5 Ways Third Party Maintenance Capabilities Maximize Business Value
5 Ways Third Party Maintenance Capabilities Maximize Business Value
Extended warranties are always one of those things that you only consider for larger purchases at least that's how I look at them. That said when you're talking about the kind of cost that data center hardware entails it starts to sound like a good investment. Or is it?
OEM maintenance contracts may be a thing of the past for many reasons not the least of which is the fact that many data centers today use technology from numerous vendors, often within one server, resulting in the need to carry multiple service contracts to cover one set of equipment. Add to that the fact that there are many companies out there that provide third party hardware maintenance services (TPM) that cover numerous technology vendors and are more affordable.
Here are 5 TPM capabilities that maximize business value without breaking the budget
A broad service portfolio with experienced engineers. Most reputable third party maintenance providers will have highly experienced engineers that have worked with numerous OEM hardware. They will have seen and worked on a greater number of maintenance requests than almost any in-house engineer providing additional data center value to your IT team.
Fast response and mobilization for problem resolution. A good third party maintenance provider will have fast access to replacement units and spare parts, and a team of engineers ready for quick deployment. Also, constant monitoring of the process from initial request until customer sign-off helps to refine processes processes that most data centers aren't ready for.
A maintenance focused business model. The TPM model is based solely around maintenance and not on OEM sales. The OEM business model is based on the need to recoup their initial investment in research and development by selling new hardware. The result is that a good TPM provider should be able to save you between 30 and 60 percent over OEM maintenance contracts without a bias towards one hardware or brand.
Flexible and customizable contract terms. A good third party maintenance provider can be flexible in customizing hardware maintenance contracts to take into consideration the amount and age of the data center hardware on hand. This should free up funds that would otherwise be locked into OEM agreements.
An established parts purchasing and handling methodology. A good TPM provider will have industry best practices that are established and thought through for things like storing, purchasing, installing and testing replacement hardware and spare parts.
With these third party maintenance capabilities in place, your data center hardware maintenance will be less costly and frankly an after-thought.