Warm, human care combined with technological tools, resulting in better care: that’s the ambition of the i-mens healthcare organization. "A formula such as Workplace as a Service, as marketed by Inetum, is helping us achieve that ambition," says Guy Vervaet, Director ICT, Data & Strategic Projects at i-mens.

Device proliferation

A merger of two large organizations presents a lot of challenges, including in IT. One challenge confronting Vervaet was a very wide variety of devices for office staff. “There were a lot of types of PCs, even desktops, in circulation: different brands and types, which, of course, at a certain point is no longer manageable.”

One of the merger organizations already had some experience with leasing laptops, albeit with a limited service plan. There had to be a better way, thought Vervaet, who also wanted to unburden his colleagues in the IT department and the help desk team. "In our search for a better alternative, we came into contact with Inetum, who explained their Workplace as a Service (WpaaS) formula: a worry-free digital workplace, always up-to-date with the latest technology. That definitely proved to be an attractive solution for us."

Manageability a priority

When it came to selecting a suitable supplier for their office staff's 1500 laptops, i-mens quickly decided on going with Dell. "Not only did we decide to limit ourselves to one manufacturer, we also very consciously chose to use only a limited number of models: the Latitude 3540 and 3340, to be exact. We did this, again, to make our PC fleet as manageable as possible, in close collaboration with Inetum."

A good insurance package was also an important selection criterion for i-mens from day one. “We are a homecare organization,” stresses Vervaet, "which also means that many of our support office staff visit customers' homes at times. Taking a laptop with you when you’re out and about may damage the device. Unfortunately, there is also the occasional theft from a car. That’s why the insurance aspect of the WpaaS formula is certainly also an important advantage."

More than an insured device

However, for i-mens, WpaaS is much more than just an insured device. As a result of the merger, the healthcare organization was suddenly faced with a lot more offices to manage and thus a greater logistical challenge for device distribution. That challenge is now much easier for i-man to tackle thanks to Inetum's Rstore. Through this online ordering portal, not only can you place your order, but also immediately indicate where Inetum should deliver the ordered device. This entire procedure is also supported by a clear approval flow. Because everything is done centrally, i-mens maintains a clear overview of all orders. 

“Thanks to the collaboration with Inetum, we've also managed to improve the service level for our internal customers,” says Vervaet. "Inetum delivers the devices directly to our end users, so they no longer pass through our helpdesk team." The image that Inetum installs on the laptops via Microsoft Intune ensures that the devices are fully operational when the users receive them. This means a great deal of relief for i-man's IT department, which previously had sole responsibility not only for purchasing the devices, but also for configuring them, providing them with an image and getting them to the end users. "Even if someone needs to switch a device, now it happens very smoothly, without intervention from our own IT team."

Promoting sustainability

"We are a social enterprise. That’s why we attach great importance to sustainability," Vervaet adds. “The fact that our laptops can still serve a purpose after three years of intensive use and can be reused in a responsible way also helped determine our choice of Inetum.”

Thanks to Workplace as a Service, all supporting i-mens office staff now have access to a modern, up-to-date, damage-free laptop at all times. This has already taken efficiency to a higher level for everyone in the organization. Together with Inetum’s service delivery manager – the single point of contact for all questions from i-mens about the devices – the organization is now looking into whether it can expand the same formula to homecare employees' laptops and smartphones, for example, but also to accessories such as screens, docking stations and keyboards.

"Providing care at home remains primarily a task for people. However, healthcare is also innovating and digital tools are offering more and more added value to this important human factor. With Workplace as a Service, Inetum helps us to manage these digital tools as efficiently as possible," concludes Vervaet.