Do you ever feel that you’re tied down by your current providers, whether IT, photocopiers or facility management? Remember that as the customer, you hold the reins, and all service providers should be supporting your school’s vision and needs. In his latest article, Nigel Milligan reflects on past experiences, emphasising the importance of service providers aligning with your school’s best interests
It was January 2008, and my first day of working in a school. I had left my transport career behind before Christmas and had taken a leap of faith to do something to allow me to give something back and help others to overcome barriers to using technology.
The first few days I would be working closely with the current IT Technician – who was provided by an external provider. It soon became evident that this particular provider wielded significant influence over schools, meaning that challenging the status quo was far from the norm in this case.
The school was embarking upon a new build journey and one of the main statements that had been used by the Local Authority in press statements was that this would be a ‘visionary building with state-of-the-art technology’.
As part of the conversation about the technology vision, the current provider was looking at doing what they’ve always done with the same Windows PC’s & Servers etc., a far cry from what was being promoted and not very future-friendly!
This presented me with an opportunity – I had already discussed other options for the future with the school and governing body as part of my new role. The Headteacher invited me to the first building development meeting to propose the school vision which was totally different from the standard model that the developers always used.
I emphasised a big focus on creativity, simplicity and tech that works with a minimum amount of support required. Apple technology offered all of this with iMac, Macbooks and the exciting news of the iPad (which was still a rumor but did launch in 2010 when the school opened). The proposal was accepted by the school governing body, but the new build project team wouldn’t break away from their archaic model and let the school use funds from their model of technology for the Apple solution! Well, anyone who knows me will know this was a case of challenge accepted!
Following a further meeting in which the school’s requirements were laid out once again, their contract wasn’t renewed, and we swiftly moved forward with a seamless strategic plan for the future. This led to a 1:1 roll out of iPads in 2013 – along with many other solutions that were simple and cost effective for the school.
This type of scenario still occurs today. It may be a case of some providers having their own agenda and may not be focused on what’s sensible and practical for the schools that they are working with. The issue may also be one of knowledge gaps or an incorrect understanding of what your school is trying to achieve. This is why it is so vital to challenge thinking and make sure you don’t slip into accepting the status quo. Asking the right questions will ensure you have the right provider – and a good provider will always be ready to help you see, think about and do things differently.
Be confident and always challenge your service providers to give you the best possible value and service. Afterall, your school’s funds are invaluable resources that must be safeguarded diligently!
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