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Hi Andy

We always negotiate a 5-year full service contract at the time of purchase. We try and get contracts directly with the manufacturer if possible or otherwise go and talk directly to people who deal with the rep company to ask how their service is. Be very aware of you hear any sign of bad service.
During the 5 years you can pay special attention to what breaks, how often a service is needed, get the engineer to show you some simple (or not) maintenance, ask for price for each service /repair needed. This helps you figure out if you need to renew it not.

Med vänlig hälsning / Best regards

Sylvie

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Sylvie Le Guyader, PhD
Live Cell Imaging Unit Manager
Karolinska Institutet- Bionut Dpt
Hälsovägen 7,
Novum, G lift, floor 6
14157 Huddinge
Sweden
mobile: +46 (0) 73 733 5008
office: +46 (0) 8 5248 1107
LCI website


---- Andrew York wrote ----

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 Hello listserv, I'm interested in your opinions regarding service
contracts on high-end commercial microscopes in multi-user core facilities.
What has your experience been with service contracts? Any mistakes or
regrets? Any advice on negotiating pricing, or if/when to drop contracts?

 I've read through some old posts on this topic, but I bet there's more
useful knowledge lurking out there, and I bet I get some juicy off-list
replies like usual.

Thanks, as always.
-Andy