Unified communications
provider builds global
customer network
Customer profile
Appliance equipment provider in the Netherlands can fulfil orders at
least 50 per cent faster with original equipment manufacturer
Company Industry Country Employees Website StartReady
Telecommunications
The Netherlands
25
www.startready.com
Business need
StartReady looked for an original
equipment manufacturer
(OEM) partner that could help
build relationships with leading
telecommunications companies by
offering high-performance solutions
and support.
Solution
The company began working with
Dell OEM Solutions and developed
its appliances on a Dell™ PowerEdge™
server-based platform with Dell
ProSupport™.
Benefits
“By partnering with Dell OEM Solutions, we
get our OEM servers at least 50 per cent
quicker than before. Customers receive
a much better, faster service.”
Lucas Wensing, Chief Executive Officer, StartReady
• S
tartReady builds partnerships with
leading telecoms providers
• Business can meet orders at least
50 per cent faster
• StartReady customers avoid delays
with regulation support
• Company cuts inventory costs by
about 20 per cent
• StartReady clients gain maximum
uptime with global support
Application areas
• OEM Solutions
• Server Solutions
• Support Services
StartReady, headquartered in Uithoorn, in the Netherlands,
specialises in unified communications based on
Microsoft® Lync™ technology. The company, which is a
Microsoft Gold Partner, has more than 200 customers,
ranging from small businesses to large enterprises.
Since launching in 2007, StartReady has doubled in size
almost every year and continues to grow at pace as more
companies unify their communications systems.
“There is great
potential in
the unified
communications
market worldwide.
We can take full
advantage of
new business
opportunities
globally by
collaborating
with Dell.”
Lucas Wensing, Chief Executive
Officer, StartReady
2
At the heart of the StartReady offering
are a number of ready-to-go solutions,
which give customers a quick and easy
way to move to a voice-over-IP (VoIP)
infrastructure. Its network equipment
is sold as a complete package, with
hardware and software combined in a
single appliance. Installation is largely
automated, so customers just need
to configure the technology and run
through a quick deployment process.
Continued business expansion
requires new approach
To help build its appliances, the
company worked with an original
equipment manufacturer (OEM), which
supplied it with a server platform. The
relationship helped StartReady attract
customers across the European Union
(EU) but when the business looked
to develop markets worldwide and
establish partnerships with leading
telecoms providers − such as KPN
in the Netherlands − it began to see
limitations. The telecom companies
had alliances with other OEM providers
and were keen for StartReady to use
tried-and-trusted server solutions from
these suppliers. In addition, StartReady
believed that the existing OEM couldn’t
offer the services or support it needed
for global development. Lucas Wensing,
Chief Executive Officer at StartReady,
says: “We wanted to move to the next
level of our OEM relationship. It was
crucial for us to continue delivering
the same high level of service to
customers wherever they were in the
world. And for this we needed a greater
level of support.”
Business gains OEM to drive
development
A leading telecoms provider in the
United Kingdom proposed Dell OEM
Solutions as a possible replacement
for the incumbent. Wensing says: “We
started talking with Dell OEM Solutions
and quickly began to see how it could
support our worldwide development
plans.” Dell OEM Solutions has a global
footprint, offering manufacturing
facilities and fulfilment centres in every
region. In addition, customers can
access Dell-owned support services in
more than 100 countries. “The global
support from Dell OEM Solutions was
great, but when we looked deeper into
its services, we could also see that
we gained invaluable support around
design and logistics,” says Wensing.
Technology in practice
Services
Dell OEM Solutions
– Dell Configuration Services
Dell Support Services
– Dell ProSupport™ with
Mission Critical
Hardware
Dell™ PowerEdge™ R610 servers
with Intel® Xeon®
Company finds it simple to integrate
flexible server platform
StartReady quickly developed its unified
communications software for a Dellbased platform. With the wide choice
of Dell™ PowerEdge™ servers available,
the company selected a server that
could meet the specific needs of
its technology and customers. “We
found that the Dell PowerEdge R610
servers with Intel Xeon processors
delivered the power and performance
we needed in a 1U-sized form factor,”
says Wensing. What’s more, Dell
OEM Solutions gave StartReady the
chance to order the server in a range
of configurations. Wensing says: “Our
Appliance customers can vary from 100
to 2,500 seats, and for our Enterprise
Appliances for Microsoft Lync the user
capacity is endless, so we have to be
able to give them multiple options. Dell
OEM Solutions offered the flexibility to
design appliances around the specific
requirements of our customers.”
He adds: “Integrating our software
with the Dell OEM Solution server
was simple. It just required some
adjustment to our drivers and some
low-level design work.”
StartReady develops partnerships
with leading telecoms providers
The business increased its appeal
among large organisations, including
major telecommunications companies,
by working with Dell OEM Solutions.
It is currently developing unified
communications solutions for two
leading European companies on the
back of the relationship with Dell
and has signed deals with two large
organisations in the United States (US).
Wensing says: “When you choose Dell
OEM Solutions, you get the power of
the Dell brand. It makes it much easier
to start conversations with leading
telecommunications providers because
many already have alliances with Dell
and trust the technology.” According
to Wensing, the relationship with
Dell OEM Solutions has come at a
crucial time. “There is great potential
in the unified communications market
worldwide. We can take full advantage
of new business opportunities globally
by collaborating with Dell,” he says.
3
Business fulfils orders at least 50 per
cent faster
The business can deliver a better
service to customers by fulfilling orders
for its appliances much faster than
before. In the past, it was normal for
an OEM server to arrive in two weeks,
but today Dell OEM servers arrive in
no more than five working days. “By
partnering with Dell OEM Solutions,
we get our OEM servers at least 50 per
cent quicker than before. Customers
receive a much better, faster service,”
says Wensing. As Wensing highlights,
this time saving can be crucial in
certain regions. “The US is a key
market for us. Our customers there
want orders to be fulfilled quickly
once they sign on the dotted line.
Being able to meet their expectations
with the help of Dell OEM Solutions is
a big advantage for us,” he says.
Customers will receive even quicker
service with factory integration
StartReady clients will see fulfilment
times reduced even further once
the Dell Configuration Services
process begins. Currently, Dell servers
are shipped to StartReady offices,
where the software is installed and
StartReady badges are applied to the
front of the machines. StartReady
personnel add documentation to
the boxes in which the appliances
are delivered. As part the solution
for StartReady, Dell Configuration
Services is providing customised
bezel and basic input output system
(BIOS). It will also load images, create
branded packaging, and install thirdparty cards. All documentation in the
boxes will be customised to StartReady
specifications and branding.
“Dell Configuration Services is a really
exciting addition to our Dell OEM
Solutions package,” says Wensing.
“Not only will Dell build the servers,
but it will also install the software,
add our badges and include all the
relevant paperwork in the box. Orders
will go straight to the customer from
the Dell factory, saving even more
valuable time.”
Clients avoid delays with support for
shipping regulations
StartReady customers outside the EU
will also avoid any delays when the
goods are shipped. Many countries
have different regulatory requirements
for IT and suppliers need to meet
these standards for the goods to enter
the country. With Dell Configuration
Services, Dell OEM Solutions helps
ensure products comply with the
conditions and a regulatory team keeps
track of changes so goods can pass
through customs offices as quickly as
possible. “It is a time-consuming and
resource-intensive process to make
sure that your appliances comply
with regulations worldwide. But by
partnering with Dell OEM Solutions,
we gain the support we need to ship
our appliances efficiently worldwide
and customers receive their products
without delays,” says Wensing.
Organisation reduces inventory
costs by around 20 per cent
As a result of its new partnership, the
company is also lowering costs –
which it hopes will help deliver more
competitive prices to customers. In the
past, StartReady had to pay distributors
to maintain stocks of spare parts. This
was because the existing OEM supplier
offered only three-year warranties
and StartReady had to ensure that
spares were available for a further two
years to meet customer requirements
for five-year protection. However,
StartReady is now part of the Dell OEM
Solutions XL programme, which offers
five-year warranties on all servers,
and the company no longer has to
maintain an inventory of replacement
parts. Wensing says: “It’s easier and
less expensive to give customers the
investment protection they want with
Dell OEM Solutions. We don’t worry
about keeping spare parts because our
server platforms are guaranteed for five
years. We have reduced our inventory
costs by around 20 per cent – enabling
us to deliver highly competitive
solutions to businesses.”
Clients gain maximum performance
due to global support services
Businesses today buy StartReady
appliances safe in the knowledge there
will be locally-based support for their
solutions. In addition, StartReady avoids
the expense of its personnel handling
requests and travelling to customer
premises for on-site assistance. Clients
receive Dell ProSupport™ with Mission
Critical for four-hour on-site service
and phone-based troubleshooting
24/7 to help maximise uptime. Wensing
says: “The great thing now is that
we can focus more resources on
developing new products because
Dell OEM Solutions offers extensive
services and support. Our personnel
can concentrate on what they’re best
at – building unified communications
solutions.”
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Reference number: 10011384