Before
You Say "No" To A Service Contract, Please Read
This!
NO PROBLEMS EXPECTED
Nobody expects to have problems with the things they buy.
When you drive that new car off the dealer's lot, the
last thing you're thinking about is what could go wrong
a year or two down the road. You want---and have the right
to expect---that what you buy will perform well for years
to come. Well, it's the same with computer-based products
like AIDC assets and printers. When you unpack your new
equipment and power it up, you're imagining all the things
you can do with this powerful, new equipment...not what
you won't be able to do if a problem occurs.
REALITY
The fact is, our customers can't afford to have their
equipment go down---ever! Astute business owners and managers
know that downtime is lost money, pure and simple. For
those of you who use your AIDC equipment and printers
for product identification and supply chain management
there are typically other financial penalties for failure
to deliver and/or failure to comply with identification
requirements.
A problem out of warranty means a time delaying process
of searching for a service center, fighting voice mail
jail and ultimately getting best effort support after
you pack up the equipment and send it to where ever
at your expense. Best effort repair may take 5 to 10
days in addition to the transit time
Problems that occur during the warranty period are
not any easier to handle since you only have to go through
the same process with the manufacturer. While as a warranty
customer you are ahead of the time and material customers
in the repair queue, your urgent repair is still behind
the contract maintenance customer repairs in the queue.
Additional administrative delays can occur if the manufacturer’s
warranty repair personnel determine the submitted repair
is not covered under warranty. The process slows down
longer while coordinating a purchase order or payment.
CAVEAT EMPTOR
An alternative is self-maintenance. But do you have
the time for your staff to invest their time into something
that does not fully utilize their best talents. Plus
the other frustrating and time-consuming activity is
finding the maintenance manuals and necessary spare
parts. Most manufacturers will only sell manuals and
spare parts to only factory certified repair organizations.
Me too providers sometime make repairs using used parts
recovered from scrapped units. They may also learn how
to repair the unit on your time.
If you can find the spare parts the best way to assure
a timely repair is to stock them in advance. But the
accountants would quickly remind us inventory is committed
cash until it is utilized. If you never have to use
these spare parts they are typically written off against
you profitability when at the time of disposal.
FOUND UPTIME
A few years ago it was difficult to convince our customers
that adding an onsite or depot service contract to their
purchase was a smart idea, today they ask for it.
Yes, surprisingly enough, our customers are asking
for complete, competent and convenient extended service
protection for their systems. They tell us that they
want complete coverage, without hassles---and they want
it fast! One customer told me that he believes in "Health
insurance, automobile insurance and Asset Uptime insurance!"
This man is a friend and customer of ours who operates
a mission critical node in national supply chain. Their
business is built around a highly automated AIDC solution
that affects their commitments if equipment is down.
"Without it," they explain, " They are
out of business. Price may be (add) is (delete) the
starting point for establishing a customer relationship
but our ability to perform is the sustaining factor."
REALIZE YOUR ROI
If you're investing in advanced AIDC solutions; assets
, printers or software, and expect it to last a few
years, why not insure that expectation---with the peace
of mind that you'll have fast, knowledgeable service
for it over that lifespan? Most manufacturers' warranties
only cover a short time, which is one of the ways they're
able to lower prices. Lower prices are good news, but
shorter warranties and a long list of exemptions and
restrictions too-often accompany that lower price tag.
RECOMMENDATION
"AIS Onsite and Depot Service": One Call Service!
800-685-0213
AIS has a complete network of experienced professionals
who can fix printers and AIDC assets ---quickly and
efficiently. The remedial repair coverage is inclusive
of parts and labor, but excludes consumables such as
THT print heads, ribbons, toner, and manufacturer’s
specified maintenance kits.
If you need to request a repair, just call 800-685-0213.
With service contract available for one to three full
years, you'll have access to onsite or depot. You never
pay for any approved repair. Your remedial maintenance
cost can be budgeted the year(s).
Additionally AIS gives contract customer discounts on
OEM recommended supplies, new products and integration
services purchases
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