Faults are occurring with our legacy POS, barcode and IT hardware. What are the options?
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“To repair or replace, that is the question.” Organizations regularly borrow this line from Shakespeare when their existing POS, barcode or IT hardware becomes faulty.
Previously, some companies automatically replaced defective hardware once the manufacturer’s warranty expires. However it can be difficult to justify this approach in today’s tough trading conditions.
In addition, manufacturers don’t seem to be developing that “killer app” that may propel a company to spend millions of dollars refreshing their infrastructure.
So, what’s a hardware support manager to do if she doesn’t buy new equipment?
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Photo credit: ccdoh1 |
• Consider refurbished equipment – most IT hardware lasts a long time, so look at buying used equipment at considerable savings compared to new.
• Repair existing equipment – develop a relationship with a repair company that can service your hardware. Typically, it costs 50% to 90% less than the price of a new replacement to return existing hardware back to full working order. Be careful about using the manufacturer for non-warranty repairs though, because this type of work is often a major profit center for them and the repair costs can be very high.
Sometimes however, adding new technology is inevitable. The advice here is simple – do not buy the manufacturer's extended warranties. These do not make economic sense, as the manufacturers charge a premium for the cover. Instead, satisfy yourself with the standard warranty and foster a relationship with a reputable vendor who can carry out any repairs that arise once this expires. Cost savings with this approach can easily be demonstrated and it helps to maximize the hardware’s return on investment over many years.
