Why Financial Agility is the New Competitive Edge

Why Financial Agility is the New Competitive Edge

By: Romie Castelli, Senior Managing Director Americas Sales, Cisco Capital

I am often asked about the value of technology financing. Years ago, when capital was inexpensive and the standard operating procedure for many businesses was to “sweat” their technology assets for as long as possible, financing was often viewed as an optional convenience.

Today, we are operating in a completely different reality. On one hand, we are witnessing an unprecedented surge in AI adoption, with businesses across every industry racing to accelerate their transformation. On the other, we face a complex macroeconomic environment. Tightening budgets, supply chain volatility, price fluctuations, and persistent economic uncertainty have forced IT leaders and CFOs to fundamentally rethink how they procure and consume technology. The result is a constant, uphill battle: the need to innovate at “AI speed” while navigating increasingly scrutinized budgets and hedging against the very real risk of technology obsolescence.

The data confirms this pressure. According to IDC’s 2025 IT Leasing and Financing Survey, 82% of organizations say that the availability of financing directly influences their choice of technology vendor. Financing is no longer just a “nice-to-have”; it is the lever that allows you to modernize without compromising your financial stability. For many organizations, financing has become a key consideration in technology procurement strategy.

As I prepare to head to Cisco Live US in Las Vegas (May 31–June 4), I’ve been reflecting on how my team and I can better support our customers in the Americas. Technology alone isn’t enough to get you to the finish line. You need a financing strategy that moves as fast as your technology roadmap.

Navigating Economic Challenges with Cisco Capital

When you face the friction of price increases, tightening budgets, and the challenge of clearing legacy backlogs, the traditional “purchase-and-own” procurement model often becomes a bottleneck. It forces an impossible choice: delay critical projects, accept the risk of running on aging and obsolete infrastructure, or over-extend your capital.

My team and I work every day to help our customers move past these hurdles. By shifting from large, upfront payments to flexible, lifecycle-based financing, we help you manage economic headwinds with payment structures designed to support your business—so your technology can keep pace with your strategy rather than hold it back.

Three Ways Cisco Capital Turns Financial Constraints into a Competitive Advantage

At Cisco Capital, we are laser-focused on three areas where we can deliver immediate, measurable value to your business:

1. Simplified, Unified Procurement: We ease the administrative friction of complex IT buying. By bundling hardware, software, services, and security into a single contract with a single invoice, we transform the procurement process into a streamlined experience. The result is reduced administrative overhead, greater visibility into your total cost of ownership, and more time for your team to focus on strategic priorities instead of paperwork.
2. Financing for Strategic Innovation: We provide the financing bridge to your most critical technology goals. Whether you are scaling an AI-ready data center, fortifying your security posture with solutions like Splunk, or executing a network modernization plan, we align your costs with your value realization. This means you can deploy what you need today—without waiting for the next fiscal cycle—and utilize payment structures designed to align with your planned project timelines.
3. Agility Through Flexible Payment Structures: Our flexible payment solutions, such as Cisco Dual Pay, are designed for modern business agility. They allow you to modernize with ultimate financing flexibility and predictability, without draining your cash reserves. This is how you stay ahead of technology obsolescence while preserving the liquidity your business needs to seize new market opportunities.

Financing as a Strategic Lever

The 2025 Cisco Buyer Behavior Survey highlights a critical trend: for many of our customers, recurring expense is now a higher priority than upfront cost. Cisco Capital is designed to support this evolution, helping your organization move away from large, upfront investments toward flexible, lifecycle-based models that enable continuous, sustainable modernization, even in the most difficult economic environments.

Let’s Connect in Las Vegas

The gap between a brilliant technology strategy and real-world progress is almost always a financial one. My goal as the Americas sales leader for Cisco Capital is to help you close that gap.

At Cisco Live, you’ll hear about powerful innovations across AI infrastructure, security, and network modernization. My team and I are here to help make sure those innovations are within reach with financing options designed to align your business strategy, cash flow, and timeline.

If you are joining us at Cisco Live US in Las Vegas, my team and I will be on site to talk about your specific challenges—whether it’s managing budget volatility, supporting a critical technology refresh, or mapping out your AI infrastructure roadmap. Let’s move past the “wait-and-see” approach so your financing decisions can help support your next chapter, rather than be the anchor that holds you back.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Visit cisco.com/go/payment-solutions to learn more
about Cisco Capital flexible payment solutions.

Payment solutions, applicable financiers and availability of any referenced programs will vary by jurisdiction. Financing and service offerings through Cisco Systems Capital Corporation and its affiliates (collectively, “Cisco Capital”) are available in certain jurisdictions and are subject to credit approval and execution of standard Cisco Capital documentation. Payment solutions not available through Cisco Capital may be offered by an independent financing source. Rates and terms are based on customer’s credit rating, offering types, product types and options. Not all customers may qualify. Not all services or offers are available in all jurisdictions. Other restrictions may apply. Cisco Capital reserves the right to change or cancel the foregoing at any time without notice. In California, loans offered by Cisco Capital will be made or arranged pursuant to a California Financing Law License. This content is for informational purposes only and is not an offer of credit. Cisco Capital does not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice; please consult your own advisors.