| 1 | Service Network and Response Time | Confirm whether technical support is available in your operating region and through which channels. | Written acknowledgment within 1 business day; remote troubleshooting available during stated support hours; local service coverage clearly defined. | Service map, support procedure, escalation contacts, and sample service-level commitment. | Extended downtime and delayed fault diagnosis. |
| 2 | Availability of Spare Parts | Check the supply of wear parts, electrical components, hydraulic components, and safety-related parts. | Critical parts identified in advance; commonly replaced items normally dispatchable within 3–10 business days; part numbers remain traceable. | Recommended spare-parts list, stock policy, parts catalog, and lead-time schedule. | Long machine stoppages and difficult maintenance planning. |
| 3 | Warranty Coverage | Review coverage duration, exclusions, labor responsibility, and the process for approving warranty claims. | Warranty terms are written in the sales contract, with clear coverage for manufacturing defects and defined claim documentation. | Warranty certificate, exclusions, claim form, and examples of covered service items. | Unexpected repair costs and disputes over responsibility. |
| 4 | Installation and Commissioning | Determine who handles installation, calibration, operator training, and initial performance checks. | Commissioning checklist supplied; operators receive documented training; acceptance testing includes safety and operating functions. | Installation scope, training agenda, commissioning report, and operator manual. | Incorrect setup, premature wear, and unsafe operation. |
| 5 | Maintenance Documentation | Assess the quality of manuals, lubrication schedules, inspection points, troubleshooting charts, and parts diagrams. | Documentation is available in a language understood by operators and includes maintenance intervals, safety warnings, and component identification. | Operation manual, maintenance checklist, wiring diagram, hydraulic diagram, and illustrated parts list. | Inconsistent maintenance and avoidable equipment failures. |
| 6 | Customer References and Service Record | Speak with comparable users about reliability, parts delivery, complaint handling, and technical support. | Obtain at least two independently verifiable references with similar capacity, operating conditions, or regional requirements. | Reference contacts, service history summaries, uptime records, and documented case studies. | Marketing claims may not reflect actual support performance. |
| 7 | Total After-Sales Cost and Support Terms | Compare service fees, travel charges, spare-parts prices, consumables, training costs, and expected maintenance requirements. | Five-year ownership estimate provided; prices and lead times are itemized; remote support and service visits are clearly priced. | Service rate card, preventive-maintenance plan, spare-parts price list, and total-cost estimate. | A low purchase price may result in a high long-term operating cost. |