CTL recently surveyed EdTech professionals for their input on criteria they find important when purchasing the new Chromebook Plus devices. CTL introduced its CTL Chromebook Plus PX141G Series in June.
CTL’s Chromebook Plus Survey Respondents Breakdown
The survey respondents were made up mostly of school information technology professionals (63.5%). Administration (9.5%) and instructors (8.1%) were also well represented.
Most respondents were responsible for specifying, influencing, and/or authorizing Chromebook technology and brands to purchase.
What Features Do IT Directors Want in Chromebook Plus?
Physical features
The most important physical features respondents found most desirable were:
- Replaceable keys as opposed to replacing entire keyboard (64.9%)
- Touchscreen (54.1%)
- 180-degree lay-flat hinge (28.4%)
- Backlit keyboard (27%)
“Customers are frustrated at having to replace the entire keyboard when just a simple key replacement will do,” said Michelle Manson, VP of Marketing for CTL and survey author. “Additionally, as IT directors roll out Chromebook Plus devices to teachers and staff, they’re interested in providing the backlit keyboard to better enable working in low light situations in the classroom or at home.”
It is important to note that CTLChromebook Plus PX141G Series models include a touch screen option, 180-degree lay-flat hinge, a rotating camera, and a backlit keyboard with easy-to-replace keys.
Performance featuresBy far, the most important performance feature noted by respondents was an all-day battery life (91.9%), followed by 16GB of RAM (44.6%), and 8 GB of RAM (32.4%). Due to the power of cloud computing, storage was less important at 24.3% for both 128 GB and 256 GB.
“Typically our customers are satisfied with batteries that last the school day. We also find IT directors are more interested in processing that’s optimized for heavy multi-taking, which is why we select Intel chips over other chips that may be optimized for other functions,” explained Manson.
I/O featuresThree I/O features stood out for respondents:
- 2 USB-C charging ports (79.7%)
- Audio jack (64.9%)
- HDMI port (64.9%)
“We hear time and again from customers about the importance of ensuring there are 2 USB-C ports capable of charging the device,” said Manson. “CTL designs its devices to have one port on the motherboard, one on the daughterboard, so that function is preserved should one port get damaged.”
What Services Are Important to IT Directors for Chromebook Plus Deployments?Besides the physical features of the device, we surveyed respondents on the most important services they should expect to receive from a Chromebook and Chromebook Plus supplier.
The top companion services noted were:
- Zero-touch enrollment and Chromebook configuration services (68.9%)
- Free order shipping (60.8%)
- Free 2-way RMA shipping (59.5%)
- 1-week or less turnaround time on repairs (56.8%)
- 1:1 customer service with a human (55.4%)
“Respondents are seeking a full life cycle of services from a single Chromebook supplier: program planning with a human, configuration and deployment service, and strong maintenance and continuing care,” said Manson. “And, as the only Chromebook manufacturer with B Corp certification, we were also pleased to see trade-in services listed as one of the top choices. We’ll take back almost any trade-in for refurbishment or recycling, keeping devices out of landfills and providing credit toward the purchase of new Chromebooks.”
Digging further into the results, survey respondents indicated a strong preference for OEM-provided services:
- OEM-quality repairs at an OEM facility (29.7%)
- Repairs at local third-party facilities (17.6%)
- Onsite repairs from third party (14.9%)
“Unfortunately, school IT departments have reported negative experiences with third-party warranty and service plans, as we recently reported in a blog post. We’ve heard of insurance companies going under, repairs taking months, companies charging deductibles after a customer has already paid for a plan, and other suboptimal situations. As the OEM, CTL understands that out-of-service Chromebooks can lead to losses in teaching and learning and so we offer a 5-day turnaround guarantee on repair or maintenance work for our customers to ensure maximum uptime,” Manson explained. In our experience, CTL customers come for the product and stay for the service.”
Companion productsCompanion products offer important support and help ensure the success of any 1:1 Chromebook program. Here are the top companion products according to our survey:
- Extended warranties and protection plans (63.5%)
- Google Education Upgrade licenses (62.2%)
- Chromebook protective cases (43.2%)
“CTL offers one of the most comprehensive warranty programs and protection plans in the industry,” noted Manson. “Customers can also count on CTL as the single-vendor source for Google Education upgrade license bundles, Chromebook/Chromebook Plus protective cases, and other companion products as a complete solution.
Purchasing methodsRespondents prefer to work with a sales contact when purchasing Chromebooks at 54.1% for those purchasing over 100 devices.The second most popular purchasing method was a combination of self-shopping/buy online and working with a sales contact at 36.5% for purchases of more than 100 devices.
“Overall, it was an extremely insightful look at our customers’ needs for Chromebook Plus devices. With comprehensive services and companion products, CTL is well-positioned to serve these customers as a single-vendor solution as schools roll out Chromebook Plus devices to teachers, staff, and advanced students,” Manson concluded.
