One major complaint that we always hear from clients who are placing an order for computer hardware is that the waiting period of 7 to 20 working days is too long. Many people think that it is ludicrous to have to wait close to a month for their items to arrive, and we wholeheartedly agree. Unfortunately, this seems to be the industry norm for now, and there is little that we can do to expedite the process.
To begin with, orders for office computers are complicated things. This is because such hardware is usually ordered in bulk with some customisations. When you throw such variables into the mix, processing the order gets a little bit tricker and therefore more time is needed to sort things out. Also, most businesses purchase their equipment from global, big name computer brands. Such brands sell their hardware through local distributors, which is one of the main causes for the long waiting period.
So what actually goes on when you place a corporate order for computer hardware?
When your order is received, it will be channeled to a sales representative. That sales representative will be your first point of contact.
When things are confirmed, the salesperson will then hand your order over to a local distributor.
Once the local distributor receives your order, you will then have to wait 7 to 20 working days before it reaches your hands.
If you have engaged the services of an outsourced IT department (like Computer Guys!), you will have to wait another 2 days for your system administrators to properly set up the machines before they are deployed.
So basically, your order changes hands three times before the items get shipped to you.
This is a very time-consuming process because there is a lot of middlemen in between, which widens the margin for human error. And when an error does occur, more time is needed to sort it out, which prolongs the waiting period.
Why you can’t just get off-the-shelf hardware from retail stores
We know what you must be thinking at this point: “That’s so troublesome. Why can’t I just go to a retail store to get the hardware? That way I’ll get it immediately right?”
Unfortunately, it does not work that way.
As we mentioned earlier, corporate purchases for hardware are usually done in bulk and carry certain customisations. A retail store meant for normal consumers will not be able to meet such orders.
Also, if you are not a technical person, you would not be able to assess if the hardware that you are buying is enterprise-grade. Worst still, you might end up purchasing a display piece or hardware that has been discontinued.
That said…
There are of course, a few exceptional tech companies who are able to deliver on corporate orders promptly. One example is Apple. From our experience, they take about 3 working days to deliver on a customised order. Another tech company that does prompt deliveries is Creative Technology. Likewise, they are able to deliver on orders within 3 working days.
