Post-warranty support is a commonly used term in the IT hardware world.
All manufacturers offer a manufacturer’s warranty on every piece of computer hardware sold. This covers manufacturer’s defects and other failures. Some high-end IT systems come with a maintenance and support contract which means in the event of a failure, they step in and ensure you get the assistance you need to get back on track.
End of service life
IT hardware will need replacing at some point, they are designed to have a finite lifespan. There is a recommended cycle of upgrades for all systems and at the end, the owners are invited to replace the hardware. Older hardware is identified as ‘End of Service Life’ (EoSL), when an item is declared as this, most manufacturer-provided support and maintenance is withdrawn.
Once hardware is classed as EoSL, there is a choice between replacing it with the most recent equivalent or replacing the current warranty support contract with a post-warranty support contract. More often, this is the costliest solution so most people choose to upgrade.
Some third-party IT support providers offer maintenance and troubleshooting services for products that are identified as EoSL. They don’t need the involvement of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and they are often a lot lower cost than the OEM. This is a great alternative if you want quality service with a lower price tag.
Extending service life
In some cases, the product still works and provides good quality and therefore it would be unnecessary and not cost effective to replace it. It is important to consider the costs of upgrading and explore other options before doing so.
There are great benefits to providing post-warranty support. Extending the lifespan of equipment can vastly increase the return on investment and the longer that hardware is used and operational, the lower the cost of ownership becomes. Each one has a positive impact on your profit margins and can make cash available to be invested elsewhere in your business.
Getting advice
There are many reasons why an item classed as EoSL cannot be supported further. Shortages of parts, software issues or ageing hardware all result in the product being no longer supported.
It is recommended to seek advice from experts in outsourced IT support and business hardware. Our team of experts at Sharp are able to explain the different options to you and advise you on the best route to take for your specific business needs.
Sharp offer a range of IT services including remote IT support and IT consultancy.
