Microsoft’s new Surface devices seem to be hitting it off with business customers.
The company claims it has seen unprecedented interest with this generation than any before it, including many early adopters. So, to further this momentum, Microsoft is adding a new Surface warranty and trade-in program.
Microsoft recently announced the new Business Device Trade-in Program in response to feedback from customers who were interested in upgrading to Surface but were already invested in their current devices.
With the new Microsoft device trade-in program, business customers can trade in older laptops, tablets and phones for credits toward the purchase of a new Surface. This differs from previous trade-in programs as it’s exclusively for business customers and is not a limited time promotion.
Business customers can request a quote from Microsoft for their devices. If they accept the quote all they have to do is enroll, ship their devices and then receive their credit for purchasing their new Surface products. To help things along Microsoft provides 24 hour quotes, prepaid shipping labels and secure data wipe so nothing is left behind.
In addition of the new Microsoft device trade-in program, Microsoft is rolling out Microsoft Complete for Enterprise. This is a new enterprise warranty and service offering for Surface customers through commercial resellers.
The new warranty program offers Surface customers several new services and options. Under warranty, customers can choose to pool claims by company, rather than just individual devices. Claims can now be made for non-bootable devices. This is for cases where a company’s data security policies require a device to be wiped or its hard drive completely destroyed before it’s returned.
There is an on-boarding center included to assist your company’s IT staff and online training for employees. The on-boarding center offers IT staff help in setting-up the new warranty program and offer support. The online training promises to help your employees “get productive as fast as possible.”
Microsoft Complete also offers next day air in the U.S. for shipping replacement devices quickly. If you are a Surface customer not located in the US, Microsoft claims they will offer a “similar rapid replacement” method depending on what’s available.
The Microsoft Business Device Trade in Program will be available in the coming weeks according to Microsoft, and a large number of countries will be able to benefit from it. Beginning in the US, Canada, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. But Microsoft is not stopping there as availability will soon follow for Australia, France Germany and the UK.
If you are interested in Microsoft Complete for Enterprise, the new service will be available sometime in early 2016.
Image: Microsoft
Aira Bongco
It’s a coincidence that I am also looking into the Surface Pro this morning. I wanted a tablet that runs on Windows because I find the platform easier to use than Android. Plus it has less clutter.
Great idea from Microsoft. Business adoption will pay the bills and consumer adoption turns the profit.