By Seth Eisner, General Manager, Microsoft Payment Solutions 
This is the first in a series of blog posts about how Microsoft Payment Solutions is designed to help companies achieve their strategic objectives through thoughtful cash flow management.
As the global economy continues to emerge from the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, companies around the world are facing the consequences of limited investment in technology over the past four years. Many organizations realize that technology did not stand still while they were retrenching investment and that in order to grow and outperform their competitors, they need to upgrade and expand their technology portfolio.
Companies have a number of choices when it comes to buying new technology: use your cash reserves and pay upfront, or manage your cash more strategically by leveraging flexible payment options that align investment more closely with usage and value.
IDC states that in many situations, leasing/financing IT resources offers strategic, operational, and financial benefits compared with upfront purchasing.
More and more of our customers are realizing that Microsoft Payment Solutions can be a powerful tool to help achieve specific strategic business management objectives including:
- Access technology even if budget is not immediately available
- Match investment to deployment and usage
- Improve cash flow and boost purchasing power
- One-stop shopping for software, hardware and services
These can be critical enablers when making planned or unplanned purchases. Microsoft Payment Solutions offers a toolbox of flexible and convenient financing tools that allow customers to get the technology they need with the budget they have:
Deferred payment option – If you need to purchase technology today but lack available budget in the current period, you can defer payment for up to six months
Ramped payment option – You can match payments to your available budget in the near term, and then cover the increased premium in later periods when additional funds are available
Monthly/quarterly payment option – You have the option to spread out your technology expense with equal, predictable payments over one to three years thereby avoiding a substantial up-front investment.
We offer customers payment options that are convenient and flexible. Once our customers establish a Payment Solutions option with Microsoft, new software and online services purchases, true-ups or any other additional services can be added to the agreement at any time.
To see an example of Microsoft Payment Solutions in action, check out our Licensing Made Easier blog post, which includes a video of how our customer Group Steria used Microsoft Payment Solutions.
Please contact your local Microsoft Payment Solutions representative directly or find a partner near you to customize a solution that meets your unique technology and strategic business needs.