Ingram Micro announced late last week that it is joining forces with VAR Resources to offer a new end-user leasing program that it hopes will enable the IT channel to close more deals through a wider selection of financing options.

In addition to providing a range of leasing offerings through the new program, the distributor will offer channel partners leasing support through VAR Resources, which will provide dedicated pre- and post-sales leasing specialists.

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The additional help from VAR Resources gives many channel partners inexperienced in the subtleties of leasing to ask for advice and recommendations in how to structure deals. It also offers participating resellers a competitive advantage over those who have no leasing options within their toolkits, says Gavin Adams, president of Viyu Networks, a virtualization reseller and early participant in the Ingram Micro program.

"VAR Resources has shown us how to leverage leasing to the fullest extent and their sales execution strategies are second to none," Adams said in a statement. “Leasing through VAR Resources makes it easier for my customer to buy my equipment and easier for me to get my money quickly.”

Ingram Micro leadership says it chose to create the program in order to help take IT leasing mainstream.

"Leasing is a lucrative, yet widely untapped financing alternative in the IT channel," Keith Bradley, Ingram Micro North America president, said in a statement. "The challenge is many channel partners have a hard time finding the right leasing partner and don't have the expertise in house to manage the leasing transaction or sell its value to the client base.”