TRIMBLE SOLUTIONS (UK)
Providing a competitive case to help get “deals over the line”
Global company Trimble, best known for GPS Technology, integrates a wide range of positioning technologies with application software, wireless communications and services. Founded in 1978 in Silicon Valley, Trimble now has offices in 35 countries and its products are used in over 150 countries worldwide.
Reality Finance works closely with Trimble’s Buildings segment to provide technology solutions for each phase of the building lifecycle. With the industry’s only constructible process and full range of tools and content to streamline team collaboration, Trimble solutions make data from complex projects more meaningful and actionable to improve productivity and achieve operational excellence.
We spoke to Craig Johnson, Regional Sales Manager at Trimble Solutions (UK), to discuss how their well-established relationship with Reality Finance has continually supported their sales.
Challenge
As Trimble’s Buildings segment continues to grow, their challenge is to provide their products for all types of companies, with different types of financial requirements, to remain competitive in their marketplace. For example, Craig explains that “some of [Trimble’s] accounts are small businesses that do not have the capital expenditure to make an investment in the software for the full amount”.
Solution
Through their partnership with Reality Finance, Trimble is able to offer its customers a Leasing option. Craig describes how this is a great solution for his sales team: “The lease option through Reality gives us the flexibility to offer a more affordable amount per month and it also allows our accounts to plan ahead with a fixed monthly cost”. He explains that it also “gives the customer the opportunity to purchase perpetual licences for the same or similar cost that we offer rental licences.”
Benefits
Fixed monthly costs are beneficial to both Trimble and their customers, in terms of financial planning and business stability. It “allows for budgeting and planning and also makes the software purchase more palatable for those companies who may not necessarily have the cashflow to spend”. Another added benefit is that “the customer feels like they have something to show for the expense at the end of the period” Craig explained. He has also found that “if your customer is hesitant about investing then leasing can help get some deals over the line.”
Trimble Buildings’ challenge to remain competitive within their marketplace is fully supported by Reality Finance. Whilst speaking with Craig, we learned that “The majority of [Trimble’s] competitors only offer subscription licences on a monthly basis, so a lease with Reality Finance allows [Trimble] to make a competitive case against them with the added bonus of owning the software at the end of the lease period.”
We asked Craig what advice he would give to others considering funding for their customers: “It has impacted my sales significantly as it has given companies who may not have been able to afford to purchase software a means to do so. I would highly recommend it as a way of helping your customer plan ahead not use up all of their capex and also take advantage of the tax benefits that can be associated with leasing.”
The relationship with Reality Finance was formed by Richard Fletcher, Managing Director at Trimble, before Craig joined the company over three years ago. Craig continues to use Reality Finance “because I find the customer service and assistance we get excellent. Especially on facilitating some arrangements that other companies may not look into.” He describes Reality Finance as “a friendly professional lease company who assist me in selling software to those who may not be able to afford the costs upfront.”