Samsung Electronics is expanding its appliance subscription business into the corporate market, targeting businesses including hotels, hospitals, financial institutions and public organisations as it looks to turn appliance sales into a longer-term service relationship.

The move was announced in South Korea as Samsung marked the second anniversary of its appliance subscription business, under the newly named Samsung AI Subscription.

Samsung said it is launching a new B2B Samsung AI Subscription service aimed at corporate customers that need to deploy large numbers of appliances, allowing businesses to reduce the upfront cost of purchasing equipment while accessing ongoing maintenance and support.

The service is being targeted at sectors including public institutions, hotels, medical facilities, financial companies, public rental housing and dormitories.

Under the new B2B offering, customers can access Samsung’s B2B Blue Pass service, which provides product management tailored to individual business environments.

The package includes scheduled maintenance, a 48-hour emergency call-out service, dedicated engineers and additional product inspections. Samsung said corporate customers can receive up to six years of free after-sales service under the programme

Samsung says the subscription model is designed to address the significant upfront costs businesses can face when equipping new sites or multiple locations with appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines.

The company is also expanding its consumer subscription offering, introducing services tailored to different customer groups.

A Newlywed Pass is aimed at couples and single-person households that may purchase several appliances at once or move frequently. Services include post-move appliance inspections, furniture restoration following the installation or removal of certain appliances, and cleaning services at times designed to suit customers who cannot attend during normal business hours.

Samsung is also introducing an Easy Care Pass for older customers, including regular telephone assistance covering appliance use and consumable replacement.

The company said its subscription business is approaching 1 trillion won in revenue, excluding mobile products, roughly two years after its initial launch.

The development is significant for Samsung’s broader appliance strategy because the company is increasingly positioning maintenance, installation and after-sales support alongside the hardware itself.

Samsung Electronics Korea executive vice president Lim Seong-taek said the company plans to continue developing the service model around the entire subscription process, from sales and delivery through to installation and repairs.

In Australia however, there has not been any news of a B2B Samsung AI Subscription programme locally. The existing Australian Samsung Subscription programme has ended, according to Samsung Australia’s website.

Samsung Australia does have an established local corporate channel, however, and operates a growing B2B business covering home appliances and air solutions.