Maintenance contracts are taking away the pressure of supporting rented hardware

Peak periods and temporary fulfilment operations are different for every organisation, so the technology solutions at their disposal should be just as unique. 

Introducing rental hardware into your existing stock – be it access points (APs) for wireless networking, mobile computers or printers – can help address an uptick in activity and ensure seasonal support staff have access to the technology they need to perform their role effectively. 

But even the best hardware can experience technical or mechanical issues. That’s where a maintenance contract can make all the difference for rented hardware. 

Maintenance contracts for rented hardware can be just as flexible and affordable as those used for fully purchased technology. They can also be tailored for short periods of coverage to much longer-term maintenance support. 

In this blog, we’ll explore the many benefits of having a maintenance contract in place for rented hardware, and how warehouse and retail supply chain organisations can maintain SLAs, meet seasonal demand, and avoid unnecessary capital expenditure (CapEx) as a result. 

Flexible Contracts 

One of the key benefits of a rental contract is its flexibility. Service providers usually offer contracts that cover a wide variety of potential use cases. Some can be as little as 30 days; others can be as long as five years (or longer). Maintenance contracts should always offer the same level as flexibility as the hardware rental contract itself, so organisations can build the solution that fits their seasonal requirement. 

That flexibility also extends to the number of devices covered. This allows you to scale as needed throughout the rental, onboarding or removing devices as the need arises. This way you can fluidly adjust the amount of hardware you are renting and the time scale.  

So, with the right contract, you can access a wide variety of technologies for temporary use – including print, wireless, RFID, barcode scanners, mobile devices, voice, robotics and more – and deploy them seamlessly into your existing stack with the confidence a technology partner will be there to keep those devices fully maintained throughout the rental period. 

Rapid Repairs and Exchanges 

Hardware rental service providers, such as Renovotec, offer a range of repair and exchange services, depending on what your business requires, such as four-hour response windows to next day business support. 

We also offer a seamless ‘hot swap’ service. That ensures same day removal and replacement of any malfunctioning devices. So that your operations aren’t impacted by any extended downtime while waiting for a replacement.  

Our repair centre technicians are fully certified to assess and repair a variety of devices. Moreover, a rental contract doesn’t just cover repairs. But also, continually optimising the performance of rented hardware and/or software. For instance, any new upgrades or integrations from the manufacturer or developer.  

Cost-effective Rental Solutions 

One of the biggest factors that makes hardware rental solutions so popular, especially within the supply chain, it its cost effectiveness. 

Rather than having to invest capital expenditure into the technology to scale up your operations, you can instead utilise operational expenditure (OpEx) for a short-term investment that just covers a peak period and protects your bottom line.  

Many businesses are also warier of committing to longer-term investments in the wake of the COVID pandemic. This has caused many businesses to reconsider their assumptions about the stability of the market in general, and to prioritise flexibility in their budgets.  

An OpEx investment with a flexible rental contract allows you to invest only for the amount you know you need when you need it. It gives your organisation access to an end-to-end rental and maintenance contract that addresses your peak period concerns while simultaneously protecting your budget. 

Relieve Pressure on IT Resources 

A single rental partner that centralises the management of all your devices, relieves the burden on your IT team as you scale up your operations. Often as manpower on the shopfloor and the number of devices they use increases, the size of a businesses’ IT team will remain the same. 

This leads to an increasing amount of work that your IT team may not have the bandwidth to effectively cover, leading to potential delays in both roll out and ongoing maintenance.  

However, with an external hardware rental partner managing this increase, your team can instead focus on doing what they do best. Staying agile and responsive to any problems as they may come up, and fully committed to the projects that they are already managing.  

At Renovotec, we gain a thorough understanding of your business before recommending a solution that will seamlessly integrate with your operations. We then pre-configure devices so that they are ready to use straight out of the box, for a rapid deployment with minimal disruption.  

Conclusion 

There are a range of benefits to having a rental contract that allows you to maintain the effectiveness of your operations throughout peak periods, while investing a minimal amount of expenditure and still staying flexible.  

At Renovotec, our tailored approach means we take the time to observe your operations and consider the solution that best meets all your business’s specific needs. Before recommending a cost-effective rental solution that will empower your workforce.  

Contact our experts to learn more about our range of tailor-made Hardware Rental solutions and our extensive suite of Maintenance Contracts.