9 Tips for Choosing the Right Service Provider

You need your equipment to be operational 24/7. You are watching the bottom line. You need convenience and expertise. How do you go about choosing a service provider that works best for your business? Evaluate potential service providers using these criteria. If you can find one company that does it all, go for it! 1. Save time and money with one call You can reduce cost and save time if you can find a single service provider. Evaluate how much of your equipment can be maintained by a single vendor. Do you have scanners, printers, storage devices, digital signs? Check your vendor's ability to support your total operation. 2. Evaluate geographical coverage and response time capabilities Do you need global support, or support in particular regions? Do you need 24/7 support? How quickly will you need service – next day or immediately? 3. Assess online capabilities Is online chat available? Is self-service support available to help you solve problems without a service call? Can you view service history, check the status of a service call, and request service online? 4. Evaluate product expertise For best results, make sure the field staff is ISO 9001-certified. Is there dedicated staff for Level 2 tech support and Level 3 engineering? Are field engineers certified on other vendors' products? What is their level of training? 5. Understand the escalation process Does the vendor have a clearly defined process in place. Ask to see a history of how quickly problems are resolved at various levels. 6. Evaluate help desk and call center support Make sure the help desk and call centers can support you in the languages you need. Check the availability or remote diagnostics. You will save time and money if your service provider can solve your problem without a service call. 7. Evaluate the parts replacement process You don't want a slow parts replacement system to derail your operation. Check to make sure that parts are sourced close enough to your location to enable maximum uptime. Some vendors offer service agreements that enable you to specify which parts will be available locally. If you need this service, verify that your vendor can provide it. 8. Price Check what it is you are getting for the price: compare prices for on-site service and Advanced Unit Replacement (AUR), and if there are different price options depending on the hours of service you need. If you need AUR, make sure it is available in your location. 9. What do other customers say? Check customers in your area and see if they are happy with the vendor's performance. Do others rank service as excellent, very good, or good? Are problems usually fixed on the first visit? What other qualities do you look for in a service provider? Have you had any experience with one-call-gets-it-all service? Share your comments here.