One of the primary considerations when acquiring a printer is: how will the equipment be maintained for the duration of its service life? The larger the business and the more printers and other office equipment being used, the more critical the maintenance becomes. What is the best way to keep control of the costs associated with not only the maintenance but also the consumables being used? Most reputable printer service providers will offer a number of different solutions for the maintenance and/or repair of your units.
What is on Offer?
One of the options commonly offered to end users by printer service providers is a service contract. The contract is signed by the end user with the manufacturer or one of their accredited agents (usually also an accredited reseller). This type of agreement typically includes an undertaking by the supplier of the device to service and maintain the unit in good working order for its expected life or a specified fixed term. The cost is determined by the manufacturer or accredited distributer up front.
The provider contracts with the end user of the device to provide technical support from a certified service team in the event of any technical fault occurring with the device for the contract term. Most office equipment service and maintenance agreements include spares and may even include consumables, such as ink or toner. The cost is sometimes calculated on a cost-per-print basis. In other words, for every print made, a fixed cost is levied on the end user to cover any maintenance and repairs required. There are usually certain minimum and maximum print volumes allowed with the cost-per-print model.
The other common option is to deal with any maintenance and repairs on an ad hoc basis. Here, the unit is repaired by the provider for the cost of parts and labour as the need arises. A telephonic diagnostic is commonly carried out by a repair technician to establish what the fault may be before scheduling and dispatching the technician to site. Once on site, the technician repairs the unit and provides a list of parts used and time required for the repair after which the end user is billed. Most reputable providers will provide at least a three-month warranty on all labour and replacement parts.
Ad Hoc or Service Contract?
What are the pros and cons of ad hoc (parts and labour) maintenance versus a service contract? Fundamentally, the difference revolves around risk. When a printer service provider provides contractual cover for the maintenance of your device, they assume the risk that the provision they allow may be inadequate to cover the actual cost of maintaining the unit. The end user has no risk whatsoever.
Of course, the printer service provider usually has a great deal of experience and a large installed base of printers they can leverage to minimize their risk. The provider knows from experience that some units may perform poorly and require more maintenance while others will perform well and require little maintenance. The end user pays a small premium to have no risk and this allows the printer service provider to cover the unit while still making a profit on the average cost of maintaining all the devices under contract.
Where an end user elects to go with maintenance and repairs on an ad hoc basis, they run the risk of unbudgeted-for failures. This is particularly true in the event of unusual, high-cost failures occurring. The ad hoc model of maintenance can amount to taking a gamble. The end user may get lucky and experience no out-of-the-ordinary maintenance costs but the risk of the opposite being the case remains an ever-present possibility. Often, the short-term saving made by not taking contractual cover can quickly disappear and become an ever-increasing cost.
Which Printer Service Provider is for You?
Choose a printer service provider that sells and supports the leading brands. Look at the customers that they already supply and support. If the company has a list of well-known companies that trust and buy from them, you will be in good hands. A company like Raydian offers sales and support as well as expert advice on printers, office automation, and the financial options available for acquiring these technologies.
They are also in a position to offer rental machines and maintenance contracts on printers and other office equipment. Raydian will make it easy for you to acquire the print solution that is best for your needs, budget, and environment. Speak to Raydian – printer sales and maintenance experts in South Africa. View our full range of service contracts here.
