Depot repair of point of sale (POS) - choosing a vendor: #1 Quality
This is the time of year that companies take a deep breath and start planning for the upcoming year. The economy remains down and budgets are tight, so many people are looking for ways to save money on their hardware repair costs.
Some companies are evaluating their current depot repair contracts, or perhaps considering changing from expensive, on-site repair to a depot model. Others are looking to switch from relying solely on repair by the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to more cost effective third parties.
If you have decided on the depot repair approach then there are a number of areas you need potential vendors to qualify so that you can be assured of the highest service.
This blog introduces the first of these:
1. Quality! Quality! Quality!
Depot repairs can be an efficient and inexpensive way of maintaining your hardware, but the quality of the repair work is paramount.
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Ask these 5 questions of potential vendors to help determine their standards:
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References -
Ask potential suppliers for references and contact these directly. Satisfied customers in an industry are regularly happy to talk to their peers. Also ask the supplier for names of lapsed customers – why don’t they do business together anymore? It may not be the fault of the supplier, but lapsed customers can have a story to tell. For example, a lapsed customer may not be using a repair service because they have recently upgraded to new technology. But will they return to their previous repair vendor once warranties expire?
The set-up of the vendor -
Ask about the history of the company, their technical expertise, how many staff they have and whether the appropriate capacity exists to handle your needs. You have to judge whether the company size is right for you. For example, if you have 500 repairs per month, then choosing a repair company with only a handful of technicians may be unwise. Similarly, if you select a supplier with hundreds of technicians then your worth to them may not be high and you may not be valued as a customer.
Peace of mind –
Ask what warranty is provided on the repair work. Once warranties expire on new equipment, some OEMs are notorious for having poor guarantees on their out-of-warranty repairs. Some go as low as 30 days! Ask for six months from a depot repair center – you need a supplier that will stand behind their work.
Determine the cover –
Ask the potential vendor whether their warranty covers just the repaired fault or the complete point of sale unit. Again, some companies will just warranty the specific fix and charge you again if a repaired item develops a different fault. Steer clear of this approach!
On-going support –
Determine how your repair work is handled. Ask what procedures are in place for the logistics and tracking. Also, determine whether the vendor records repeat failures and what alerts they provide to flag trends or developing problems with your equipment. Make sure you can tap into their expertise when managing inventory and determining the need for new equipment.
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