Ann – The LapSafe delivery guys were very nice and really easy to deal with, they were really professional and got the job done quickly, it was very seamless. We booked the electricians to be here before hand to prepare the space so there weren’t any issues when it came to installing the units. LapSafe told us exactly what they needed completed prior to the installation and we made sure it was done and ready when they arrived. We also future proofed it, as we asked them to put in two extra plug points so we could expand the service if we needed to. Two laptops that had been borrowed by students within minutes of the installation being completed. There didn’t seem any need for instructions as they just followed what it said on the screen. It was that easy.

How was the delivery and installation of the Diplomat LMS?

Eoin – Where we positioned the lockers worked really well for meaningful hyperlink us, they were supposed to go into the creative zone but having them placed directly in front of the really busy lifts has worked great as it has a high footfall.

Ann – The first unit was installed in 2016 and most recently we added to that installation in . Last year we loaned 33,000 laptops to students.

Eoin – We use the availability dashboard if we are away from the units. It is really good for checking on the busy times of the day and for seeing at a glance how many laptops are available. If there is a problem, Matt at LapSafe support is always really very good, he will always get back to us as soon as he can if we have a problem. We did a have a problem with a locker door a few months back and we were given confirmation really quickly that someone would be over and replace it for us.

Eoin – One of the best things is the convenience of it for us and the students to use. We limit them to 4 hours borrowing time, so they don’t need the chargers and that works well. As I mentioned they are Chromebooks with around an 8-hour plus charge but we still like to have them back after 4 hours, as this means they don’t take as long to get back to full charge again as very often the next person is already waiting.

Ann – Everyone was surprised and delighted as to how popular the new service was. We all think that students like to bring their own laptops to use but that isn’t always the case and of course, not all students have one so this system is perfect, and it doesn’t discriminate.

Do you have any words of advice for colleges or universities thinking of implementing automated laptop loans?

Ann – The two things I would say to others is to plan ahead! We were so pleased that we had arranged at the beginning of the journey to add a couple of extra plugs next to the installed units, so we were able to add another couple of units at a later date. Look at the location too, it needs to be seen and in a busy area, not at the bottom of a dark stairwell. Its location is one of the reasons it works so well. We have lots of visitors from other colleges and universities locally and abroad and the laptop loan system is one of the first things we show them. We are really proud of the units and the service we offer our students.