Key Considerations for Service Contract Renewals

Introduction

The average lab loses approximately $15,000 when a key instrument fails.1 High-volume labs like yours can expect even greater losses, leading to more downtime and less output. When instruments suddenly fail, the downtime can have adverse effects on your laboratory productivity as well as cause unbudgeted expenses. However, a comprehensive service plan provides uninterrupted, dependable instrument repair and maintenance, and is key to ensuring your operations run smoothly while maximizing your investment.

As your contract nears the end of its term, it’s important to evaluate renewal options to ensure there is no gap in coverage. The continuation of a service contract not only protects against the cost of unexpected instrument failure, but it also helps control service costs. As a result, your instruments will continue to run optimally, providing accurate and reproducible results.

Key Considerations

With a multitude of options available, evaluating service contracts can be challenging. Consider the following factors as you begin working with your PerkinElmer representative to determine if your current plan is sufficient or if you need to upgrade your service levels.

  • Value: The renewal of a service contract allows for the continuation of regular, consistent maintenance, giving you peace of mind that your instruments are always taken care of. The cost of a service contract can pay for itself when expensive instruments fail. For example, higher level contracts can save you upwards of 30 to 50% in repairs since many of our contracts cover labor, parts, and travel.
  • Importance of Your Instruments: It’s important to assess what function your equipment serves: How frequently is it used? Is the instrument vital to a specific project? Does it have inexperienced users? If it fails, would it cause significant delays to your research? Can you wait to get a replacement instrument without derailing all your work? Service contracts eliminate the bottlenecks that could occur if instrumentation fails, saving time and money. It pays to have a plan in place.
  • State of Lab: What kind of environment are you working in? If your instruments are used in a nontraditional lab setting, or they utilize varying sample types, they could be at risk of increased breakdowns and wear. In addition, how often are you using this instrument? If you have a high-volume lab, preventative maintenance service becomes even more critical. In addition, having a service contract will increase the longevity of your instrument and protect your investment so you can continue to operate your lab at peak efficiency.
  • Maintenance Requirements: Does your industry have specific maintenance requirements your lab must adhere to? A service contract for a regulated industry may not only be recommended but may also be required. It’s critical to ensure that there is no gap in coverage so that your maintenance requirements aren’t compromised. Scheduling preventative maintenance visits at your convenience prevents unscheduled downtime, leading to greater cost and time savings. Rather than days of downtime for repairs when an instrument fails unexpectedly, planned maintenance typically only requires part of the day and can be scheduled at your convenience, keeping your instrument running smoothly and your lab operating at top performance.
  • Remote Support: With advances in our software, our remote technology allows for quicker resolution of instrument failures with our engineers and technicians. Our remote diagnostics provide insight into the cause of instrument failure, thereby enabling a remote repair or providing the information needed to prepare an engineer to have the necessary tools when they arrive on site to perform service. On some instruments, remote monitoring, which provides proactive alerts, is also available.


Service Plans to Fit Your Needs

We understand that each lab has its own set of requirements when it comes to instrument service plans. We also recognize that sometimes your needs change. Is the plan you have now adequate? Do you need more or less support?

OneSource® service plans are the best way to maximize instrument investment and avoid excess costs. With first time fix rates above the industry standard and highly trained service engineers who have years of experience and tenure, you can ensure your equipment will be running at optimum performance. We offer a wide range of OneSource service plans, designed to fit your needs no matter what you’re looking for:

  • Platinum Level
    • Designed for labs where instrument uptime is critical to performance
  • Gold Level
    • Intended to enhance your lab’s productivity by maintaining instrument efficiency with priority response, remote technical support, and regular preventative maintenance
  • Bronze Level
    • A cost-effective plan that extends the benefits of your instruments’ first-year warranty

By renewing your service contract or upgrading to a higher level, you can rest easy knowing you will receive a quick response from our dedicated engineering team whenever an instrument issue arises. Service contract customers receive priority response times versus those not on a contract or requiring billable repair services. Our platinum service has the quickest response, followed by gold and bronze.

Our service engineers averaging over 15 years of experience stay up to date by undergoing an extensive training program which includes a recertification process for continuous improvement. Their goal is to ensure your lab is up and running as soon as possible after disruption.


Summary

Navigating the process of a service contract renewal can be a daunting experience. There are many factors you must consider when determining if your existing contract is sufficient or if you need to upgrade to a more comprehensive plan. However, by working with your PerkinElmer representative, the process can be seamless. We will help you find the best service plan for your needs – ensuring your lab runs smoothly, without interruption, saving you both time and money. To renew your contract, please contact your PerkinElmer representative.


References

  • 1Figures are estimates only and based on a PerkinElmer study of research and manufacturing laboratory environments where repair costs, lost productivity, and other variables were considered. Retrieved from www.perkinelmer.com/PDFs/downloads/BRO-Expert-Service-When-Every-Second-Counts.pdf