Penn students, faculty, staff and even alumni will now be able to order computers for low prices thanks to a new, comprehensive partnership that the University has formed with Lenovo, the world's third-largest personal computing company.
The multimillion-dollar, three-year partnership with Lenovo will offer personal computers to all University constituents -- including the Health System -- for purchase. This marks a major advancement from previous arrangements that were more specific to various University departments.
Executive Director of Business Services Chris Bradie, who serves as relationship manager for the partnership, said that Lenovo "took a very comprehensive approach with Penn. There hasn't been another company with such an offer."
Last January, Lenovo acquired the manufacturing and distributing operations for IBM's personal-computing products. The products themselves, however, are still IBMs.
"IBM will still provide the on-site service and support, the research and development behind the products will still be IBM," Bradie said.
In addition to the comprehensive plan that partners Lenovo with all of Penn's constituents, provisions regarding value and service were also written into the agreement.
All personal computers bought through Lenovo will have a 3-year warranty which includes on-site, next-business-day service.
There will also be increased year-round offerings from IBM on top of the back-to-school discounts that are already featured.
When negotiations between IBM and Penn about renewing their partnership began last summer, both parties were interested in enhancing their relationship, according to Bradie.
In January, when Lenovo took over distribution, "we had to say, 'wait a minute,' and look more closely," he added.
Ultimately, Business Services was pleased to be working with the same sales personnel and relationship managers that they had worked with previously.
On Penn's side, input came from all parts of the University.
"We used feedback from the Penn community to understand what makes this partnership valuable. We looked at students, the Health System, [Information Systems and Computing] and the Provost's Office," Bradie said.
The feedback showed Business Services that Penn constituents see their computers as long-term investments and do not just want the "lowest-cost computer," Business Services spokeswoman Rhea Lewis said in an e-mail.
They also want "reliability, serviceability, and quality," she added.
