The proper repair and maintenance of electronic equipment is essential to getting daily tasks completed. A broken computer, telephone, or fax machine can cause hours of lost productivity. If a piece of healthcare equipment, such as a CT or MRI, is down for any extended amount of time, it can cost a business thousands of dollars in lost revenue. It is important to recognize that choosing the right service provider to repair and maintain the equipment is vital to any business, regardless of the type. A mediocre maintenance provider can cost a business time, money, and unnecessary frustration.

It can be difficult, if not impossible, to ensure that you are using the best, most reliable service providers available to repair and maintain your electronic equipment. Open the yellow pages and you will see that the choices are overwhelming. Google "computer repair" and you will pull up a plethora of service providers, all claiming to be the best. But what qualities should you insist on as a consumer? Finding the right service provider is just as important as purchasing the right equipment at the start. The goal is to successfully choose the best service option that will ensure the highest level of equipment uptime and reliability.

Depending on what type of equipment you own, the list of desirable qualities may be long. So for the sake of time, we have narrowed it down to the Top 6 Most Desirable Qualities that every equipment service provider should possess no matter what type of equipment they maintain.

1. Integrity – the service provider should always have the client’s best interest in mind and not take advantage of unsuspecting clients; the service provider should be ethical and honest and perform only the maintenance required using the appropriate number of technicians.

2. Credibility – the service provider must be reliable and trustworthy, which includes arriving on time and delivering the services promised in a professional manner; references of satisfied clients should be available upon request.

3. Experience – the service provider should be familiar with the specific make and model of the equipment in need of repair or maintenance, have experience maintaining the equipment, and be prepared with all possible replacement parts.

4. Efficiency – the service provider should be respectful of the end-user’s need to manage daily tasks by arriving within a reasonable amount of time to repair the equipment; just as important, the service provider should repair the equipment in the least amount of time allowable. The service provider should also communicate openly about repair progress and/or potential issues with the end user during the service call.

5. Cost – the service provider should provide a fair and competitive rate based on the regional average of similar services; in addition, the price quoted should be the price on the invoice, unless otherwise communicated. All costs, such as travel, after-hour, weekend, and holiday rates, or resupply charges, should be disclosed upfront – there should be NO hidden charges.

6. Guarantee/Warranty – the service provider should offer a guarantee or warranty for the repair or maintenance performed to ensure the client is getting the best repair and support service possible; the guarantee or warranty should be in writing and it should describe what is covered and for what period of time.

The Remi Group provides comprehensive Equipment Maintenance Management Programs (EMMP) to five major market segments: government, education, healthcare, commercial, and financial. Equipment covered includes: general office, information technology, laboratory/medical, security, and mailroom, plus other equipment that is electronic in nature. The Remi Group is dedicated to providing quality service, superior technical resources, innovative management systems, and financially secure solutions to all of our clients.

The Remi Group provides an unbiased, objective approach to equipment maintenance management. The Remi Group does not manufacture, sell, or repair equipment. We develop and provide custom equipment management solutions to meet the explicit needs of our clients. Under our program, clients have the ability to choose their preferred service providers to repair and maintain the equipment. This allows end users the freedom to select, based on actual experience, the most qualified, responsive, and reliable service providers available to them.

For over 13 years, The Remi Group has been building professional working relationships with thousands of equipment service providers; as well as developing an extensive Vendor Database exclusively for the use of our clients. Potential service providers are thoroughly evaluated by our Engineering Department using very specific methods of qualifications. The Remi Group is constantly searching for qualified service providers to support our program. If you are an equipment service provider and exhibit the Top 6 Most Desirable Qualities mentioned in this article, please contact us at vendors@theremigroup.com. We look forward to hearing from you!