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When purchasing a new car, buyers generally don’t think twice about adding on a service package – engines should be serviced regularly to perform in top condition. The risk of a breakdown, especially at the worst possible moment, is too great otherwise. The same line of thought should apply when it comes to your analytical laboratory equipment. Laboratory personnel know the pain resulting from instruments causing trouble right in the middle of an important analysis series. This can cascade further by putting deadlines in jeopardy, such as during a campaign when everything comes to a halt if results cannot be delivered on time. On top of that are the unexpected repair costs that were not necessarily foreseen in the budget. However, a simple solution for this complicated sounding problem exists—a service agreement.
So, to answer the question: «Is having a service agreement important?», the short answer is «Yes!». Service agreements ensure the access to trained professionals who are there when they are most needed, to protect your system from failures in the first place, and much more. This article will discuss the risks of not having a service agreement in place, the key element of every service agreement – preventive maintenance, and additional benefits offered by Metrohm Service Agreements.
Risks of not having a service agreement in place
Not taking care of your analytical instruments in the proper way can have far more severe consequences than just having to organize emergency repairs. This also has nothing to do with simple bad luck.
A neglected instrument is more likely to break down or show operating failures. This results in increased downtime and consequently in costly delays of routine work and passing critical deadlines.
More breakdowns also mean more repair and replacement costs. The frequency of repairs may increase over time. Ultimately, a simple and avoidable failure could result in more severe and expensive secondary damage to the instrument.
Depending on the nature of the failure, the instrument – when not attended to in the proper way – could also pose safety risks for users. This is something no one wants to experience nor be held responsible for.
Neglecting an analytical instrument could also lead to reduced accuracy long before a failure appears. This in turn can negatively influence the quality of the results, leading to wrong conclusions, and in the worst case to costly product recalls. Troubleshooting inaccurate measurements can prove to be both resource- and time-consuming. This should (and can) be avoided from the start.
Especially in regulated industries like pharmaceutical manufacturing, not taking proper care of the analytical equipment could result in non-compliance with regulatory requirements. Nobody wants to encounter this or be a part of it.
Regular preventive maintenance, which is part of every service agreement, ensures that these issues can be avoided.
Preventive maintenance – the key element of every service agreement
Preventive maintenance is essential to ensure the accuracy, reliability, and longevity of your analytical equipment. This is not meaningless talk, but a statement based on a series of carefully defined and standardized actions executed by trained and certified professionals—your local Metrohm Service Engineers.
All actions are designed to prevent equipment failures before they happen. This means no more desperate calls for emergency repairs, delays in your work, or missed deadlines.
At first, the Metrohm Service Engineer will inspect, clean, and assess the status of your instrument. Afterwards all relevant wearing parts will be replaced.
After the device has been fully serviced, reassembled, and the nominal status restored, it will be thoroughly tested to ensure that all the manufacturer’s specifications are met. Calibration of important parameters is done with traceable measurement equipment and software tools that have been developed especially for this purpose. All work is performed according to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and is documented in detail to ensure high and consistent service quality.
Why is calibration so important? Here are some of the main reasons:
- Calibration ensures that the instrument performs as expected.
- Calibration ensures that the measurements done with the equipment are accurate and reliable.
- Calibration ensures the delivery of consistent results over the entire instrument lifetime.
- Specifically for customers in regulated industries, calibration is essential to document compliance with regulatory requirements.
Additional benefits of a Metrohm Service Agreement
Although preventive maintenance is at the heart of every Metrohm Service Agreement, the benefits received with this agreement in place do not stop there. There is much more that you can expect!
No one knows your system better than your Metrohm Service Engineer, and you have full access to their knowledge and expertise. Our experts can offer valuable advice and guidance regarding how to keep your instrument running effortlessly during their frequent preventive maintenance visits. This ensures that you get the most out of your investment – maximum system availability and high-quality results.
With a Metrohm Service Agreement you also benefit from pre-scheduled maintenance visits. This gives you more control over your schedule and reduces disruptions of the daily work.
What if something goes wrong in the meantime? Don’t wait in line – benefit from priority service to minimize downtime and reduce the risk of delays.
Over time, the cost savings will add up. In the long run, a service agreement will save money by preventing potential failures before they happen, and avoiding costly repairs. If a repair is unavoidable, you benefit from reduced service rates – so you actually end up paying less than without having a service agreement in place.
And if «compliance» is a concern, then benefit from our well-defined maintenance plans. These plans are designed to satisfy regulatory requirements, giving you ultimate peace of mind.
Conclusion
Don’t let equipment failures ruin your day. Say hello to peace of mind, and save money along the way! Sign up for a Metrohm Service Agreement so you can focus on your daily business, and leave the rest to us.
