Unified Communications on the Cheap

Last September, Avaya Financial Services announced the availability of Next Wave, a program that offers zero percent and 3.99 percent financing to businesses based in North America. The offer is available through Avaya certified business partners and Avaya’s direct sales force, and can be combined with other Avaya discount programs and promotions for maximum appeal to customers.

 The Next Wave financing is available for Avaya IP Office 500 with Avaya VoiceMail Pro, Avaya Distributed Office and Avaya Communication Manager.

Two financing options are available under the Next Wave promotion:  a 60-month true lease at zero percent or a 3.99 percent finance lease.

 A true lease is typically designed for businesses that want the lower monthly payment with the greatest flexibility at the end of the lease term.  Finance leases are especially advantageous for companies that plan to keep their equipment at the end of the lease term.

Similarly, ShoreTel recently introduced Flexguard, a leasing program that allows customers to pay over time and includes technology obsolescence and satisfaction guarantees.

Nortel Enterprise Financing Solutions can help customers in their UC purchases by deferring payments. Customers can also opt for the lowest lease payment by purchasing with a fair market value lease and paying no interest for up to 48 months.

Like a lot of IT buyers, David Phillips thought that after 20 years it was time to retire his Definity PBX. So the IT manager from Foley, a Caterpillar equipment reseller, went looking for a new phone system.

In the end, he settled on a managed service offering through Mitel. With Mitel’s TotalSolution Program, Phillips knows exactly what it will cost to maintain, operate and expand his communications system.

Foley is paying a fixed cost for up to eight years, so budgeting became a lot simpler. For a single per user price, Phillips said, Mitel provided all consulting, a network stress test, 24/7 tech support, training, fixed costs for the life of the lease, all software upgrades, and an option to renew the lease after five years at half price.

All add-on items will be priced at the same terms of the lease as long as they are purchased before end of the lease.

“We could, conceivably, purchase phones two months before the end of the lease and pay just $20 per phone per month," said Phillips.