A $100,000 machine rarely costs $100,000 by the time it's running. Shipping, installation, rigging, training, and integrating software can add meaningfully : and businesses often don't realize these soft costs can frequently be financed alongside the equipment.
The key is including them in the request from the start.
Which soft costs commonly ride along
- Shipping and delivery
- Installation, rigging, and setup
- Training and onboarding
- Required software, licenses, and integration
- Warranties and maintenance plans (sometimes)
How to structure the request
Get an itemized vendor quote that separates equipment from soft costs, and share the full quote with the provider rather than just the equipment price. Providers evaluate the whole financed package : some cap the soft-cost share, so ask how their limits work.
A common budgeting trap
Financing only the equipment and paying soft costs in cash can strain the very cash flow the equipment is supposed to improve. If the soft costs are legitimate project costs, ask whether they can be included before paying them out of pocket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to explore your options?
If this topic relates to a funding need you have, you can begin a funding request through Kennify's financing partner at any time.