Avaya launches payment deferral scheme

Comms vendor draws on might of finance arm to offer end users a six-month payment holiday

Avaya must make up at least 70 per cent of the total solution for the offer to be valid

Avaya has flexed its financial muscle by launching a payment deferral programme in 15 European countries, including the UK.

Using the might of its Avaya Financial Services (AFS) arm, the vendor is allowing firms that purchase its unified communications, call centre equipment and services to defer the first payment until January 2010.

The idea is to get cash-strapped firms who need to update their telecoms equipment to invest before the end of the year.

Avaya must make up at least 70 per cent of the total solution cost for the offer to be valid. Orders must be placed before 25 September and installation and funding completed before 21 December. After the initial term, 54 monthly payments are payable at 3.99 per cent.

This is not the first finance sweetener Avaya has offered this year: AFS recently launched a zero-per-cent finance offer, as well as a funding programme designed to boost its distributors’ cash flow.

Paul Fazakerley, AFS European programme director, admitted that cash flow is crucial for many businesses.

“However, whilst it may be difficult to find the budget for business-critical investments, such as telecoms equipment, these same businesses recognise the need to maintain a competitive edge by investing in technology,” he said.

Jirina Yates, director of EMEA marketing at Avaya, added: “In today's economic climate, companies are being understandably cautious, so this programme can help them gain the advantages they need to ensure their businesses run well now during the recession - and are able to start gaining competitive advantage when economic improvements take hold.”