Microsoft has asked its enterprise customers how it can improve the adoption of Surface tablets and Windows 10 in the workplace.
The firm said in its Windows Blog that its large customers with global footprints expressed that they needed a broader set of service, management and support options.
“Many told us they wanted to buy Surface from one partner, in one transaction, and have devices deployed all over the world with a single support and warranty SLA,” reads the blog post.
So last month, Microsoft decided to listen to its customers and announced that Dell and HP will now resell Surface tablets and bring their enterprise-grade support offerings to the devices.
In addition to this, Microsoft has now announced that there will be two new additions to the Surface Enterprise Initiative, which are both designed to accelerate the adoption of Surface tablets and Windows 10.
First off, beginning in early 2016, Microsoft will have a new enterprise warranty and services available to customers via its commercial resellers. The Microsoft Complete for Enterprise warranty offering includes four elements that the firm says its larger enterprise customers have asked for. These include:

  • Ability to pool warranty claims by company versus individual devices
  • Allowing for warranty claims against non-bootable devices – helpful when customers have data security policies that either require a device to be wiped of all confidential information or require destruction of the hard drive prior to the device being returned under the warranty
  • Next day air in the U.S. for fastest possible device replacement, and a similar rapid replace processing for markets outside the U.S.
  • An on-boarding centre to ensure a premium experience within the first 30 days for both IT and end users – Microsoft will assist IT staff to get setup with warranty and support processes as well as provide online training for their employees to get productive as fast as possible.

The second addition to the enterprise initiative is the Business Device Trade-In Program.
“Many customers have told us that they want to upgrade to Surface and Windows 10, but have invested in devices and need to maximise the value they receive from those assets,” reads the blog.
“With the Business Device Trade-in Program we make it simple. This is different from other trade-in offers in that it is a permanent program for business customers, rather than a limited time promotion.”
With 24 hour quotes, prepaid shipping labels and secure data wipe, business customers can trade their used business laptops, tablets, and phones for credit towards the purchase of new Surface devices.
This offer will be available in the coming weeks to business customers in the US, Canada, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
In the near future, the offer will also be available in Australia, France, Germany and the UK.
Earlier this month, Microsoft showcased its new tablet devices during its Windows 10 Devices event.

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