Softcell Technologies Global Pvt. Ltd. (Softcell), a leading Systems Integrator in India has announced the launch of Softcell.Store, a platform that enables start ups, mid and large size enterprises to roll out Employee Purchase Programs (EPP) for the benefit of their employees. Once an employee authenticates to the designated EPP store using a valid company email id, they can browse various categories of IT devices and select a device of their choice.
A well implemented EPP is a win-win for the employer and the employee. Unlike the traditional method in which employers decide on which device the employee should work on, EPP allows employees to select their own devices for work and makes them feel valued by their employer. EPP is an enabler and facilitator for employers to retain employees for a longer duration and helps in attracting good quality of new hires.
With over 33+ years experience in Systems Integration, Softcell has a good understanding of network, devices, hosting services (cloud) and IT Security. Softcell’s extensive support and user training programs ensure that employees get to know their device well and use the device productively, securely and efficiently with proper maintenance throughout the device’s lifecycle. The platform presently offers ‘single brand’ phones and laptops with an option to add categories such as tablets, wearables, accessories, etc. as per requirement of corporate customers.
Sunil Dalal, Managing Director, Softcell, said, “Organisations today are allowing hybrid workplace and work from anywhere. Today’s fast paced business environment requires employees to always be on the move. It is therefore becoming a necessity for many organisations to provision more than one official device to employees. A well thought out EPP program supports organisations in balancing their cap-ex and op-ex allocation and extending benefits of EPP to their employees.”
“Softcell.Store is the result of over 5 years of experience and learning gathered from running EPP programs with leading corporates in India. Having sold and delivered over 20,000 devices to employees of our customers, we are now geared up to expand the EPP program nationally for the benefit of start ups, mid and large size enterprises. We have always strived to ensure a good customer experience for buyers on our store and we will continue to do so”, said Sunil Dalal.
One of the unique propositions of Softcell.Store is the ability to incorporate a company sweetener and an admin login from which employee purchases can be administered. Studies and research by leading universities and consultants have shown that when companies partially fund or reimburse IT devices purchased by employees, it often leads to higher employee productivity as well as loyalty. Offering partial reimbursement to employees for purchasing devices can often be beneficial from a taxation perspective for the employer while being tax neutral from employee stand point.
Softcell.Store offers flexi-options for making payments on the store. In the vanilla offering, employers can park a partial amount in the form of company sweetener for each employee while the employee has to pay only the balance amount on the Store. Alternatively, employers who do not offer partial reimbursement can still roll out EPP and allow employees to buy device(s) of their choice by paying full amount upfront through credit card / debit card and take benefit of cash back, no Cost EMI and buyback offers, where available.
“We are in the process of adding more payment options such as EMI deduction from salary account, pre-approved loans, etc. so that employees have the flexibility of deciding which financial instrument to use for buying the device of their choice in EPP”, said Sai Gopal, Business Head, Softcell.
Softcell has an ongoing EPP offering for their employees who get the benefit of buying phones at subsidised price points. The subsidy is offered by way of a company funded reimbursement program. The program has been implemented with close collaboration between the CIO, CHRO and the CFO.
