In every sector, IT leaders are being asked to do more with less. One of the biggest IT challenges for modernisation lies in the End User Compute (EUC) estate, a critical element of today’s Digital Workplace Solutions that directly impacts employee experience and productivity.
At DTP, we’ve been helping forward-thinking institutions shift away from outdated, reactive IT operating models and towards predictive, analytics-driven, fix-before-fail approaches.
The impact? Lower costs, reduced carbon footprint, better user experience and a platform for genuine Digital Employee Experience (DEX) improvement.
From “Break-Fix” to “Fix-Before-Fail”
In many IT departments, the operating model hasn’t changed much since the days of Alan Turing: a device fails, a ticket is raised and an engineer fixes it. This is costly, disruptive and frustrating for end users.
By contrast, industries like aviation now use predictive maintenance to fix components before they fail, using sensor data and real-time analytics. Our approach brings that same model to EUC:
- Automated hardware and software asset management for compliance.
- Auto-remediation of common faults cutting blue screen incidents by up to 40%.
- Proactive device repairs, based on predictive analytics, before users experience downtime.
- Right-sizing device specifications to actual workloads, avoiding overprovisioning.
- Auto-ticket creation via ITSM integration, removing the need for users to report known issues.
A Case Study in Transformation: University of Leicester
In 2019, the University of Leicester faced the familiar challenge:
- Too much reactive support.
- Device lifecycle decisions based solely on age.
- Negative customer interactions driven by frustration and downtime.
Owen Dickenson, Head of Workplace Technology Services, wanted a different future, one where IT could see problems before users reported them, and where device replacement was driven by data, not guesswork.
Working with DTP and HP’s workforce modernisation platform, Leicester began with a small pilot in their IT department. Within weeks, they had a clear picture of their EUC health and prioritised fixes that would deliver the biggest impact.
The results:
- Blue screen and crash rates dropped significantly through better driver and firmware management.
- Proactive maintenance became the norm, such as replacing failing batteries before they died.
- During COVID, the team was able to remotely identify and schedule repairs for shielding staff, avoiding disruption.
- Lecture theatre downtime from PC failure was virtually eliminated.
- End user compute modernisation.
Perhaps most telling is the cultural shift. Staff now trust IT to be proactive.
The People Factor: Why On-Site Engineering Still Matters
For Leicester, one key to success has been their dedicated on-site DTP engineer, Mo Afzal. Embedded in the team for over a decade, Mo provides continuity, expertise and a friendly face for staff.
While predictive technology drives efficiency, human relationships maintain trust, especially when introducing new processes.
The ITAD Opportunity
Modernisation doesn’t always need new budget lines. Through transparent IT Asset Disposal (ITAD) rebate models, organisations can channel the residual value of retired devices directly into funding predictive maintenance and DEX initiatives.
It’s part of what we call tackling the “Great ITAD Rip-Off” ensuring devices enter the circular economy and rebates are maximised, rather than written off.
What’s Next?
For Leicester and other modern adopters, the journey continues:
- AI-powered fleet interrogation to surface hidden trends.
- Smart Refresh cycles based on performance and user experience data.
- Sentiment analysis to combine technical health with real user feedback.
- Integrations with Power Automate, Power BI, and Entra for richer automation and insight.
The lesson is clear:
When you modernise EUC with a predictive mindset, you not only cut costs, you build trust, improve productivity and free your IT teams to focus on higher-value work.
