A new financing and leasing service launched by Dimension Data, aims to enable businesses to upgrade their IT infrastructure and keep pace with current technologies. The service, which is a tailor-made leasing and financing model, further intends to ease the adoption of technologies by clients.

Colleen Fynn, account manager for Dimension Data Finance, explained that the recurring problems brought to their attention were the increasing pressure on IT budgets, and the growing need for flexibility of IT asset management.

She added that, while clients understood the value of technology to their business, the constraints of a slowing economy and greater caution resulted in businesses struggling to free up the resources to keep their infrastructures current and competitive, and equip themselves for the future.

Under the new financing model, customers would be able to take advantage of three financing and leasing options. These include New Equipment Rental, the Sell and Rent Back Plan, and the Exchange Plan.

With the New Equipment Rental option, businesses could rent the equipment they need. The Sell and Rent Back Plan is aimed at enabling businesses to replace existing outdated infrastructure through a sale and rent back option. Alternatively, businesses could use the Exchange Plan to exchange existing rented technology for newer models, at no additional cost.

Fynn asserted that leasing IT hardware provided a viable and financially attractive alternative to purchasing it outright. She explained that it helped free up cash flow previously allocated to capital expenditure and, in turn, provided clients with the flexibility to gain access to the latest technology on an ongoing basis, without the added responsibility of worrying about disposing of and managing the assets.

The offering is a joint undertaking between Dimension Data and RentWorks,South Africa’s largest independent asset rental company, which finances more than R3 billion worth of assets for more than 400 organisations.

“Dimension Data and RentWorks are an ideal fit – both have outstanding credentials in the technology space and a shared vision of working together to really understand clients’ challenges. Both companies work creatively and in an agile and responsive way to the market, to bring relevant solutions to the fore that will add value,” concluded Fynn.

Dimension Data also recently announced that it has formed a partnership with Redline Telecommunications SA in a bid to offer more affordable and agile connectivity solutions to South African businesses.