An IT consultant needs to be aware that PC vendors are typically very willing to cover inexpensive products like a mouse under standard warranties. But because as an IT consultant your client can probably buy a replacement part of that type for as little as $10, it’s probably not worth waiting for a few days to get a replacement part under the standard PC warranty agreement.
THE CONVENIENCE OF AVAILABLE SPARE PARTS
If your clients already have spare mice available, warranty claims can be delayed by a few days or a few weeks until there is time to deal with the issue. As their IT consultant, you will have helped your clients deal with potential downtime for a nominal advanced planning expense that will be far worth the time saved in the long run.
Going a step further, as an IT consultant you should encourage customers to keep extra keyboards and monitors around also. The cost of these pieces of equipment is very inexpensive as compared to the productivity loss that can result from waiting for parts to arrive. And all three of these items can typically be installed quickly in-house.
EXTRA DESKTOP PCs
The cost of entry-level desktop PCs is going down rapidly and most companies need to have virtually zero downtime to compete. Many small businesses have decided to invest in extra PCs in case of emergency to prevent any delays in business. A standard, fully-configured desktop PC only costs $600, so even an office with as few as six PCs can afford to have one on-hand. As an IT consultant you should encourage your clients to self-insure the warranty coverage for years two and three.
GIVING WISE ADVICE TO CLIENTS
As an IT consultant, you need to recommend smart investments to your clients. They should spend some of their technology budget on choice spare parts and a full desktop PC. By investing well, clients will be able to deal with warranty claims on an as-needed basis instead of in a panic. Outsourcing this project management work and planning to you as their IT consultant can make their lives easier and prevent exorbitant emergency costs.
Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit
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