Service contracts can be powerful tools for increasing revenue and customer loyalty. If you sell a product, you have almost certainly considered what type of warranty to offer. But, have you also thought about whether to also give customers the option of purchasing an additional service contract? Here are five things to consider:
Filed under Service Contract
In a much less contentious election than many of us have been focused on recently, I have been selected to serve as President of the Global Warranty and Service Contract Association. Continue reading
Filed under Service Contract, Warranty
In a September 6 piece, Why you should avoid home warranties, Consumer Reports again takes a shot at service contracts. Noting a recent complaint filed by New Jersey regulators against Choice Home Warranty for allegedly making it difficult to obtain benefits, CR “recommend[s] avoiding service contracts” because those “that cover homes and cars, for example, can cost hundreds of dollars.” But what if the car or home costs many thousands of dollars? Isn’t spending a few hundred bucks on a service contract worth it to minimize risk and secure peace of mind? “No,” says CR, “it makes much more sense to buy reliable products and maintain them as the manufacturer recommends.” Now it’s clear, just buy things that won’t malfunction or fail. Continue reading
In her recent column, Everyday Cheapskate Mary Hunt begins by taking a swipe at extended warranties: “While I cannot say that every extended warranty would be a rip off, that’s the way I want you to start thinking of them.” But she concludes her piece by noting that, “On a personal note, there are only two products for which I have and will continue to buy the extended warranty: Apple products … and treadmills.” Confusing? Well not really. Continue reading
Filed under Customer Experience, Service Contract
Warranties are withering, claims an Arizona State marketing professor. This, he says, bodes well for service contract industry profits, but not for consumers.
But in many product sectors warranty is expanding and recent studies show that consumers believe that service contracts deliver value. Continue reading
Filed under Customer Experience, Risk Management, Service Contract, Warranty
Matthew Kelly
The Editors
Paul Wojcicki