If you’ve bought a business laptop or desktop with “Next Business Day Onsite Warranty”, you’d probably assume it means what it says: a technician at your door the next day to fix it.
Sadly, that’s not quite how it works. It’s something we’ve been working through with our hardware suppliers on behalf of our clients, and I think every business should know about it.
What “Next Business Day Onsite” really means
The warranty actually covers two things: your call being acknowledged by the end of the next business day, and a technician visit once the replacement parts arrive.
The catch is that no spare parts are held locally. Parts are ordered when you log the fault, then shipped, often from overseas. With the ongoing global chip and component shortages, that can stretch from days into weeks.
So “Next Business Day” is the response, not the repair.
And if it can’t be fixed?
If a device can’t be repaired, the usual outcome is a credit for what you originally paid, to put towards a new one.
That sounds fair enough, until you look at today’s prices. A laptop bought six months ago for $1,800 might cost $2,400 to replace now, a 30 to 50% jump driven by the current hardware market. You’d get your original price back, but you’d have to find the difference yourself.
What we’re doing about it
We’ve raised this directly with our supplier reps, right up to product manager level. They were honest, if not hugely helpful. The wording comes from the manufacturers, and there’s not much the distributors can do to change it.
So we’re changing things at our end. We’re taking warranty descriptions out of our quotes where the wording could give the wrong impression, and putting together clearer guidance instead, so you know exactly what cover you have and what to plan for if something breaks.
Our advice for business-critical devices: look at an extended or upgraded warranty that specifically includes loan equipment or advance replacement. It costs more up front, but it takes the uncertainty away.
Want to check what your hardware warranties really cover, or plan your next device refresh? Book a free health check, or call us on 0800 688 768.