When we buy new electronics, we’re faced with the decision: Do I buy the extended warranty or insurance plan? Plenty of people immediately think, “This is where they’re trying to trick me.” I get it. That extra expense wasn’t what you intended to pay out of the gate. And it’s possible you’ll never need it, and then it feels like you’ve wasted money. No one likes wasting money. You may have similar feelings towards a maintenance contract for your business hardware. But a contract maintenance agreement with a trusted provider is not like insurance.
You spend a lot of cash upfront to give your business the data processing tools it needs to run smoothly. You want that investment to last as long as absolutely possible and having regular maintenance will allow you to reach that goal, saving you money in the long-term. Here are five reasons you need a contract maintenance agreement.
1. Longer lasting equipment
As previously mentioned, IT hardware takes a big cash investment. Servers, printers, computers, and POS Systems are highly technical pieces of equipment and it’s important to maintain them properly to get the most out of them. By sticking to a routine maintenance schedule, your hardware will undergo thorough inspections designed to catch any serious issues before they cause a major problem. Maintenance reduces the likelihood of unexpected system failure as well, which means you don’t have to worry about downtime.
2. Expert technicians
With regularly scheduled contract maintenance, your technicians will know the history of your equipment and what your expectations are for its performance. There is no learning curve every time an issue arises. This ensures that they plan for your needs when they come and can give you informed advice on when to replace or repair.
3. Dedicated service schedule
As important as regular maintenance is, it’s critical that a regular schedule be set so that work automatically occurs. As a business owner, you can stay focused on growing your business and not be distracted by trying to schedule service. An experienced hardware maintenance provider will keep track of your systems, service schedule, and supply levels to ensure your needs are met before they even become needs.
4. Emergency service
IT emergencies can cause even the most stalwart managers to panic. When you have an existing agreement with an IT service provider, you’ll know quickly whom to contact in the event that emergency service is needed. When your systems are down unexpectedly, time is of the essence, and you won’t want to waste valuable minutes searching for a new service provider to assist you. If you have a managed service provider that also offers printer or server monitoring, you won’t even need to alert them, because they’ll already be on the way to remedy the situation.
Just like in the service contract example, business owners are wary of paying for a service that they aren’t sure they’ll need. While it’s tempting to wait until the other shoe drops before paying for system maintenance, a contractual agreement will likely save you money in the long run. Service companies often offer a discount to their contract clients, and you will be able to better budget for your maintenance as many of the costs will be arranged beforehand.
