Medical Supply Manufacturers Remote Workforce

Here’s how we pulled off one of the most challenging but rewarding feats of our tenure as an established HP/E reseller.

It was mid-pandemic, and the world was reeling. Offices were forced to go remote, supply chains were fractured, and laptops had become the lifeline of every business and organization – including one of our long-time customers – a major international medical supply manufacturer who called us in crisis.

They needed 1,700 laptops urgently, all of the same model, and all meeting specific technical criteria.

The kicker? They needed them within 30 days.

In a time when most distributors couldn’t fulfill laptop orders for 90 days or more, it was a Herculean request. But we don’t back down from challenges—especially not when lives and livelihoods are on the line!

That’s where we came in.

We started by scouring our network, tapping into decades of relationships we’ve built with manufacturers and distributors. Most had no stock to offer, their shelves as bare as ours. But persistence paid off: through a circuitous chain of communication up the supply-chain, we identified an HP model series that was “close enough” — a base model that met nearly all the technical criteria.
However, they weren’t configured exactly as required, nor were there 1,700 units sitting idle in a warehouse – there weren’t even enough manufactured yet to fill current backorders, let alone ours!

But they were coming soon, and that’s where the art of supply chain mastery came into play. We collaborated directly with the manufacturer, digging deep into their production schedules. With a little convincing and some careful reallocation, we got our name attached to the desired quantity.

The next hurdle was customization. This model was close, but it lacked some of the required features, but we identified compatible sub-components from alternative suppliers, securing what we needed to meet the customer’s precise specifications. This was no small task; sourcing anything during those early pandemic months was like gold mining in a sandstorm. But our relationships with component suppliers, built over decades, allowed us to make it happen.

With the additional components sourced, the final step was the logistics to bring everything together in time for the deadline. By coordinating a complex sequence of shipping, assembly and testing between the various suppliers, ourselves, and the customer, we were able to get them what they needed, where it was needed, and on time!

With tested and ready-to-go laptops their teams were able to scale up remote operations seamlessly, supporting critical medical supply distribution at a time the world needed it most.

This was more than just a sale. It was a reminder of why we do what we do: solving impossible problems, leveraging relationships and expertise, and keeping businesses moving—even in the most challenging times.