When purchasing a copier, there are a lot of expenses you need to consider beyond the listed price of the copier itself. There will be replacement toner cartridges and papers that you need to ensure the basic operation of the copier. But what about repairs? What is covered by the device’s warranty and what isn’t? When does a copier warranty end and what can you do to avoid substantial unexpected costs?
These are all crucial questions to ask when purchasing a new multifunction device. Chances are, when you raise those questions with your dealer, they will offer a service contract for your new device. However, before signing, you should understand where your warranty ends and where a copier contract begins.
This article will help you get a complete understanding of warranties, copier service contracts, and how they can protect you from unexpected expenses.
What is a Copier Warranty?
Like many products, copiers come with a manufacturer’s warranty. These warranties are designed to protect consumers against defects that arise early in the life of the copier as a result of manufacturing error or early failure. Here is an example of a Ricoh warranty with terms and conditions.
Typically, warranties are great protection because the manufacturer covers repair or replacement of defective devices. This is, of course, assuming that user error did not cause the damage.
The other great feature about warranties is that basic warranties are included with the purchase of the product. When you buy a new copier, you can feel confident that the copier warranty will protect you for some time.
The saying goes that all good things must come to an end, and that’s true for warranties as well. A simple manufacturer’s warranty will only cover the copier for a limited amount of time, usually either one or two years. In addition, a copier warranty will not include anything that isn’t a built-in component of the device. Toner cartridge issues and other similar problems are very rarely protected under warranty.
What is a Copier Service Contract?
A copier service contract is a contract offered by office equipment dealers to help protect their clients beyond the scope of a manufacturer’s basic warranty. Typically, a service contract is designed to last for the life of the leased equipment and expand the service scope beyond that of a basic warranty.
Now, let’s consider some typical copier issues that may arise and where a warranty or copier contract will come into play.
Copier Issues That Can Occur
Copiers are incredible pieces of equipment that can operate faithfully day in and day out for a long time with little service required. However, once an issue does occur, it can cause significant stress and severely impact an offices’ productivity.
Who is responsible for fixing this issue? How long will it take to be fixed? What are the alternatives in the meantime? All of these questions will be running through your mind.
One issue that can come up in the life of a copier is the toner cartridge exploding inside the copier. This is a messy issue that requires proper cleaning before work can resume. Unless you are ready to dedicate the time to clean the device yourself, this is a time when a service contract would come into play.
Warranties do not typically cover accessories like toner cartridges, and unless there was a physical problem with the copier itself causing the toner explosion, a copier warranty would be insufficient for this service.
Another frustrating issue that can come up with copiers is a faulty or non-working touchscreen display. On many copiers, a touchscreen display is used to set the number of copies needed, scan documents to network storage, and perform a variety of other tasks.
Without a functioning touchscreen, a copier can mainly only be used for printing from connected printers. In this case, a warranty and a service contract may both come in to play, and it mostly depends on when the issue occurs. A touchscreen issue during the warranty period will be covered, and after the copier warranty is done, a service contract would take over.
Printing quality issues can also be very frustrating problems. Lines on the paper after copying or printing makes the page look messy and unprofessional. In this case, having a copier service contract will come in handy as most printing quality issues are usually related to maintenance, which warranty does not cover.
Need to Know More?
Wondering if you need a copier contract or if the warranty is sufficient for your business? Our article on What Does a Service Contract for Office Equipment Cover will explore how service contracts work, what is included, and when it’s a good idea to have one.
Alternatively, you could always ask us your questions! Contact us today, and we’ll have one of our experts get you the answers you need!
Cory Porteous
Marketing Manager
Office Interiors
