Microsoft today announced a few new programs for obtaining a Surface Hub for your business, including a subscription service, which is similar to the company"s Surface as a Service program. The firm is also launching a Try-and-Buy Program, which was first announced in December.
The subscription model will include initial investment and configuration costs, as Microsoft says that 73 percent of respondents are "expecting to move to subscription-based IT procurement over the next three years."
The firm is also launching the Surface Hub Value Added Distributors Program for Opportunity Resellers (VAD-OR). The VAD-OR Program "allows select Surface Hub distributors to deliver the same quality services to Opportunity Resellers without the typical requirements for building a long-term transactional business."
And then there"s the Try-and-Buy Program, which will officially be available on February 15. This will allow customers to try out a Surface Hub for up to 30 days before purchasing a larger set of devices. These are the partners that it will be available from:
Europe & Asia
AVMI
Ayno
Bechtle
GMS
Insight Group
Kilchenmann AG
Swisscomm
Techno Trends
Videlio
Viju
UK
AVI-SPL
AVMI
Carillion
CDW
Feltech
Misco
Viju
US & Canada
Arrow SI
AVI-SPL
CSi
PCM
Red Thread
SHARPS AV
Spinitar
Viju
Whitlock
When Microsoft originally announced the Try-and-Buy Program, it said that it was only coming to the US and European markets this winter, with Asia coming later on. Clearly, it"s running ahead of schedule on that.
This isn"t the only Surface news today that was aimed at businesses. Microsoft also expanded its Surface Multi-National Purchasing Program to Europe, which should allow for a faster upgrade cycle and more flexible purchasing options. It"s coming to Asia Pacific soon as well.
Surface Hub is already being used by 2,000 unique customers, as of the end of 2016. The average order size is 50 devices, but there have been orders as large as 1,500 units. As the company continues to open up more channels for businesses to purchase them, those numbers should continue to grow.