IT Leasing and Financing Availability Critical In Selecting an IT Supplier, According to IDC Customer Survey

Business Wire, August 21, 2007

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- A recent IDC survey of 206 professionals responsible for IT procurement found that the availability of leasing and financing capabilities is a critical factor in the primary stages of product and vendor selection. The majority of IT organizations surveyed cited the availability of leasing/financing as critical in their consideration of a product vendor.

"Customers' wants and needs and providers' principle business objectives are in alignment. Customers want flexibility and choice in software and services financing while providers want business growth. The missing ingredient? Innovation and investment in financing products that offer greater value to customers" said Joseph Pucciarelli, research director, IDC's Technology Financing Strategies Service.

Other key findings from the IDC survey include the following:

* IT organizations have a surprisingly clear understanding of the operational, financial, and strategic benefits associated with IT leasing and financing, with 75% citing protection against obsolescence, the ability to shift costs between capital and expense budgets; and access to incremental capital all as important reasons to lease or finance.

* The need for significant service improvements in almost every aspect of the leasing/financing process: sales, billing, customer service, and end-of-lease resolution procedures were cited by a significant percentage of the survey participants.

The IDC report, 2007 IT Leasing and Financing End-User Survey: Customer Needs and Wants, IDC Document (IDC #207435), presents the results of IDC's 2007 IT Leasing and Financing Survey, which questioned 206 IT professionals directly involved in the IT procurement process from various industries and various company sizes on their current IT leasing and financing usage, their needs and wants regarding leasing and financing, and their satisfaction with their current providers.

As a special benefit for all IDC clients, IDC Research Manager Jennifer Koppy and Joseph Pucciarelli will lead an executive telebriefing on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 12:00 pm EDT to discuss key report findings. More information and registration details for this telebriefing can be found at http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=IDC_P15394.

For additional information about IDC's Leasing Evaluation and Pricing Strategies Services, please contact Anne-Sophie Dankens at adankens@idc.com.

About IDC

IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 900 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 90 countries worldwide. For more than 43 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting www.idc.com.

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