19 QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU DETERMINE THE TOTAL COST OF OWNING AND USING YOUR AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT

August 27 2021

Money is always factored into the choices of technology products to acquire and deploy in boardrooms and classrooms. After all, there are budgets to consider and respect. There are people (buyers) responsible for finding the right deal. For them, the purchase price is often a useful point of comparison between products.

But once the initial purchase is made, other costs can continue to add up significantly. From installation to maintenance through training. And while some are predictable, others can catch you off guard. Before you buy, it's helpful to determine what your total cost of equipment ownership and use (TCO) will actually be.

Over the years, I have spoken to many customers about the factors they take into account in determining the total cost of their equipment. If you are choosing a technology for your rooms, here are a few questions (some obvious and some not) to make sure you make an informed choice.

Purchase price

How much will each product cost?

Knowing the unit prices makes budgeting easier. You will have a price in mind, whatever the scale of your deployment.

Is there a volume purchase price?

If you are planning a series of deployments in the future, you may be able to negotiate future volume discounts or buy more now to get a better price for the full volume.

Are there other discounts?

Check with your supplier if unannounced savings may play a role in your cost calculations. Sometimes you just need to be bold enough to ask.

Installation

What will be the cost of installing each piece of equipment?

Check if any additional tools or parts need to be purchased. Do not forget to calculate the additions of power outlets and the modifications to be made to the room.

How long does the installation take?

Assign a dollar value to the time it takes your team to install each piece of equipment if you are not having the supplier installed.

How long will your rooms be out of use?

Can the installation be done quickly to minimize downtime? If the installation takes place outside working hours, will this work cost you more in terms of personnel and contractors?

Configuration and deployment

Are specialized skills required to operate the product?

After installation is complete, how much time will you need to spend responding to customer support requests. How much time will be spent programming, adjusting or debugging your system configuration.

Can your IT team be trained to deploy the equipment?

Is this a simple process or does it require a significant investment of time and expertise.

Maintenance and troubleshooting

Can the systems be managed and updated remotely?

If IT specialists need to travel to each room to make adjustments or run updates, consider this time.

Are there remote accesses to facilitate product management?

How quickly and easily your team will be able to resolve issues.

What happens when classrooms are reconfigured?

Ask your supplier if the equipment calibrates automatically as needed or if the supplier should be used to recalibrate the equipment.

Warranty

What type of warranty is included?

Get details on the scope of the warranty program, including what you get with the purchase of the product and how much it costs to extend the warranty for more years.

What if the equipment breaks down and needs to be repaired?

Even if you are covered by a warranty, consider the additional costs your business will incur if the equipment in the room is worn out.

Training

Is user training necessary?

Take into account the ease of use of the product and the time it will take for users to upgrade. Will external expertise be needed to deliver the training sessions?

Are training materials or services included?

Ask if initial training services are available and if there are a variety of support resources and materials to turn to if you need help.

Is system manager training required?

Determine if the products are easy to manage or if IT will need to invest time in learning how to support and manage them remotely.

User experience

What is the cost of systems that are not in use?

Think about the costs of non-use of systems that are avoided by users because they are too difficult to use or do not do the job.

Good luck on your shopping

Determining the total cost of owning and using technological equipment is not without its challenges. But if you don't ask a full set of questions before you buy, it's almost impossible to know the real cost for. We hope these questions can help you make informed purchasing decisions.

Robert McBrearty,
Vice-President, Business Development at Melting IceCube Consultants