Questions When Buying Printer Service Contract
What questions should you ask when buying a printer service contract?
by Peter Printer
Are you in the market for a printer service contract plan? If your printer is uninsured by any plan presently you might just be looking for one. Here are the 7 questions I would ask myself when I consider a printer service contract, I hope they help you decide.
7 Questions When Buying Printer Service Contracts
1. Do I need a printer service contract?
It sounds like a silly question at first, but some smaller companies might not need a printer service contract. It depends on the unique needs of the individual business. For instance, if you have one printer and don’t use it often (maybe once a month for a specific amount of time), then you might be able to get away with a non-contract on-site service, or service center repair without a contract. The price will be higher and you may have to wait longer to get your printer fixed, but if you use it once a month you might not miss it.
Companies who use their industrial printers on a day to day basis would benefit highly from the annual service plan contract. With daily use, a business just cannot afford to have their printer broken for any amount of time without losing productivity.
2. What is my budget?
I mentioned above how non-contract services will cost more than an annual contract. How much more is incredible, however. Every service will add up, and they are not cheap. With an annual service plan, you’ll know exactly how much you’re going to pay upfront, making it easier for the savvy investor to keep their plan within their budget.
3. How long can I go without my printer if it breaks?
When you rely on the manufacturer’s warranty, things are going to move as slow as molasses. They only cover factory defects, and if you send in your printer it can take up to a month to get your printer back and running. I gathered this timeline by reading the fine print of many industrial printers. They tend to say they’ll take ‘15 business days’, but that’s 3 whole weeks and it doesn’t even include shipping and handling, rounding it out to be about a month in total. Kind of scary to think about, right? With an annual printer service contract the turnaround will be much quicker, since you’re paying for a speedy fix.
4. How old are my printers?
Even a new printer should be covered by an annual printer service contract if it is going to be going through rigorous daily use, but special accommodations should be made for printers who are gaining on their 3 or more birthdays. Just like you go to the doctor once a year for your checkup, a printer that is aging should be given the same amount of respect.
5. Where are they located?
Understandably, you will want a printer service contract which is local. It just makes sense. There are some printer repair services are strictly service center repairs, which means you would have to send it in every time it breaks which takes time. Other services offer purely onsite service which can be limiting as well because if the repairman can’t fix it, there isn’t much else you can do. The best choice would be to get a contract offering both on site and service center repairs, so you’re covered either way.
6. Are they trustworthy?
There are several ways to find out if your service provider is trustworthy. Do you know any other companies who use them? Word of mouth is one of the best ways to stay in the loop of good services. Also consider, are they using certified technicians? Do they have 30 day guarantees or not? If the answer is no to either of those questions, I would steer clear.
7. Have you considered MIDCOM?
And of course we have to plug our own company. We are nationwide, recognized by the Better Business Bureau, and we offer onsite repair in 8-business hours or less with our “Fastest Response” Printer Contract Plans. All labor and travel are included and we have unlimited service calls, so you can talk to us at any point. We are currently servicing 1000s of companies over the USA and Canada. We are the answer to all of these questions, if I may say so myself. So check out our “Fastest Response” Printer Service Contract Plans today!
No matter what you decide to do, you can still get in touch with us. Call MIDCOM at (800) 643-2664 or chat us up on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn!