TABLE OF CONTENTS
5 Best Vendors for Buying and Renting Laptops for Remote Work
Workwize
Workwize is a platform for IT teams to manage global IT hardware lifecycles using automated workflows to reduce manual workload.
The platform is a centralized, user-friendly environment where employees can log in and order products.
This simplifies the procurement process and reduces administrative headaches for IT managers.
Workwize also offers financial oversight to ensure products and orders stay within company constraints, maintaining spending control.
Top Features:
- The procurement process starts from the self-service portal, simplifying IT purchases within budget limits. The customizable IT catalogue allows departments to tailor offerings to employees' needs, ensuring strategic purchases. Role-based auto request and approval system ensures efficient procurement.
- Effortless Deployment and Flexible Delivery: IT assets are deployed effortlessly with zero-touch deployment via Single Sign-On, reducing errors and micro-management.
- Flexible delivery options ensure IT equipment reaches its intended remote location, whether it's a company warehouse or an employee’s home.
- Effective Management and Resource Optimization: Workwize ensures visibility and ISO compliance for all assets through a comprehensive tracking system. From one centralized dashboard, you can manage updates, repairs, and replacements and make informed decisions. Real-time notifications via email and Slack ensure effective coordination and asset utilization.
- Streamlined Retrieval and Eco-Conscious Disposal: The automated workflows simplify IT equipment retrieval through couriers or self-return boxes. The disposal strategy prioritizes sustainability by minimizing e-waste and offering options to wipe, recycle, or resell.
- Security and Integrations: Workwize protects digital assets with ISO 27001 certification and GDPR compliance. The platform integrates with systems like Slack, Azure Active Directory, and Okta Single Sign-On, streamlining workflows and reducing admin tasks.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Automated Efficiency: Streamlines processes and reduces manual tasks and errors.
- Global Scalability: Manages IT equipment lifecycle worldwide.
- Enhances Productivity: A self-service portal and flexible delivery give employees the tools they need to do their job, regardless of location.
- Swag Management: Working remotely shouldn’t exempt the need for company culture and employer branding. Workwize offers welcome packs and promotional items to remote employees.
- Ensures data security and international standards.
Cons
- Initial Setup Complexity: Integrating and customizing the system to specific organizational needs may require significant setup, but the Workwize team is available to ensure swift deployment.
Pricing
Workwize offers three pricing tiers for different organizational needs:
- The basic Plan starts at $8 per seat monthly and includes global equipment deployment and a custom product catalogue for up to 50 seats.
- Professional Plan starts at $11 per seat and offers unlimited seats and enhanced services like equipment configuration and asset management.
- Enterprise Plan offers customized pricing with white-labelled environments and custom integrations.
GroWrk
GroWrk is an IT asset and inventory management platform that helps businesses track, manage, and optimize their remote team assets. It offers real-time asset tracking and automated procurement and deployment systems.
Top Features
- Real-Time Asset Tracking: GroWrk offers robust capabilities for tracking assets, allowing businesses to monitor the location and status of their IT assets in real-time, ensuring visibility and accountability throughout their lifecycle.
- GroWrk streamlines IT asset procurement and deployment, automating tasks and reducing IT teams' workload, speeding up equipment provisioning for remote workers.
- Centralized Asset Management: GroWrk centralizes asset monitoring, visibility, status, histories, and updates across multiple locations, providing IT teams with a single dashboard for managing all IT assets.
- Customizable Filters: Users can filter assets by region or type for customized views and streamlined access. This enhances usability and helps users focus on relevant assets.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Streamlined Management: Automates and centralizes team equipment management.
- Enhanced Efficiency: Offers analytics to optimize asset utilization.
- Scalability: Adapts to changing remote team size and scope.
Cons
- Initial Setup: This may require significant time and effort to integrate with existing systems.
- Cost: Expensive for smaller teams or startups due to advanced features.
Pricing
GroWrk’s pricing is available on request and tailored to the company's size and required services.
Hofy
Hofy is an all-in-one software for procuring, tracking, servicing, and recovering remote work equipment. The platform provides a centralized management dashboard for placing equipment orders, tracking assets, managing swag distribution, and handling onboarding and offboarding.
Top Features
- Hofy offers a platform for businesses to order remote workforce equipment, streamlining the procurement process and ensuring consistency.
- Hofy includes features for managing promotional items or "swag" for remote workers, including ordering, distribution, and tracking of branded items to promote company culture and employee engagement.
- Hofy likely provides support for onboarding and offboarding remote workers, including providing equipment for new hires and managing the return of equipment from departing employees for an efficient transition.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Hofy's all-in-one approach allows businesses to manage remote work equipment through a single platform, simplifying workflows and reducing the need for multiple tools or systems.
- The inclusion of "swag" management suggests that Hofy may facilitate the distribution of promotional items or merchandise to remote workers, fostering company culture and employee engagement.
- Great Customer Support: Offers a dedicated support rep and regular check-ins.
Cons
- Cost: Depending on the pricing model and features, Hofy's subscription fees or usage costs may be prohibitive for smaller organizations with limited budgets.
- Integration Challenges: Hofy may offer integration with existing business tools, but ensuring compatibility and data exchange between Hofy and other systems could be challenging for some businesses.
- Scalability: Hofy's solution may be a concern for rapidly growing businesses or those with fluctuating remote workforce sizes, as the platform's capabilities and pricing structures may not accommodate changing needs.
Rentl (GoRentl)
Rentl simplifies renting equipment for remote workers, helping businesses procure, track, manage, and return rented equipment for their distributed workforce.
Top Features:
- Rentl offers laptops, monitors, ergonomic furniture, and other essentials for remote work setups.
- Online Marketplace: The platform includes a marketplace where businesses can browse and select rental options based on their needs and preferences.
- Rentl offers robust asset tracking, allowing businesses to monitor the whereabouts and usage of rented equipment in real time.
- Rentl offers flexible rental terms to accommodate changing workforce needs, with customizable rental durations and equipment quantities.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Cost-Effectiveness: Rentl's rental model offers a cost-effective alternative to purchasing equipment, appealing to businesses looking to optimize remote work budgets.
- Scalability: Rentl's flexible rental terms and on-demand equipment access make it easy for businesses to scale their remote workforce without capital investments.
Cons
- Relying on rental equipment may pose challenges if Rentl experiences disruptions or changes.
- Limited Ownership Benefits: Renting through Rentl may limit businesses' ability to customize or modify equipment to meet specific preferences or requirements.
- Equipment Availability: Due to demand and inventory, Rentl may experience shortages or delays in fulfilling rental orders, potentially impacting businesses' ability to equip their remote workforce promptly.
One World Rental
One World Rental offers flexible event technology solutions for renting IT products for conferences, exhibitions, and training.
Top Features
- Extensive Equipment Catalog: One World Rental offers a wide range of rental equipment, from laptops and peripherals to accessories, wifi, and event staff.
- Customizable Rental Plans: One World Rental offers customizable rental plans, allowing businesses to tailor rental durations, equipment quantities, and delivery options to meet their specific needs and preferences.
- One World Rental offers customized software apps for events, including registration, photo and profile uploads, seating charts, checklists, forms, maps, branded splash pages, and private social networking.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Cost-Efficiency: One World Rental's rental model provides a cost-effective alternative to purchasing equipment, allowing businesses to access the latest technology without significant upfront investments.
- Convenience: One World Rental provides a hassle-free experience for businesses, from equipment selection to delivery and return.
Cons
- Limited Availability: One World Rental may face shortages or limitations in IT product availability, especially during peak event seasons or for popular items.
- Renting IT products from One World Rental may offer flexibility and accessibility, but the cost of renting equipment for business events can add up, especially for larger or longer events.
10 tips for providing international equipment to remote teams
- Assess the equipment needs of your remote team based on their roles. For example, a graphic designer may need a high-performance laptop with a dedicated graphics card, while a customer support representative might only need a reliable computer with a good microphone and headset.
- Check team members' equipment availability and compatibility, including power supply, internet connectivity, and local regulations. Some countries may have trouble obtaining or importing hardware or software.
- Establish a budget for equipment purchases and determine if it's more cost-effective to buy locally or ship internationally. Shipping costs and customs duties can significantly increase expenses. If a team member is in a country with a reliable supply chain, it may be more efficient to provide them with a budget to purchase equipment locally.
- When shipping equipment internationally, use a reputable courier with experience in customs clearance and remote delivery. Ensure accurate and complete documentation, such as commercial invoices and packing lists, to avoid delays or extra fees.
- Provide clear instructions for setting up and using the equipment, considering technical limitations. Consider creating video tutorials or step-by-step guides to help team members troubleshoot their equipment independently.
- Provide ongoing technical support to remote teams, either in-house or through a third party, considering time zone differences. Regularly check their equipment and encourage prompt reporting. Involve them in device selection and care and have a plan for technical problems, like temporary replacement equipment or local support.
- Record equipment details for remote team members, including serial numbers, purchase dates, and warranties, to track assets and plan replacements or upgrades.
- Ensure equipment complies with safety standards and regulations in the team member's location, including CEE marking in the EU or FCC certification in the US.
- Consider the environmental impact of equipment choices and disposal. Opt for energy-efficient devices and establish a plan for recycling or disposing of old equipment, considering local regulations and practices.
- Involving remote teams in equipment selection and encouraging care fosters responsibility. Ensure support aligns with their needs.
FAQs
How do I set up a laptop for employees working remotely?
Setting up a laptop for employees working remotely involves several steps, including procurement, deployment, management, retrieval, and disposal. Workwize offers automated workflows and centralized management capabilities to streamline each stage of the process. Workwize provides reliable tracking, status updates, and event lifecycle management features, with options for global delivery.
Do companies provide computers for remote workers?
Yes, many companies provide computers or laptops for remote workers to ensure they have the necessary tools to perform their job duties effectively. Fortunately, Workwize simplifies the process of providing IT equipment to remote workers while ensuring compliance with regulations and budget constraints.
How does Workwize work?
Workwize is a comprehensive platform designed to streamline the entire lifecycle management of global IT hardware for organizations. It is powered by automated workflows to reduce manual workload and offers solutions for IT procurement, deployment, management, retrieval, and disposal. Additionally, Workwize ensures global delivery within 5-7 days, simplifying the complexities of international shipping and logistics management for remote teams.
What is the best laptop for remote work?
The best laptop for remote work depends on individual preferences, job requirements, and budget constraints. However, Workwize offers a wide catalogue of laptops from all major brands, including customizable models with extra storage and RAM, available within days.
