Service Agreements - Buried Costs or Hidden Benefits?

A service agreement is a contract which covers bi-annual preventive maintenance tasks and activities. Equipment manufacturers require proper maintenance for their warranties to remain in effect. Without documented service on your comfort systems, manufacturers are not obliged to honor their own warranties. That is why many property owners choose to invest in service agreements. During the service call, the technician visits the property and conducts a precision tune-up and professional cleaning. It also includes safety checks on gas combustion heating systems which can quite literally save lives.

HOW DOES A SERVICE AGREEMENT END UP SAVING MONEY?

·       Extended equipment life: Properly maintained equipment and devices last longer, and replacements can be deferred to a later date.

·       Fewer expensive repairs and inconvenient breakdowns: Equipment of every type - including vehicles for example - will experience fewer breakdowns if properly maintained and serviced. Comprehensive precision tune-ups and professional cleaning will result in fewer repairs.

·       Quick response on breakdowns: A service agreement customer is a priority customer. Regardless of the number of scheduled service calls, should a service agreement customer call, that call goes to the top of the dispatcher's priority.

·       Discount on repairs, both labor and material: Service agreement clients receive discounts of 10 to 15% on labor and parts for all repairs, and a 5% discount on equipment replacement.

·       Service technician assigned to the account: A service agreement client will always have the same technician attend to scheduled service calls, which means he knows exactly how to access the equipment and is familiar with its history.

·       Account representative assigned to the account: With an account representative, the client has a "go to" person who will keep you informed about the condition of the equipment and recommend any products or services which will extend the life of the equipment.

·       24 hours, seven days a week emergency service: An unexpected breakdown of your comfort systems can be very disruptive to your business. Having a reliable on-call emergency service provider gives peace of mind that things will be back up and running in the shortest possible length of time.

·       Lower utility bills: Kilowatt usage per hour is lowest when equipment is properly maintained.

·       Tenant retention: Lack of comfort is the biggest reason tenants move. Landlords and property managers certainly understand the expense of losing a tenant.

·       Improved safety: This is particularly true for equipment that utilize gas. Plus, a properly air-conditioned indoor environment is healthier and safer than one that it not.