Post by Brent George on Jul 12, 2020 21:40:22 GMT
I have an annual problem....
Each year we get invited to continue paying for Software Maintenance and Hardware Extended Warranty for our Trimble TSC3 Controllers.
Each year I struggle to see the justification for this expense. It is not cheap.
I know that Trimble are notorious for raking in income from such charges (among other things...!)
I know that the hardware warranty is effectively just an extra piece of insurance against a known fault that is not identified and covered in any recall (as if...)
I know that the s/w maintenance is there to account for any tweaks to the brain of the Unit that may need attending too and to cover off other extenuating system problems.
But:
- is the need to maintain the Trimble Access Software really that important - and worth the $NZ930 per unit charged? (up from $520 last year)
- is the need to maintain the Trimble TSC3 or TSC7 Hardware warranty really that critical* - and worth the $NZ570 per unit charged? (up from $460 last year)
(*our gear is well looked after by the users, and one would think that within the development of these Units that their design is such that they can stand the tests of time and use (unlike the TSC2's that had a known screen failure issue....) )
What are other Trimble equipment Users doing each year?
Is it worth just banking the $$ and taking the punt that any subsequent hardware fault can be paid for by the money saved (or a new Unit purchased), and updating software less regularly?
I would appreciate any and all feedback and frank opinions.
Each year we get invited to continue paying for Software Maintenance and Hardware Extended Warranty for our Trimble TSC3 Controllers.
Each year I struggle to see the justification for this expense. It is not cheap.
I know that Trimble are notorious for raking in income from such charges (among other things...!)
I know that the hardware warranty is effectively just an extra piece of insurance against a known fault that is not identified and covered in any recall (as if...)
I know that the s/w maintenance is there to account for any tweaks to the brain of the Unit that may need attending too and to cover off other extenuating system problems.
But:
- is the need to maintain the Trimble Access Software really that important - and worth the $NZ930 per unit charged? (up from $520 last year)
- is the need to maintain the Trimble TSC3 or TSC7 Hardware warranty really that critical* - and worth the $NZ570 per unit charged? (up from $460 last year)
(*our gear is well looked after by the users, and one would think that within the development of these Units that their design is such that they can stand the tests of time and use (unlike the TSC2's that had a known screen failure issue....) )
What are other Trimble equipment Users doing each year?
Is it worth just banking the $$ and taking the punt that any subsequent hardware fault can be paid for by the money saved (or a new Unit purchased), and updating software less regularly?
I would appreciate any and all feedback and frank opinions.
