Midwich urges resellers to ramp up leasing deals

Distributor helps its channel partners encourage educational customers into leasing

Vendor Midwich is encouraging its channel partners to take advantage of a change in the way that funding is allocated to schools.

Stuart Mizon, business manager at Midwich, told CRN: “At the beginning of the financial year in April, school funding was given for the first time on a three-year basis. This now enables schools to approach purchasing more like a business. We believe that this represents an opportunity for resellers to approach their education clients and suggest lease purchase opportunities.”

The distributor has been offering its own leasing package, called Mfinance, since 1998, but take-up has been minimal.

According to Midwich’s credit services manager, Tracy Perkins, resellers do not push leasing enough. “We’re trying to educate VARs that Midwich offers leasing and that it provides them with an opportunity to upsell. We want resellers to ask the question every time they are selling into the education space.”

Mizon added: “Leasing offers a chance for repeat business and to
guarantee products are replaced in three years rather than schools hanging on to old technology for too long. At present we believe that less than 10 per cent of major resellers’ education business incorporates leasing contracts so there is a great opportunity to be tapped into.”

Lee Bevan, managing director of VAR Leapfrog Computers, said: “All schools have a wish list of IT equipment they would like to purchase and leasing turns this into a reality.

“We already offer leasing as an option on every quote we make, but there definitely seems to be more schools considering leasing.”