End User Computing Hardware
With a heritage dating back to the 1980s, Cybera was formed to encourage collaboration across Alberta’s not-for-profit organizations and increase the value technology can deliver. Working with 15 post-secondary institutions, Cybera launched ShareIT to enable shared IT procurement and validate a pilot model through measurable results. Through a formal competition, Cybera and the PSIs selected partners to execute on the program’s vision. In just 12–weeks, WBM and Cybera aligned on guiding principles focused on access, efficiency, economies of scale, and an opt-in model that works for institutions of any size.
The Problem
Many post-secondary institutions face a common challenge: securing strong pricing, consistent standards, and modern procurement tools without duplicating effort across every organization. Smaller institutions can be especially constrained, with fewer resources to negotiate effectively or access value-added services. ShareIT was created to pool purchasing needs across Alberta PSIs, improve negotiation power, and deliver measurable cost savings while keeping procurement flexible enough to meet varied end user requirements.
The Solution
To deliver early results on Cybera’s ShareIT vision, WBM established a consistent procurement experience for end user computing hardware. WBM met participating PSIs in person, assigned a dedicated procurement specialist, and streamlined quoting and updates. Institutions also gained access to the wbmdirect.ca portal for real-time ShareIT pricing on standard devices. This structure reinforced collective buying power and practical standardization, enabling fast uptake across the province.
ShareIT has allowed us take advantage of its aggressive pricing, while still being able to work with our existing value-added reseller… this is win-win-win.
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The Outcomes
Measurable Cost Savings Through Shared Procurement
ShareIT delivered immediate, quantifiable savings by comparing ShareIT pricing against typical education discount baselines. In the first 12-weeks, participating institutions achieved $636,557.66 in savings, representing a 27% overall cost reduction.
Standardization That Builds Economies of Scale
By pooling demand and aligning around common device standards, ShareIT enabled product standardization across the group. Over 3,000 products were procured across core categories such as desktops, monitors, and laptops. This approach strengthened each institution’s voice regardless of size, improved consistency, and supported a scalable model as more members opt-in. The result was a practical balance of standard options plus room for varied end-user requirements.
Dedicated Procurement Specialist Reducing Duplication
To simplify service management across institutions, WBM assigned a dedicated Procurement Service Specialist supporting ShareIT. This reduced duplication by centralizing quoting, communication, and shared insights across participating PSIs. As adoption grew, the dedicated team approach helped institutions embrace standardization while maintaining a consistent experience, promoting thought leadership and best practices across the post-secondaries’ supply chain teams.
Faster Access and Adoption via Enterprise Procurement Portal
ShareIT expanded access through wbmdirect.ca, giving institutions real-time visibility into standard products at ShareIT prices. A total of 10 PSIs subscribed to the portal, improving day-to-day procurement speed and consistency. The portal also provided access to 200,000+ SKUs for broader product visibility, and early usage revealed shared interest in accessories and Microsoft Surface devices. Adoption was supported by an opt-in model, with 14 of 16 participating members opting into the service in the first 12-weeks.
