Expert interview – Becoming a trusted IT partner with Thanh Le

‘That is the most important element, beyond quotes and pricing, it’s how you build trust.’

Thanh Le is Ynvolve’s MSP Sales Team Lead. Back in September, we spoke to Thanh to talk about his role and understand how he helps businesses solve their hardware challenges. You can read this interview here.

In this latest interview, Thanh explains how Ynvolve’s 360-degree approach to IT infrastructure services makes him a trusted partner rather than a simple hardware provider.

Hi Thanh, how do you explain the value of Ynvolve’s approach to IT infrastructure to companies that are used to dealing with a traditional supplier?

Usually, I tell them I’m not there to replace their existing suppliers; I am here if they need an alternative, basically when their regular suppliers can’t come through it.

While not all clients are the same, they all want the best performance possible and want to stay within their budget, which is something we can help with. Refurbished equipment often offers greater value when it comes to performance compared to cost. The first thing I ask is what is the purpose, what do you need this machine to do? From that answer, we can select a machine that matches the requirements, fits the budget, and respect their intended timeline. If they have long-term plans, we can supply the latest generation of equipment for greater longevity.

Occasionally, people with no experience with refurb may have objections. This is because the first thing that comes to people’s minds is that it’s old and does not meet their quality standards. But, in reality, refurbished equipment can be the latest generation of equipment, or previous generations, but they will always be in Grade A condition. It’s not old and dusty! As soon as you explain the quality standard requirements for the equipment, people start to understand the offer’s value.

Often, clients know what they need but don’t have the product knowledge to find the optimum equipment. They know their technical requirements, so I help select the most cost-effective equipment that matches these requirements.

If they don’t have this knowledge, I guide them to the right equipment. We do this process on a drawing board. We understand their needs and build a plan around them. That’s what makes us different.

What else sets apart a ‘partner’ from a supplier?

With my clients, communication is very easy. They know that they can rely on me for an honest assessment. If they can get a better alternative elsewhere, I let them know, and they appreciate that level of honesty. They can always reach me. When they have a hardware need, they know that if they are stuck – I am there.

The most important elements are honesty, transparency, and reliability. Let the client know that you are available. When they know that you will be there when problems arise, it builds trust.

You recently assisted a company that suffered a ransomware attack. Can you share this story?

Yes!

This was the VNOG (Veiligheids Regio Noord- en Oost-Gelderland). They suffered a ransomware attack on a Friday and urgently needed to protect and rebuild their infrastructure. The VNOG regulates the communication between the ambulance, police, and fire services departments. All communication lines were down. It was critical. All of their existing suppliers could not or were not willing to help and they were told to call back on Monday morning. This was not really an option for them.

Somehow, they got my contact details through one of my clients, and they contacted me on Sunday — while I was at an amusement park, in fact.

I was able to help them on my day off, and together with some colleagues, we built four fully configured servers from stock. By midnight, the equipment was delivered to their location. At 1:00 am, the machines were in place. We stayed until 3:00 am to help the engineers install the Dell servers, since they were more familiar with HP.

On Monday, they were back on track. As a government facility, they were mandated to create a report on the incident. They highlighted the role that Ynvolve played in getting them back up and running so quickly.

‘The fast delivery of servers and network equipment by Ynvolve has been an important factor in the quick recovery. Normally, the delivery of such hardware takes 10 to 14 days.’

You also support new businesses through the Dell EMC xSP Incubator program. How does this incubator help businesses develop?

The Dell EMC xSP Incubator, powered by the Infinite Group, the parent company of Ynvolve, connects startups, and growth companies with Dell equipment. We offer all kinds of generation of Dell servers that match the customer’s budget and technical requirements.

This can be a big boost to the early growth of startups or new companies because most of them don’t have large financial resources or can’t get a loan from the bank. Getting traditional financing for IT equipment is a struggle. Hardware investment is a major expense, so startups opt for cheaper brands, or buy entry-level servers, or start developing their products in a public cloud environment.

One of the benefits of the incubator program is that it gives new companies alternative financing options for premium brand equipment right from the start. Instead of starting with low-cost entry-level servers, they can have refurbished ones that offer higher performances at the same price.

Since 2020, the IT infrastructure market has gone through a turbulent period. Have you seen major changes in companies’ IT needs?

Since 2020, there has been great pressure on infrastructures because of people working from home. A few years ago, there were predictions that big companies would move to hyperscale clouds, which was correct, but I now think some will move back, due to the costs involved.

As soon as you start growing fast, you really start to pay. A few years ago, these companies were early, but with rising cloud costs, they may see the need to return to some of their own infrastructure.

What are your other predictions for IT infrastructure in 2022?

This year was really marked by shortages. Both for equipment and components, and it led to companies not being able to access all of the equipment they need. In 2022, I believe we will still have longer lead times. The forecast suggests these delays will last until mid-2022, which really highlights the value of reliable refurbished equipment.

We don’t see this lag time in the refurbished world that much. While we saw some small shortages, our network is so much bigger. We have many suppliers around the globe with local stocks which allow us to deliver to our clients faster, regardless of where they are located.

Thank you, Thanh, for your time and expertise!

If you would like to learn more about how Ynvolve can help support your IT infrastructure needs, click here to speak with Thanh or another member of our team.