Thus Plc, awards 'cost per device' service and support contract to Computacenter

Thus plc, one of the country's top providers of voice, data, Internet and call centre services, has broken new ground by signing a "cost per device" contract with Computacenter for the maintenance and support of its IT infrastructure, in conjunction with a major standardisation project.

The five-year outsourcing contract will see Computacenter provide a single point of contact for hardware, software, support and services for all of Thus's users across 30 UK-wide locations.

Computacenter will take Thus from its current mixed environment to a Microsoft Windows 2000 common operating platform. The support contract provides Thus with a second line support service to cover all the hardware and software throughout the organisation.

The Computacenter agreement is a move away from the traditional pricing arrangements on which support contracts are based. It will enable Thus to manage the true cost of ownership (TCO) of its IT systems with apportioned costs for each individual device throughout the company. As the business continues to grow and Thus looks to roll out new services to its customers, the company will have clear calculations of what its maintenance costs will be.

Janice Anderson, Programme Manager at Thus, feels the benefits of the new contract are clear to see. "We chose Computacenter because we felt that their service proposition demonstrated real value for money and highlighted the company's capability to listen to Thus' needs. We wanted to find a service provider who had the flexibility to grow with our organisation, and who would be flexible regarding the service deliverables. We feel that Computacenter are able to drive change through access to a broader range of skills."

Simon Walsh, Director of Enterprise at Computacenter comments, "The move from a diverse IT environment to a single platform is a challenge for all corporate companies, especially those that have grown through acquisition and now have a variety of systems. Standardising on one common platform is a major restructure of a company's IT systems. The new cost-per-device support model plays a key role in simplifying this process."