of digital student portfolios, but they must also ensure that the tech supplied can be easily implemented at scale,” he adds.
“With budgets across schools and colleges being tightened in the wake of economic downturn, resellers must ensure that their products are affordable to present themselves as an attractive choice for potential buyers.”
Decision makers The person in charge of procurement varies between schools. In general, in primary schools the headteacher oversees procurement decisions. However, in secondary schools it is more complex, as responsibility for spending can be devolved. It may be down to a headteacher or business manager, but in MATs there may be a centralised role solely for procurement. But, in cases such as this, cost savings can be made if they are buying for all the schools in the trust. Buying cycles Another factor to consider is buying cycles. Buying cycles in schools – and within school departments – can vary markedly; they aren’t all sorted out in the summer ahead of a new school year. This is where getting to know customers comes into its
own – resellers can build up lists of contracts and when their end date is, so they can know when to pitch to schools. It is also worth remembering that many schools will let contracts roll over if they are happy with their products/service, so any pitch will need to be impressive to show an offer is better than their current provider’s offering.
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