How does Copy Machine Service Contract Agreement works?

It is an exciting experience to buy or lease new copier equipment for your office.

Photocopy machines these days are equipped with a wide range of features to ensure that the device can take up complex demands of printing or copying.

Choosing the right equipment can not only boost your team’s productivity but can also replace a range of other equipment used in the office with a single device.

Once you’ve decided to get a copier for your office, your dealer will approach you with a copier maintenance agreement.

While the document is a necessity for all future purposes, it is crucial to understand its key points and how it serves you.

Before we go any further, let us start from the basics.

What is a Copy Machine Service Contract

A copier service contract is like a health insurance for your copier.

Just like medical insurance helps you budget your health-related expenses more efficiently, a copier service agreement protects a machine from the unnecessary costs incurred by expensive repairs.

So, in general, the primary purpose of a copier maintenance contract is to improve the copier’s lifespan and ensure that it keeps performing in the best conditions.

In an event where your copier gets jammed or breaks down, the agreement allows you to reach out to a group of experts to fix the issue.

A copier service agreement is a multifaceted approach that covers your machine parts, toner/ink, ongoing maintenance, and emergency repairs.

How Does a Copier Service Agreement Works?

When entering into a contractual obligation, your dealer will give you different options to choose from for your service maintenance.

All-In-One Lease Payment

A fixed monthly lease payment for the copier will include a predetermined amount of prints that you can make every month at no charge. If you lease a color copier, it will most likely include a set of black and white, and color prints.

If you go beyond the specific amount allotted, you will be charged a particular fee per page.

Since the monthly payment is fixed, you will also have to pay for the prints that you didn’t use.

Lease and Maintenance are Separate

Popularly known as cost per copy contract, maintenance charges and lease charges are separated in this contract.

In a maintenance agreement, you will get a preventive service covering parts, supplies, and unlimited training. The good thing about this contract is that you don’t have to pay for anything you don’t use.

Now let us suppose your contractual agreement says that you pay a specific amount per page. In this case, your service dealer will multiply the number of copiers or pages by that amount, making it economical for small and medium-sized businesses.

Usually, the maintenance charges and charges for prints will come up as a separate monthly bill.

Pay-As-You-Go

Pay-As-You-Go means you have to pay for the repairs or maintenance service when it is required.

This is not advisable because frequent repairs will be needed as your copier starts to age. Also, you will have to pay for the toner cost from your pocket.

What is Included in a Copier Maintenance Agreement?

Preventive maintenance agreement varies depending on the vendor.

However, there are several standard services which will be offered in copier service agreements.

In most cases, these agreements cover anything required for the regular operation of the equipment.

Some problems such as staples, paper, and network-related issues are however not applicable.

It is, therefore, advisable to go through the list of exclusions in the service agreement before signing the contract.

You can see that some of the things that are included in the agreement are:

General Description of the Copier

The details of the copier, its serial number, the number of accessories, and details of the service provider are included here.

Total Charges

This section includes the rental charges/month, deposit amount, and monthly meter charges.

Rental Period

Here, the total duration of the contract after it is signed will be mentioned along with the starting and end date.

Toner

Modern commercial copiers run on toners rather than ink because it is possible to print large volumes of pages just by using a single toner cartridge.

In most of the service agreements, a clause makes the dealer responsible for providing the toner to the client based on request.

Advanced machines with networking capabilities have automatic alert capability where an alert will be sent to the dealer when the toner is running low.

Parts & Supplies

Copier service agreements often have coverage for faulty parts and supplies.

Replacement or repair will be provided for drum units, rollers, fuses, operation panels, electronic boards (PCB board), etc.

Having a copier service agreement will definitely be beneficial for you as you can expect the service from expert technicians who are well versed in repair.

Diagnostics & Labor

Copier service companies often incur labor costs for deploying their technician to the user’s site. If the repair location is far, it could add up additional travel expenses as well.

They also employ staff to remotely observe alerts coming from copiers and provide remote assistance during emergencies.

If you plan to pay for maintenance without a service agreement, it could be burdensome if your copier requires extensive repair.

Having a copier service agreement means that you can get your copier repaired without additional cost, except for the exclusions negotiated while entering into the contract.

What are the Benefits of Having a Copier Maintenance Contract?

Investing in a copier maintenance contract offers numerous benefits.

1. Avoid Unnecessary Repair Costs

A copier service contract could help you drastically cut down unexpected repair or maintenance costs if the copier stopped working.

All you have to do is call the dealer, and your repair will be done at no additional cost. Without a service contract, your copier maintenance could cost you hundreds of ringgits in repair.

2. Minimum Downtime

Let’s consider a scenario in which your copier breaks down while you are urgently making copies. Every minute wasted will affect your productivity to a great extent.

By having a repair/service agreement, it is possible to get your copier repaired within a short period. Besides, periodic preventive maintenance will also help to ensure that unexpected breakdowns don’t happen.

If the repairs take a longer time than expected, your dealer might allow you to use a replacement copier until the problem gets fixed.

3. Consumables are Included

A good copier service agreement will cover the necessary consumables as well. You might have often noticed that your toner runs out of ink while you are doing urgent copying.

With a service contract, you can include points like ordering consumables that require urgent replacement. Certain service providers can remotely monitor your device, and ship the necessary item (like toners) as soon as they find it running low.

Thus having a good service contract will help you cut down unnecessary expenses and have peace of mind.

What Affects A Copier Service Contract Price/Cost?

Here are some elements linked to a copier service contract cost:

Speed & Paper output

The operation speed and the required output play a key role in determining the cost of a copier service contract.

The higher the required output and volume, the greater will be the requirement of cost.

For example, if you are using a copier at 80% capacity, the maintenance charge will be higher than those offices that utilize just 20% of copier capacity.

Machine age

Maintenance requirements for a very old copier will be higher than that of a brand new one.

Machine parts will get worn out by age, and after a particular period, frequent replacement is required that might affect the maintenance charges.

Other Factors

Some of the other factors that determine the copier service contract prices are:

• What software is installed in the copier, and the updates required?
• Is your copier color or monochrome?
• How often do you have to replace the parts?
• Are your copier spare parts easily available in the market?

What to Look For in a Copier Maintenance Company?

You can avail of service or repair your copier only from the company that supports your specific brand.

Printing technologies and parts greatly vary depending on the company that produces the brand.

Say, for example, if you have bought or leased a specific copier from a company, you will have to seek the help of a dealer who is certified to maintain or repair the product.

Dealers are reluctant to service products that they don’t lease or sell.

When you look for a maintenance company, ensure to check the following information which includes:

• Experience of the technicians.
• Average response time. It can take a few hours for some companies, while others may take a few days.
• What is the minimum time taken for the technicians to diagnose and fix an issue?

Remember to compare quotes from different service providers and choose the one which suits your budget and needs.

Should I Get a Copier Maintenance Agreement?

If you plan to purchase a new copier, we strongly suggest you get a copier maintenance agreement along.

Maintenance agreements help cover issues that might happen during a breakdown as well as cover extensive repair charges.

If you have a service agreement for your copier, you will have peace of mind knowing that you are well prepared for any unforeseen repair or maintenance demands.

All you need to do is simply pick up your phone and call your provider in case of a breakdown.

Conclusion

This article has mentioned some of the intricate details of different types of copier contracts.

Make sure that you choose a service contract depending only on your specific requirements.

Choosing a copier service contract is beneficial in the long run and helps to ensure peace of mind.

After all, your work should never stop!