IT Hardware Repair: Is It Worth Repairing?

Along with death and taxes, it seems that the third certainty in life is that the price of electronics and other IT hardware will continue to fall. Do you remember when getting a PC under $1,000 was a big deal? And when HP sold their first LaserJet printer for over $3,000!? No? Well, I’m probably much older than you then, but really, it was a big deal!

So, the trend continues with hardware often being simply replaced once it breaks down. But for expensive equipment in the Retail, Medical, Manufacturing and Hospitality industry, what criteria can you use to decide whether that makes good business sense? Should you repair or replace?

What does it cost to repair?

Many companies look at the repair cost and say that they will repair a piece of hardware if the repair cost is less than, say, 50% of the replacement value. That’s a pretty good way of looking at things. If something costs $200 or less new, then it may be hard to justify repairing it. Clearly you don’t get “that new computer smell” with a repair, and maybe not a new shiny box, but you can sure save a lot of money if you repair high value hardware.

$600 printers can be repaired for under $100. One thousand dollar Handheld Devices can be repaired for a couple of hundred dollars. If you have a lot of high end equipment to repair, then you can save yourself a lot of money by repairing it.

And don’t just look to the manufacturer for repairs!

Many manufacturers want to push you into their newest hardware and so they artificially raise their repair prices. Look around for an experienced, independent repair depot who can offer better service and better prices than the manufacturer.

And what about a warranty?

Of course, new equipment normally comes with at least a one year warranty. If you do decide to repair IT hardware then look for a good warranty that covers the complete unit for at least six months. You’ve got to have confidence in your repair provider and a 30 day or 3 months warranty just doesn’t cut it!

So, for many companies repairing IT hardware is a good option. It can save you money and give you good working hardware that will continue to run for a long, long time.