There are not many things more important to owning a printer/copier than having a solution for printer service.
Why? Because obtaining service for your printer when you desperately need it can be costly and hard to come by.
Believe it or not, printers are not so different from the car you drive every day. They are complex machines, especially at the advanced level, that require proper care and maintenance.
If you use your printer frequently, service issues—especially as your machine ages--- will occur. That’s why it’s crucial to have a solution for service in place before an issue arises.
But before you can do that, you need to understand the costs associated with printer service so you can make an informed decision on which service solution is right for you.
We’ve been a printer/copier company for almost 40 years and have serviced all kinds of machines for different types of workgroups.
Naturally, we’ve become intimately familiar with how much it costs for printer service and want to share our insight with you in this blog.
We’ll be going over what printer service is, common issues printer service technicians fix, how much it costs to pay for service and where you get service for your machine.
After reading this, you should be able to achieve a couple of things:
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You will know an estimate of how much it costs to get service for your printer.
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Which printer service option would be the best solution for you.
What Is Printer Service?
Printer service is exactly what it sounds like: It’s a service used to fix issues related to your printer/copier.
It can come in numerous ways. Including remotely through a phone call or even augmented reality, but most of the time when the issue is intricate, it will require a service technician to come to your location to repair the issue.
What are some of the most common problems printer service technicians fix? Let’s go over that in the next section:
Common Printer Service Issues
Some of the most common issues a printer service technician can fix or address are:
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Paper jams.
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Unusual or loud noises from the machine.
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Replacing internal parts, such as a motherboard.
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Fixing hardware malfunctions.
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Printing or scanning problems.
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Making configuration changes to the printer, like adding new users.
These are certainly not all of what printer service encompasses, but these are some of the common issues you’ll see service technicians support or repair.
The types of services printer companies offer will vary depending on the company’s policies and the technicians they employ.
How Much Does It Cost for Printer Service?
Now, let’s talk money: How much does it cost to get service for your printer?
The answer to this question depends on a few factors:
1. The type of printer you have.
2. How big of an issue your printer is having.
3. Who you decide to use for printer service.
4. Whether you’re under a service agreement with a vendor or not.
That last point will largely determine how much it’s going to cost you to get service. Let’s expand on it in more detail:
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Service Agreement vs. Non-Service Agreement
So, we mentioned that the cost of printer service depends heavily on whether you are under a service or maintenance agreement with a vendor that sells or repairs printers. What is a service agreement?
A service agreement is basically like having insurance for your printer. Just like you pay a monthly fee for your car insurance, under a service agreement, you will pay a monthly fee to cover repairs your printer might need in the future.
Unlike car insurance, though, a service agreement is usually not expensive. You will typically pay around $12 a month for a service agreement for your printer.
Service agreements protect against having to pay a large sum of money for an unexpected service issue that your printer may experience in the future.
Because as we’re about to get into, printer service can be difficult to find and costly to use without a service agreement.
For instance, many technicians charge upwards of $100 an hour for service, not including a travel fee or parts you may have to pay for.
If the issue is complex enough, that hourly rate can add up fast. For example, if a small office printer needed an entire motherboard replaced, it can cost around $500. If it’s a larger office machine, it can cost over $1,000 to repair.
It’s also difficult to find printer service technicians in a timely fashion if you’re not under a maintenance agreement, especially on smaller machines.
Is a Service Agreement Right for You?
You now understand how costly and strenuous it can be to find service for your printer if you’re not under a service agreement.
But is a service agreement the answer for you?
If you have a large office printer or multiple printers, then paying around $12 a month to cover any repairs and maintenance your machine might need would be well worth it.
Not only do you get repairs covered under a service agreement, but many vendors may also offer services like phone assistance and automatic shipments of toner as a part of their service offerings.
However, if you have a small inkjet printer that you use on a limited basis, then you would not want to pay the monthly fee for a service agreement.
Even if you use one of the smaller printers you can find at retail stores like Staples and Office Depot, it will be more cost-effective to just buy a new smaller printer when your old one runs out rather than paying for a service agreement or outsourcing for service work.
So, as a general rule:
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If you’re a business that has a large printer or multiple machines, then a service agreement would be worth it.
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If you have a small printer or only use a printer occasionally then a service agreement will likely not be worth the investment.
Also keep in mind that if you decide to lease your machine from a vendor, rather than purchase it outright, you will likely be required to have a service agreement under your leasing terms.
Read our blog on leasing vs. purchasing a printer to learn more about the differences between the two payment options.
Where Should You Go for Printer Service?
Now that you know what printer service is and how much it costs with a service agreement and without one, where should you go?
Regardless of whether you decide to opt for a service agreement or not, if your printer needs to be fixed, you need to find a reputable source to repair it.
Your best option will be to Google something along the lines of “printer service near me.” Take a look at the different companies that come up and find the best one for you.
You will likely want to go with a printer company close to your location and reading Google reviews is always helpful for finding companies with a history of customer satisfaction.
You can also reach out to the manufacturer of your printer to see if they have recommendations on who to contact for service in your area.
Bottom line: No matter if you decide to have a long-term relationship with a printer company via a service agreement, or just want to outsource repair work for a single issue, you need to make sure the company you go with is reputable and quick. Doing online research and/or making a phone call to a local printer company should net you the service you need.
Need Help Fixing an Issue with Your Printer?
Finding a trustworthy source to fix your printer can be challenging, and because service can be pricey, it’s imperative that you have a solution before an issue arises.
You now have a good idea of what printer service entails and how much it can cost you. So, where do you go from here?
If you’re in the Dallas-Fort-Worth (DFW) or greater North Texas area and are interested in either a service agreement or a quick short-term fix, we have a team of trained service technicians that can be dispatched to your location ASAP to help repair whatever printer issue you might be having.
We also have plenty of other blogs and videos in our Learning Center that you can check out around service. They include:
If you would like to inquire about service or have any general questions about your machine, reach out to us and we will be there to guide you to your ideal solution.
