Copier

Do you recommend getting a service contract on my copier?

A copy machine unlike most other office equipment is made up of many consumable parts such as toner, drums, cleaning blades, drums, fusers, rollers, etc. From experience I can tell you that 80% of all copy machines are put under some sort of service contract for this very reason. When you purchase a copier look at the service interval (maintenance interval)! The wider or longer the interval the lower your service rate will be. Copier speed and service intervals go hand in hand. The faster the speed on a copier the wider the service intervals normally are. For example, the service interval on a segment 3 copier (36 to 50 CPM) is normally around 150,000 to 200,000 pages and the applicable service rate is around a cent to a cent and a half per page. However the service on a segment 4 copier (51 to 65 CPM) is normally around 200K-300K pages and the normal service rate is less then a penny- ranging from .008-.01.

There are two types of copier service agreements! Both are based on a cost-per-copy (CPC) and usually include some form of parts and labor. I recommend getting a copier service contract that includes all parts and labor- including consumables like toner, drums, fusers, etc. This way all you have to pay for is paper and there are no unexpected costs. You can also negotiate your service rates! Many dealers will vary on there rate they give you and with a little diligence you will get a better deal. A typical cost for a copier service agreement is around 1 cent per page and includes everything except for paper and staples. When we sell you a copy machine our sales staff can help coordinate a local service contract for you. We are affiliated with a nationwide directory of copier service providers and can obtain local service on our copiers anywhere in the United States- provided there is a local dealer available. We offer a 90 day complete parts and labor warranty and a 2 year limited warranty on major components. This warranty window gives you plenty of time to put your copier under a local service contract with a dealer of your choice.

Many copier dealers will try to lease you a copier and combine the lease payments with the service agreement. Try to stay away from this type of copier lease as it might be simple to track, but some dealers will try and hide profit in this type of transaction. Ask the dealer to break the pricing out so you can better compare prices from various copier dealers. By separating the service rate and your monthly or quarterly copier service payments from the copier purchase you will save money.