MULTIFUNCTION COPIERS AND PRINTERS | 5 MIN READ
You’ve made a decision that purchasing or leasing a copier is the right option for your business, but now your copier vendor is asking you to make another very important decision on whether to sign a copier maintenance agreement. This article will guide you through everything you need to know about your copier maintenance agreement and allow you to be informed enough to make an educated choice.
What is a copier maintenance agreement?
Think of a copier maintenance agreement (also known as a Service Level Agreement) like health insurance. People acquire health insurance so that they can be protected when they’re sick. This allows them to be able to budget their healthcare expenses more easily.
The same is true for a copier maintenance agreement. As your machine ages, it will need more maintenance. A service agreement protects you from unnecessary costs that can be associated with copier machine downtime.
What are the risks of not having a copier
maintenance agreement?
Like being uninsured for healthcare, it is cheaper for you to not have any plan, as long as your copier never breaks down. But let’s be honest – like all machines – your machine is going to experience some downtime. Some brands are better than others and selecting the right multifunction copier for your business is critical.
A copier maintenance agreement will help you avoid unexpected costs to your business by protecting you throughout your contract. If your copier machine malfunctions, you can relax knowing that service on your machine is covered in your contract.
But because you have a maintenance agreement, your downtime will be less often because your copier vendor will regularly service your machine to make sure everything is functioning properly (like a physical at the doctor’s office). Let’s not forget about the soft costs of downtime (unproductive employees, contracts that can’t be printed, etc.), which add to the costs of a machine lacking a maintenance agreement.
READ: How to Avoid Copiers Service Maintenance Costs
What is included in a copier maintenance agreement?
Ultimately, copier service will vary slightly from vendor to vendor, but there are some common services that tend to be offered in most copier maintenance agreements. Most copier vendors offer “bumper to bumper” type coverage, which means they will cover anything that is part of the normal, continued operation of the machine (so - paper and staples don't count).
Some of the items that might be included in a service contract, include:
- Parts (any moving parts within the machine that are expected to wear out)
- Supplies (toner, drums, etc.)
- Labor (service technicians making the trip to your office to service or maintain your copy machine)
This is a very general list because each copier vendor will vary slightly with what services are offered in your contract. Knowing that companies vary in the services they offer is a great reason for receiving multiple quotes – not just to find the best price, but to discover how far your company dollars take you with a vendor.
The decision seems obvious, doesn’t it?
Each business that chooses not to have a copier maintenance agreement has its reasons for doing so, but when we speak with our customers, it’s very rare someone chooses an unprotected option.
The risk of being inundated with maintenance costs, alone, is enough to realize the benefits of signing a service contract because it is important to remember that all machines will experience downtime, and the less they are maintained, the more downtime potential exists.
Readers who read about “Copier Maintenance Agreements” also read:
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Should I Lease or Buy a Copier?
Used Copier: What You Didn’t Know
How to Avoid Copier Service Maintenance Costs
