by Simon Quicke11 December 2008
Microsoft has extended its zero financing offer to fuel the
commercial wheels in the channel after the vendor announced the initial wave of
the scheme last month.
The "Open
Smarter Way" financing package licked off last
month offering the first six months of financing interest free and the second the
same level as the bank base rate.
The programme was open to resellers selling products via the
Open License but it has now been extended to EA and Select licensing customers until
Boxing Day opening up the promotion to businesses of all sizes.
When it unveiled the initial 0% financing promotion Scott
Dodds, general manager of SME and partner group at Microsoft, said that it
wanted to encourage partners to take advantage of its credit facilities.
“Right now cash is king and resellers need to use financing
to show customers they can improve technology, which can save money and improve
efficiencies, without having to spend the money now,” he said last month.
Since the downturn some of the larger vendors, with capital
reserves and financing programmes have been active in trying to get more
resellers to use financing.
Last month as well as Microsoft’s programme there was also a
call by Cisco’s senior channel management to get more resellers signed up to
its Capital finance scheme.
