District Administration - September 2011 - (Page 57)

Advertisement Vendor support gives districts confidence in using recycled computers CDI’s long-term warranties and personalized attention instill a sense of security why he’s stayed with the company. f Bob Henderson had any doubts Representatives are attentive and about purchasing recycled comproactive, never pushy. puters for the Lake Park Audu“Our rep will check in on a weekbon school district in Minnesota, ly basis but it’s not a hard sell, it’s they vanished after he saw CDI’s just, ‘how are you doing? Do you three-year warranty. need anything?’’’ said Henderson. “That’s what they offer instead of “They answer all our questions. 30 days, like most companies,’’ said They’re very knowledgeable. And Henderson, technology coordinathey deal with you on a personal tor for the schools. level. They’re interested in what’s Eight years later, the district is going on in the district here, what’s still a CDI customer. happening with the schools.’’ “We investigated other compa- “They’re interested in what’s CDI is focused entirely on nies before we went with them. going on in the district, the educational K12 market and But their name kept coming up. what’s happening with makes an effort to learn what’s People were very happy with important to customers so it can them,’’ said Henderson. “They our schools.” tailor its products and services to have good pricing, good equiptheir needs. ment and excellent service.’’ For Shelly Bailey of the Treynor Community School DisAlthough CDI’s computers are lightly used, Henderson discovered that they’re far from technological fossils. “You trict in Iowa, CDI’s customer service and an ongoing relabuy the same machine you would buy new, except it’s just tionship with staffers instills a sense of security. “We get approached by other companies but I feel like, ‘I one or two years older,’’ he says. “They perform really well. don’t have a relationship with you. I don’t know you,’’’ said There’s no difference in reliability.’’ CDI has a rigorous process of cleaning, inspecting and Bailey, the district’s tech coordinator. “I feel like I know CDI testing its machines. Each component of the computers is and trust them.” Although there have been only a few glitches with CDI scanned with diagnostic software to ensure that everything computers since the district hired the company three years is working and all units have their original components. Once a unit is sold, it’s removed from the shelf and subject- ago, when something does go wrong, CDI offers a spare maed to the same testing process before it’s certified and shipped chine as back-up for every 50 units purchased. “It’s really nice out. As a result, the failure rate for a CDI-certified computer to have that one on the shelf, ready to go,’’ she said. The 40 percent savings the district has accrued since it isn’t much different than it would be for a new one. In addition to the money the Lake Audubon district has started using CDI three years ago has convinced her there’s saved, Henderson found that refurbished computers have an- no reason to buy new computers again. “We can use that budget for other things,” she said. “The other advantage: programming flexibility. Instead of opting for the latest version of Windows, the district asked CDI to pro- difference between using CDI computers and brand new vide computers with Windows XP, to ensure that all machines computers is minimal. I can’t imagine paying full price now.” in the district were using the same operating system. “If we had bought new, we wouldn’t have been able to do that,’’ said For more information, please visit www.cdicomputers.com. Henderson. “They can put anything you want on it.’’ But the service the district gets from CDI is the main reason I http://www.cdicomputers.com http://www.cdicomputers.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - September 2011

District Administration - September 2011
Contents
From the Editor
Letters
News Update
Tech Update
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Conversations
They Work Hard for the Money
The Road to Rigor
District-Charter Collaborations on the Rise
Designing Safe Facilities
Tony Smith Tackles Oakland
Product Focus
New Products
Research Center
Crisis Response
Going Mobile
Professional Opinion
Student Counsel

District Administration - September 2011