms the basis of much of XMA’s / Westcoast’s work at present.

Paperwork

XMA and Westcoast will use outsourced freight forwarders to process paperwork/customs waybills.  Most of XMA’s / Westcoast’s key suppliers are readying themselves for the increased workloads.

Incoterms

XMA receive most goods Delivery Duty Paid.  If XMA become responsible for any duty or carriage – these will be included in the cost of the product and passed on to customers.  Customers should be aware of any changes of terms from their suppliers and XMA will keep customers informed of any agreed changes and their effect.

Contracts

All key contracts cover the UK and no vendor with an existing all of EU and EEA contract with XMA has yet proposed a constriction to the UK only.  All have expressed their intention to include the UK as a region on the existing contract

Whilst there is still much uncertainty, the significant short/medium term issue affecting XMA customers is delay at the ports.  This will be mitigated with a signing of the Withdrawal Agreement and will allow the UK to build more robust custom procedures where required in collaboration with the EU.  XMA will continue to lobby parliament through our parent company Westcoast.

For any questions or queries contact our XMA Brexit committee at approvals@xma.co.uk

Read XMA's next Brexit Committee Update

In recent years we have been seeing a rise in the use of 2-in-1 laptops or convertible notebooks, often referred to as detachable devices. There are many reasons for this growth, with the ‘detachable tablets’ being seen a fresh approach to the market and a more flexible and versatile device for working environments, as well as the added increase in the need for businesses and students to go portable.

Many buyers will be considering which device is best suited and why. Here we look at the newly launched Toshiba Portégé X30T which offers strong competition to this market.

The Portégé X30T uses a full-size port layout in a tablet-style freedom. Featuring Intel 8th Generation processors and ultra-fast SSD storage delivers the unthrottled performance you’d expect, making light work of heavy tasks. With proven physical security and durability meets military standards MIL STD 810G and has been tested to pass TUV HALT standards which simulate three years’ usage.

Other features include:

• Up to 15.5hr battery life
• Optional LTE to keep you online
• Full size port layout
• Bio-metric multi-factor authentication for added security
• Military Grade robustness

High performance creative tablet

Also able to be used as a high performance tablet with a 13.3″ touchscreen and kickstand, you can boost your creativity with best in class hand writing or drawing via the optional Toshiba Universal Stylus Pen with Wacom AES Pen Technology optimised for Windows Ink.

The Standard of Toshiba Portégé X30T

What is very interesting about the Toshiba Portégé X30T is that you do not need to purchase a keyboard dock, as it comes bundled as standard, still with a battery life of an astonishing 15.5 hours.

There are optional accessories, to enhance your mobile performance:

• Sleeve protector
• Travel keyboard
• Ultra slim keyed cable lock

The Portégé X30T is available to buy by speaking to our team
or you can buy online by visiting the XMA store

Do you wonder how making the move to implement a modern Server Infrastructure can dramatically accelerate IT transformation?

In today’s digital economy, faster IT typically results in a competitive business advantage. A modern IT infrastructure is critical if you want to stay ahead of the game, because it comes with higher levels of process automation—which, in turn, drives increased speed, agility, scalability, reliability and cost-savings.

Implementing a modernised infrastructure is one of the fundamental steps in the journey towards transforming IT. Dell EMC offer Server Solutions designed to deliver IT transformation without compromise.
 

What makes for a modern Server Environment?

Essentially, it’s an infrastructure that focuses on operational cost-efficiency and puts automation at the forefront, this is achieved technology that can offer:

• Scalable business architecture
• Intelligent automation
• Integrated security

 
Implementing a smart server refresh to the latest Dell EMC technology is a decision that’s likely to pay for itself several times over in terms of operational improvements and cost efficiencies and IT maturity.

Additionally to this, organisations that operate modern server environments can see many tangible benefits:

• Faster application deployments that are more responsive to the rest of the business.
• Ability to move staff away from routine management to focus on more strategic IT projects.
• Operate compute environments they believe are as good as or better than public cloud services in terms of cost, agility, scalability and security.

 
If you want to discuss the benefits of Dell EMC Server Solutions, contact us on 0115 846 4000.
 
If you’d like to find out more about refreshing your Server Technology, use the contact form below to get in touch today.