Most technology you buy in stores comes with a warranty. For computers, it’s usually just one year, even though it’s reasonable to expect one to last at least 3 to 5 years. Still, the warranty is unlikely to last the device’s lifetime or software, and it seems inevitable that your computer will die immediately after the warranty runs out. Don’t worry; you still have options.
Murphy’s Law of warranty says that you will have no problems with your computer or printer while it’s covered. Then, as if waiting for the most inconvenient time to go bust, the technology fails just after your warranty ends.
After the frustration of looking up that warranty plan to see the expiration date a few weeks ago, your first response might be to take that device back to the store. You’ve noticed they have a service desk, and that’s where you made the purchase. But the technicians on-site are likely to send your laptop to the manufacturer repair. That could be far away, which negates the convenience of taking it down to your local store. You could wait weeks for your item to get to the repair centre. Then, it stills needs attention and returning to your store.
Usually, a repair covered by warranty will require wiping your operating system and data, so unless you’ve been backing up diligently, you are out of luck. Many warranty service calls result in returning the computer to “factory state”, meaning you will have to install your programs, restore your data and configure your device the way you want it to work.
Also, know that many manufacturers charge a premium for outside-of-warranty repairs. Now that you’re one or two years into a relationship with the products, they hope you’ll decide upgrading is easier. They actually have a planned lifecycle for computer hardware and plan the warranty end accordingly.
Of course, if you are within days of your warranty’s end, ask if the manufacturer will continue to cover the technology. Sometimes it actually will. The manufacturer may also use this opportunity to sell you an extended warranty.
Some help with manufacturer warranty
Our first piece of advice? Be proactive about technology issues. Don’t put off getting something looked at. You may discover you could have saved money by having it checked out under warranty.
Check your eligibility by visiting the manufacturer’s website and typing in the product serial number to check the warranty. Quickly find the page by searching the manufacturer’s name and “check warranty status.”
It’s a good idea to keep track of when your warranty is set to expire. That way, you’ll be more likely to request service in a timely manner. Don’t believe us? Have you ever planned to take an item back to the store only to leave it until the return window has closed?
Small business computer repair shops specialize in repairing out-of-warranty devices. They can run diagnostic tests to determine the problem. Then, they’ll help you decide whether it’s worth the cost of repairs. If so, they can fix it at a competitive rate.
Plus, you get personalized service. There’s also the peace of mind that comes from knowing where your computer is at all times. You’re not worrying about it shipping around the country to a manufacturer’s repair shop. The timeline reduces, too, as the IT experts are on-site at a convenient computer repair outfit.
Even if the computer is covered by warranty, repairing it locally might be a better idea. When we repair computers for our customers, we offer to do data backups. If you have another device, you can continue working on it and access your data from a portable hard drive or a USB stick, while your main computer is being repaired. And if you don’t have a spare computer, we can even lend you one!
We can help keep your computers and other technological devices up and running.
