End-of-life (EOL) is a term used by the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) to describe a certain model of equipment that their organization has collectively decided to stop selling and supporting. What’s tricky about this word is determining if your equipment needs to be immediately replaced with the latest and greatest technology. EOL announcements generally prompt a series of events that ultimately lead to the end of support from the manufacturer. Although the lack of a support is an issue, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to replace the equipment tomorrow. Take this opportunity to do some research. You may identify alternate sources for service and support that may extend the life of your equipment, as well as save you some money.
Ask Questions
Equipment models classified as EOL will no longer be available for purchase from the manufacturer. However, the company may still be able to provide service, technical support, parts and consumables for a short period of time. Oftentimes, the EOL notice will include a reason for termination of the model, the replacement product (if applicable), and an End of Life timeline or schedule. Get in touch with the manufacturer’s local service location for an estimate on support if this information is not provided in the notice. The information will be helpful in the decision-making process.
Partner Up
Independent Service Organizations (ISO) are generally founded by and staffed with former OEM employees that have experience with older generation models. Many specialize in certain manufacturers and modalities. A quick internet search of the manufacturer, model number, and repair will result in a variety of search results. Do your research well in advance before service is required. The key is knowing the right questions to ask:
- Confirm that the vendor is able to service your specific model of equipment
- Find out if your location is in their service area
- Ask for their hourly service rates for standard and afterhours service
- Find out if they have access to the parts required to repair your equipment (new or refurbished)
- Ask if they guarantee their work
- Get some references
 Managing Equipment
Equipment Maintenance Management Programs (EMMP), are another option that provides flexibility and cost savings. EMMPs offer generous discounts on maintenance contracts and are vendor neutral. If the OEM no longer will service your equipment, a reputable EMMP, who works with thousands of service vendors and part suppliers nationwide, can oftentimes help identify alternative vendors that will service older equipment models and has access to hard-to-find parts and consumables. This option ensures total equipment management for your facility by providing critical services using vendors that can help lower the costs of maintenance.
Time’s Up
If your goal is to extend the useful life of your equipment for as long as possible, it is vital to record all service events, preventative maintenance, consumables, and associated costs surrounding the upkeep of that equipment. Keeping accurate records on ALL of your electronic equipment should become a best practice within your organization. Comprehensive equipment reports will help to evaluate your equipment’s performance giving you the ability to compare the cost of supporting older equipment to the price of purchasing new technology. It is inevitable that the day will come when you will notice signs that your older equipment may need to be put out to pasture.  Spare parts might be hard to find, downtime may be steadily increasing or the equipment can no longer be repaired. By tracking equipment information throughout its lifecycle, business owners have an objective starting point to base their equipment replacement decisions upon.
Did you find this ultimate guide helpful? If you some additional help figuring out how to deal with EOL, please feel free to reach out to me at: shelley.schuster@theremigroup.com or check out our website: www.theremigroup.com.