Aside from the information on lease terms and rates, there is another particular factor which all businesses should take into consideration. The service contract, which usually exists from the lease separately, is just like purchasing a plan in order to keep a car in oil and new tires for the rest of the leasing life. Just like a vehicle’s service contract, this also covers the required maintenance services which are completed in-house. Simply, you can save from the supposed expenses of sending the equipment out of the office for a needed repair.
For larger offices, this sort of peace of mind is the reason why service contracts have become popular. The only thing that a service agreement does not cover is electricity and paper.
A service contract follows a “per click” scheme. A “click” is defined as a one-sided, single copy or print. You will have to talk with a service provider on how exactly it is calculated, specifically with the black & white versus colored copies, as well as, with two-sided outputs. In most cases, the contract is the estimated number of prints or copies that are printed on a monthly basis, typically running between $0.05 and $0.09 per click for colored ones and $0.01 and $0.02 per click for B&W. This could vary depending on the number of pages printed per month.
Here are a few things to always remember:
- Always try your best to negotiate so that when you go beyond the expected monthly clicks, you will never be obliged to render higher payment rates. Settle with a fixed pay for an expected amount of click and pay for each click beyond the number.
- Fully understand what factors are you being charged on per click for 11×17 prints versus 8.5 x 11 outputs.
- Ask how B&W prints with tiny color logos are billed. For instance, are you being charged for a colored output for a reasonable amount, or is the company setting a minimum coverage amount for a predetermined number of usage? This could play a critical role when you have tiny colored parts every now and then.
Most copy machine service contracts include repairs, maintenance, drums, toners and all others that is not paper. The contract is designed in a manner that’s hassle-free to both the leasing party and the client; hence, allow the business to set its primary focus on the growth of the business and not on the maintenance routine works.
It could also include a few other things, often, detailed in the fine print. Orienting yourself of the fine prints could save you headaches. A few “incendiary” fine print we have seen includes drastic fees, annual and quarterly service fees, as well as, exceptions for continuous maintenance that do not allow for common technical issues.
The bottom line is, in any copy machine service agreement, you have to read and fully understand the fine prints. There are several copy machine service companies in the market today, so always make certain that you are getting a great deal. Do not be afraid to conduct leasing company shopping.
