Ingram first out the gate for Microsoft Surface as a Service
Distributor says its version of Microsoft's new buying model will help resellers increase the longevity of their customer relationships
Ingram Micro UK has created its own flavour of Microsoft's new Surface as a Service scheme, following its global unveiling last month.
Microsoft launched the new hardware buying model, which allows partners to supply customers with a managed offering of Surface hardware and associated cloud software on a leased basis, at its Worldwide Partner Conference in July.
Although the programme launched with European distributor ALSO, Ingram appears to be the first UK distributor to announced the creation of its own version of the scheme.
"We've been preparing this for 17 weeks," said Brian Windsor, senior business manager for Microsoft at Ingram Micro UK and Ireland.
"It's really pulling together the assets Ingram has in the UK," Windsor added, explaining that Ingram's take on the scheme will draw on the assets it acquired from life cycle services firms CANAI and Anovo, as well as its finance services. Insurance will soon be added to the mix too, he said.
After topping $1bn for two straight quarters, Microsoft's Surface revenues dipped sequentially in its fiscal Q4 ending 30 June to $965m (£742m) as Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book growth was offset by lower Surface 3 sales. Over 10,000 partners are now authorised to sell the device, up from just 150 a year earlier, Microsoft said on its Q4 earnings call, a transcript of which can be found here.
At WPC last month, Microsoft UK's Windows and Surface lead Ryan Asdourian said the launch of Surface as a Service reflects Microsoft's efforts to offer an "end-to-end" solution to customers through partners, a sentiment Windsor echoed.
"We are creating a life cycle of products and services that allows our resellers to increase the tenure of their customers," he said.
"We will have the capacity with our financing agreements to allow them to pull in additional services they support which are bespoke."