CCD has launched an IBM-backed finance and marketing initiative designed to drum up more virtualisation sales for resellers.

The distributor's ‘Free IT’ programme aims to provide end users a return on investment (ROI) on virtualisation projects before they make their first payment.

CCD claims virtualisation can typically deliver ROI within 12 months of implementation. Because IBM Global Financing is backing the programme by offering end users a 12-month payment holiday, the first payment will typically be made after ROI is achieved.

CCD is offering resellers rebrandable marketing collateral around the ‘achieve ROI before making your first payment message’. It will also train resellers on how to audit customers to prove they can follow through.

The finance package will cover server and storage hardware from IBM and virtualisation software from third parties such as VMware, Hyper-V or Xen.

Talking to CRN, CCD IBM sales manager Michael Cox said the initiative would provide resellers with an eye-catching hook.

“This is perfect for today’s environment,” he said. “It fixes an issue in the marketplace for end users with budgetary constraints and power issues, and it generates pipeline for IBM partners.”

Cox admitted not all customers would qualify for a 12-month payment holiday but stressed that IBM Global Financing had other tools at its disposal, including zero per cent finance packages.

The programme was piloted with IBM Business Partner Apex and is now being rolled out to IBM’s wider channel, with the aim of having 50 partners signed up by the end of the year.