President Jacob Zuma has recently begun putting pressure on government departments to deliver higher levels of service. His aim is to create a culture of responsibility and service delivery within the public sector. While this is a noble aim, can any organisation be expected to deliver on such aims without an efficient IT infrastructure?
According to Greg Wilson, CEO of Reflex Solutions, many government departments have inefficiencies in this area. This is simply due to the fact that IT is not their core business. Ideally, he says, the public sector should outsource its IT to an experienced organisation that can manage the infrastructure successfully.
“Reflex, for example, offers a vast array of skills and experience to government. We provide services to several large government departments already, so we have a keen understanding of the needs of the public sector. More importantly, we also deal regularly with large enterprises, meaning that we have developed our skills in the highly demanding private sector and can now leverage this to the benefit of government.”
“We are also well aware of the importance currently being placed on 'green IT'. Ultimately, a successful green IT infrastructure is one that utilises less power and operates at a more efficient level. Because we have the knowledge to put together an end-to-end managed IT solution, we are able to deliver a modern infrastructure that meets all these requirements.”
Wilson says that as an HP Partner, following that company's acquisition of 3Com, Reflex can deliver a network using top-of-the-range HP switches and voice. These, he says, are built using the latest technology and are made of much thinner silicon. This in turn means they are both more efficient in terms of their operation and that they utilise less power.
“Energy consumed by infrastructure-related equipment around the world has more than doubled in the past decade. Therefore, anything that can help to reduce energy use can only be a good thing. By instituting green principles across the infrastructure, an organisation is able not only to enhance profitability, but also improve workforce productivity and enhance their public image. We like to think that our solutions play a dual role - they help government to save costs while also improving its environmental reputation.”
“Of course, improving the infrastructure is pointless if the correct levels of service and maintenance are not maintained. Therefore, Reflex insists on delivering service level agreements (SLAs) designed to meet the most exacting requirements. After all, our reputation depends on delivering infrastructure that works at the highest possible level,” states Wilson.
Speaking of the company's SLAs, Wilson points out that a large percentage of the public sector currently uses networks and PABX built with 3Com technology. However, the recession, under-delivery on promises and plain bad management has led to the demise of many of the businesses that implemented these for the government.
“We are well aware that these entities may still have the networks and PABX, but find themselves in a position where the service provider is no longer available to manage or guarantee service levels. Reflex is quite prepared to enter into discussions with these parties, with a view to servicing these contracts ourselves,” he says.
“We are quite happy to come in and put the correct SLAs in place and take control of their infrastructure for them. Reflex has the ability to deal with any network and PABX issues, hardware replacement warranties or service and support for technology upgrades.
“Most importantly, we have been around since 2000, so we have the experience, the skills and the intellectual property to ensure that the job is done right. Reflex therefore understands the needs of these departments, and is eager to play its part in helping to deliver the infrastructure they will need to meet the president's demands for improved service delivery,” concludes Wilson.
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