The Clock Is Ticking on Windows 10. The October 14, 2025, end-of-support deadline is fast approaching, and businesses that haven’t moved to Windows 11 are running out of time. Devices running unsupported operating systems will soon become liabilities—introducing security vulnerabilities, compliance risks, and accelerated depreciation (up to 3% per month).
In April, we explored how resellers are leveraging trade-in programs to prepare for this shift in Navigating the Windows 11 Transition. But as the deadline nears, the conversation is evolving.
The real question is: what comes after the upgrade? The answer is services—where partners can create enduring value and differentiation. This moment isn’t just about urgency; it’s also a once-in-a-decade opportunity for partners to help customers modernize securely, sustainably, and strategically—with services leading the way.
Post-Upgrade Services: Meeting the New Demands
For many organizations, moving to Windows 11 surfaces a new wave of service needs:
- Security Hardening: With enhanced features in Windows 11, customers are leaning on partners for endpoint protection, zero-trust architecture, and government-grade data erasure.
- Endpoint Management: Device enrollment, policy enforcement, and lifecycle tracking are complex—especially at scale. Tools like Microsoft Autopilot and White Glove services are critical to minimizing downtime.
- Training & Adoption: Technology is only as effective as the people using it. Many organizations are investing in user training to help employees adapt to new workflows and features.
- Disposal & Recycling: With device refresh comes the question of what happens to the old devices. Secure IT asset disposition (ITAD)—from certified recycling to drive shredding—is in high demand.
- Pre-Deployment Readiness: Even before devices arrive, services like kitting, asset tagging, and integration ensure employees receive hardware that’s deployment-ready.
As emphasized during the 2025 TD SYNNEX Vendor Summit, endpoints are no longer just devices—they’re platforms for lifecycle services and intelligence. Attaching services across this continuum helps partners build trust, deepen relationships, and create stickier revenue streams long after deployment.
Opportunity in a Competitive Market
Yet this urgency also opens the door for partners to differentiate.
The TD SYNNEX fourth annual Direction of Technology Report shows North America partners are more optimistic than global peers but also face sharper competition and rising cyber risks.
“Services are the Sherpas”—the guides who simplify complexity and help customers climb further, faster. And the payoff is clear: services-led companies enjoy nearly 2x higher gross margins than product-only providers.
TD SYNNEX Services is designed to help partners go “beyond the upgrade” by supporting the full lifecycle by attaching lifecycle services—trade-in, ITAD, lifecycle management, and pre-deployment integration—and combining them with financing programs like TD SYNNEX Capital. Together, they help partners modernize customer environments securely, sustainably, and without large upfront costs.
Partner Advice: Act Now
The message to resellers is simple: don’t wait until October 14 to start planning. Evaluate your customers’ current assets now:
- Are they Windows 11 capable?
- Can they support the latest security protocols?
- Are there opportunities to recover value before depreciation accelerates?
By answering these questions early, partners can protect their customers’ environments, maximize trade-in value, and attach services that transform a necessary migration into a long-term growth opportunity.
As the DoT Report made clear, the winners in this fast-changing market will be those who pivot quickly and elevate customer experience. Windows 11 is not just an endpoint upgrade, it’s a chance to deliver services that define how organizations work, collaborate, and innovate for years to come.
For partners, this isn’t the end of the journey. It’s the beginning of a new era of services-led growth.
