more New Zealand businesses opting to lease ICT equipment

More and more New Zealand businesses opting to lease ICT equipment

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, 25 November 2010 – Nearly half of all New Zealand businesses are currently choosing to lease their Information Communication Technology (ICT) equipment, according to independent research commissioned by Equico. Furthermore, of those who do not currently lease IT equipment, 36 per cent said they would consider doing so.

Businesses saw the main benefits of leasing IT equipment as the ability to upgrade easily (42%), cashflow benefits (35%) and being economical (31%).

“The constant change in the technology sector naturally lends ICT equipment to leasing rather then owning. That’s why businesses are choosing to lease over purchasing technology for the simple reason that leasing delivers substantial cost savings and capital can be invested elsewhere in the business,” says Paul Beattie, Managing Director, Equico.

“While the potential tax advantages of leasing vary from business to business, we get feedback that this is another reason why business opt to lease equipment. We’d suggest businesses speak with their accountant to see if any tax advantages apply to their situation.”

Three-quarters (71%) of respondents stated that their business had not put off investing in IT equipment due to the current economic environment.

Not surprisingly, nine out ten respondents saying they invested in ICT as a means to increase productivity and create efficiencies. However, one in three respondents did not actually know how much capital their business had tied up in ICT equipment.

Over a third of businesses (36%) confessed that they had invested in IT equipment that they did not use, or did not use optimally.

“Looking forward businesses have reaffirmed the importance of having the right ICT tools, with three quarters saying that their ICT budgets would remain the same or increase, with the majority of the investment going into computers and servers.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media