Infrastructure/Edwards Lifesciences Ltd.

Please tell us about how you met Gateway Computer (hereafter referred to as GWC).

It was roughly ten years ago. I was originally in the service department of our company, then I was transferred to the IT department in the year 2000 to participate in a project. At the time we needed to buy PCs, hardware, etc. That was when I first became acquainted with GWC as a responsible vendor.

How long have we been working with you?

We started working together in 2000, but it’s been since 1997, so about 16 years now. Initially, the purchasing of computers was a major part of the business we did together, but then I consulted you about kitting the PCs, and you have been undertaking this for 12-13 years now. I can say that it’s been a considerably long term relationship.

Initially, what kind of problems did you have and what kind of support were you looking for?

We wanted concrete suggestions on how to effectively standardize our work.

What did you expect from GWC?

We were expecting suggestions on so-called PC lifestyle management, from purchasing PCs to kitting, user support operations, PC replacement and eventual disposal.

Have you had any issues or problems while working with GWC?

You’ve shown high flexibility while supporting each and every individual user. You respect and understand the end user side of things, not just the circumstances that apply to IT side, and we could claim the reverse as well.

What was the deciding factor for working with GWC?

We consulted multiple companies in a comparative format, telling them the details of our company, and we were looking at them based on price and the scope of support. GWC had the most flexible support and the terms and conditions of your prices were satisfactory. Although we compared other companies after that, they could not match you in terms of price when it came to same business content range or response operations, they were inflexible to changes and slow in response. I think that our relationship with GWC has continued to this day simply because GWC’s results and guidance are above the rest.

What was the difference between other companies and GWC?

Like I said earlier, highly customer-oriented flexible response and the value provided by such. Undoubtedly the cost-effectiveness was a major factor as well. The fact that there were English bilinguals provided at no additional cost was a huge advantage over other companies. Additionally, correspondence moves very quickly because you have a single point of contact within the company for purchasing products.

Was GWC able to provide you with support beyond your initial expectations?

This unfortunately does not mean everything is always meets or exceeds expectations. However, if such a thing happens, a request or complaint can be clearly made and even though it may be harsh, you always take it very seriously and rapidly make improvements. In this sense, the support and service provided as a whole went beyond our expectations.

Please tell us if there were any moments wherein GWC went beyond your expectations with business follow-ups, support correspondence, etc.

Support in English, probably? Companies seeking to add English into their support tend to be reluctant due to additional costs, but in the case of GWC, the support and flexibility are commonplace.

Our global company has its headquarters in the US, so we frequently communicate with the US. We previously had the person in charge of IT come to Japan from the US to support the kitting of PCs, standardizing work, and customizing the work environment for Japanese locals. At the time, it was extremely helpful to have GWC’s foreign help desk personnel come and communicate with us directly. Additionally, with the PC replacement project, the foreign staff was in charge of local data migration and responded in detailed ways that were equal to, if not greater than, our requests.

How were your initial problems solved as a result of our work at GWC?

Briefly, I would say that it was the standardization of IT work flow.

Please introduce GWC to any foreign corporations planning to establish Japanese subsidiaries or global companies with headquarters abroad.

Please introduce GWC to any foreign corporations planning to establish Japanese subsidiaries or global companies with headquarters abroad. Japanese companies planning to expand overseas or into Southeast Asia that are looking to standardize across their whole company. Additionally, if you are planning to put a base for a global company in Japan, or companies with operations in Japan already, global standardization is an issue that cannot be avoided in the future. Why not try to consult GWC as your partner in addressing these challenges? When it comes to support, bilingual and multi-language support is for companies that want a quick response to aggressively tackle issues.