If your business relies on printers day to day, a service agreement is worth understanding properly. A good agreement means you know exactly who to call when something goes wrong, how quickly help will arrive, and what it will cost.
Here’s what to watch out for and the questions worth asking any provider before you sign on the dotted line.
What is a printer service agreement?
A printer service agreement is a contract between your business and a service provider that covers the ongoing maintenance, repair, and support of your printing equipment. It sets out what’s included and what falls outside the scope of the agreement.
It’s different from a printer lease agreement, which covers the financing of the equipment itself. A service agreement is about keeping that equipment running once it’s in place. Some providers bundle both into a single managed print services arrangement, which can simplify things considerably for businesses that don’t want to manage multiple contracts.
What’s typically included
Preventive maintenance and servicing
A good service agreement includes scheduled maintenance visits to clean, inspect, and service your printers before problems develop. This is one of the most valuable parts of any contract and the thing most likely to extend the life of your equipment.
At Copysonic, preventive servicing is a standard part of every agreement, not an optional extra.
Repairs and parts
When something does go wrong, your agreement should cover the cost of the repair and any parts required to complete it. This includes wear-and-tear components like rollers, fusers, and feed assemblies that degrade over normal use.
Technical support and response times
Your printer service agreement should specify how technical support is accessed, whether that’s phone, email, or remote login, and how quickly a technician will be on-site if the issue can’t be resolved remotely. Response times and resolution times are two different things, and both should be clearly defined.
Toner and consumables
Many service agreements include toner as part of a cost-per-page pricing model, meaning you pay a fixed rate per page printed, and toner is automatically replenished when levels run low. This removes the need to manage consumables manually and makes print costs easier to forecast. Confirm whether drum units and other consumables are included alongside toner, as this varies between providers.
What’s typically excluded
Most service agreements have exclusions, and knowing them upfront is far more useful than discovering them when you need help. The most common ones are straightforward and easy to plan around.
- Paper is almost always excluded, as it’s a consumable that varies too much by usage to include in a fixed-price agreement.
- User damage, meaning physical damage caused by misuse, accidental drops, negligence, water/flood, or incorrect handling, is also typically excluded.
- After-hours or weekend call-outs may incur additional charges unless your agreement specifically includes them.
- Consumables from third-party suppliers, like non-genuine toner cartridges, can void the servicing terms if they cause damage to the machine.
At Copysonic, we’re upfront about all exclusions before you sign. If something isn’t covered, we’ll tell you, and in many cases, we can build additional coverage into your agreement if it’s something your business genuinely needs.
Key terms to understand before you sign
Service level agreements (SLAs)
An SLA is the part of your contract that sets out the minimum standard of service your provider is committed to delivering. This includes response times, uptime guarantees, and how performance is measured. A well-written SLA gives you something to point to if the service falls short.
Cost-per-page pricing
Cost-per-page (CPP) is a pricing model where you pay a fixed rate for every page printed, with toner and servicing bundled in. It makes budgeting more predictable and removes the need to manage consumables. CPP rates vary depending on the equipment, print volume, and whether you’re printing in colour or mono, so it’s worth understanding the breakdown before you agree to a rate.
Response time vs resolution time
Response time is how quickly a technician will acknowledge or attend to your issue. Resolution time is how long it takes to fix it. These are not the same thing, and a contract that only specifies response time gives you less certainty than one that addresses both. Ask for both figures and make sure they’re written into the agreement.
Questions to ask your provider
Before signing any printer service contract, it’s worth running through these:
- What’s included in preventive maintenance, and how often does it happen?
- Are genuine manufacturer parts used for all repairs?
- Is toner included, and how is it replenished?
- What are the response and resolution times, and are they written into the SLA?
- What happens if those timeframes aren’t met?
- What are the exclusions, and can additional coverage be added?
- Is there a lock-in period, and what are the exit terms?
- Does the agreement cover all devices, or just specific models?
Choosing the right level of coverage for your business
The right service agreement depends on how critical your printing is to daily operations, how much print volume you produce, and how much downtime your business can tolerate.
Not sure where your business sits? A good starting point is understanding your current print habits and volume. Our office printing audit guide can help you get a clearer picture before you commit to a plan. Or, the Copysonic team can walk you through your options and put together an agreement that fits your business rather than a standard template. Get in touch to find out more.
