Learn how the UK Government`s 2023 Spring Budget could help your customers spread their IT budget

Industry: Tech Solutions
Blog

If you’re an IT solution provider, you've likely seen the impact of high interest rates and inflation on your customers’ IT investment decisions and overall business growth plans. Many customers are watching their cashflows and committing to large-scale technology purchases can be challenging. In fact, according to the International Data Corporation, 2023 worldwide IT spending forecasts have been revised downwards to 4.4% compared to 6% in October 2022*.

However, if you have UK customers, there’s an allowance announced in the UK Government’s 2023 Spring Budget called “full expensing” that could help. Let’s explain how this and leasing can lend a hand.

Understanding “full expensing”

The UK government introduced “full expensing” to stimulate capital investments, including IT equipment. This means, dependent on the expenditure, businesses can deduct the value of their capital investments from their profits before corporation tax is calculated.

Why full expensing matters to your customers

Technology (i.e. servers and software) is often counted as “capital investments.” This means your customers could deduct the total cost of needed technology from their taxes.

For example, let’s say your customer needs to spend £100,000 on employee laptops. With the 2023 Budget, this means your customer could have a £100,000 tax deduction.

Where finance comes in

“If you’re thinking, a potential tax deduction is great, but my customers still don’t have the budget or expense alignment for upfront tech costs, that’s where payment solutions come in,” says Howard Dudley, Country Sales Manager for DLL’s Technology Solutions Team. “When it comes to full expensing, this means IT solution providers could partner with our financing experts to break down that upfront technology spend into affordable monthly, quarterly or annual payments. In the UK, lots of our IT partners use payment options so their customers can have the benefit of full expensing without breaking the budget.” 

IT solution providers could partner with our financing experts to break down that upfront technology spend into affordable monthly, quarterly or annual payments"

Payment solutions can also be part of your “total solution” — the software, hardware, or other tech you provide customers. By offering your customers affordable payment options, you can often increase your sales volume and boost your competitive advantage. Payment options show that you understand your customers’ IT budget, spend strategy, and technology roadmap.

Let’s go back to our example, where your customer needs laptops.

  • A financial solutions partner could break down the £100,000 expense into an affordable payment schedule, such as monthly or quarterly payments.

 

  • The financial solutions partner could help by seeing what other tech services could be bundled into the payment — this goes back to increasing your sales volume. For example, all the laptops may need specific software. A financial solutions partner could include the software cost into the payment.

 

  • And, by offering an affordable payment option, your customer isn’t stretched on budget. Instead, they’re freeing up cash for other necessary purchases.

Interested in learning more?

Offering payment options as part of your tech stack shows that you understand and can help your customers find solutions to meet their business and cash flow challenges. If you’re not sure where to start when offering payment solutions, that’s ok! Contact our technology financing experts for more information. Or, if you’d like some tips about how to start a conversation about financing, read our recent blog.

We look forward to helping your customers "hack" expensive IT costs with payment solutions!

Disclaimer:
In making its decision to enter into a financial product, the customer shall rely upon its own accounting, tax, legal and other professional advisors. Without limiting the foregoing, the financial solutions partner shall make no representations or warranties regarding the accounting or tax treatment of the financial product.

References
International Data Corporation: Worldwide Black Book: Live Edition Worldwide Black Book: Live Edition (idc.com)