Deciding on the right vendor for important infrastructure equipment such as printers and copiers can be tough. Whether you are purchasing or leasing it makes a big difference which dealer will supply you with the best possible options. Here are a couple of tips to help you pick out the right vendor.
Request for proposal
After you have accessed your needs develop a document that spells this out for dealers. It should include pricing, maintenance, servicing, supplies and response times that you require. Make sure to let them know what is most and least important to your decision. Also make sure to request purchasing information, and specifics on the service agreement and available lease options. This way you can get all the relevant information you need from dealers and have them competing for your business. Make sure that when you receive the proposals they are setup to be easily comparable. If you are currently leasing equipment from a dealer, it’s worth it to entertain new bids when you are near the end of your agreement. This way you can ensure you are still getting the best deal before entering into a new contract.
Contract options
There are many different options available when it comes to your purchasing, leasing, and service contracts. A good option if your monthly volume changes is a “no minimum” contract. This ensures that there is no monthly minimum volume requirements so you only pay for the copies you make. You should also check proposals for a replacement guarantee and make sure the terms are clearly stated in your contract. It is important that if your machine does perform to your expectations it can be replaced. Usually a set period of time will be specified for them to address the problem before it is replaced. To prevent having to deal with the difficulties of a manufacturer’s return policy, see if the vendor will it into the service and supply agreement instead of the lease. It’s also a good idea to go over the kind of warranty they supply. Most companies only offer a standard 90-day warranty, but some do offer extended warranties. These are commonly called customer satisfaction guarantees. They are usually in addition to the standard warranty, cover equipment up to three years from the purchase date and require that only the manufacturer’s parts and supplies be used. Even though guarantees cover a set period of time they may limit the number of copies or prints customers can make.
Background research
When choosing between vendors look into what brands and models they have available. Different manufacturers’ equipment offers different strengths and you should make sure your choices will include what will best satisfy your needs. You should also check into their services organization. Find out what the standard response time is; you’ll want that to be four hours or less. Your contract can include a penalty if they can’t meet it. If your equipment will be connected to a network, make sure they have networking experts to handle IT problems. And you’ll want to know if they have a help desk to answer questions or resolve problems. You also want to know about the experience of their personnel, especially in regard to your equipment. Lastly, you should check their reputation. Get references from current and past customers with similar businesses to yours. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau.
