Lexmark releases WFH bundle to channel resellers
Lexmark has launched a new 'Work from Home' bundle for its channel partners in Australia that allows them to combine product, services and support for their SMB customers who have their teams working remotely.
The offering is part of Lexmark's support programme aimed at partners who have end-customers currently looking to move away from the traditional A3 cost-per-page service model to a simplified flat-fee A4 solution.
The 'Work from home' package is a three-year agreement that resellers can offer their end customers for a flat monthly fee.
This includes a Lexmark A4 mono printer, consumables, on-site installation and support, as well as access to the Lexmark Cloud Fleet Management platform, allowing partners to monitor and manage each device in their customer's fleet remotely.
Using Lexmark's cloud monitoring capability, channel partners can provide support and supplies as required.
"The basic 'Work from Home' bundle is only a starting point for our partners who are using a flat-rate service and support. It's designed to help our resellers better connect with changing end-customer demand," says Lexmark Australia and New Zealand channel sales GM Stephen Dubois
"Over the past few months, we've seen that there's a growing interest from many of our channel partners to evolve their charge models towards a flat fee. Such models help resellers to diversify beyond just selling tangible assets and consumables and into device-as-a-service, which offers additional profits.
Cloud Print Services surge
As companies have turned to remote work this year, resellers' use of Lexmark's Cloud Print Services such as Cloud Fleet Management, Cloud Connector and Cloud Print Management has surged.
Between April and July this year, global usage from channel partners rose by over 133%, compared to the same period last year.
Dubois says the surge of Lexmark's Cloud Print Services has been coupled by increased interest from channel partners to include the services as part of a broader package for customers.
"SMB customers today are purchasing higher value A4 products as their teams have created office workspaces in their homes. Our new office in the home bundle allows print resellers to create specific service bundles for a flat fee where they have tangible products coupled with device-as-a-service.
"We expect this model to continue to evolve as some print resellers are considering now to deliver flat-rate monthly billing, a move that would follow the steps of other industries like telecommunications, where mobile carriers initially charged by the minute and now sell fixed-rate monthly bundles.
