In the earlier article on Third Party Maintenance support, we introduced the concept and its benefits over the standard warranty-based support model used by OEMs. This time, we will look at the role of the product life cycle in getting the best out of your TPM service.

Year Zero to Year Three

This is the earliest point in the product life cycle and it comes with some challenges for TPM providers. As this interval usually overlaps with what OEMs offer at this stage, the majority of equipment is usually new and the same goes for its replacement parts. Getting them may be a bit harder for the TPM provider on the account of their novelty. This is why people usually stick with OEMs and pay for hardware support as part of their product package or as a separate purchase.

Year Three to Year Six

This is where the availability of spare parts is usually normalized for the TPM providers. They are also more familiar with any new technology you need support for. While the majority of equipment will continue to work as normal, maintaining OEM support for it may be a bit too pricey for what you get, if you purchase it separately. This is the point at which you should consider TPM as an alternative maintenance model.

Year Six to Year Nine

After year six, the majority of OEMs will consider your equipment to be at the end of the line when it comes to its life cycle. This will be usually followed by announcing the cessation of support for a particular product. Otherwise, you will be presented with a huge price tag for the provided support services, if any. The TPM providers are a great and more affordable alternative to purchasing new devices at this point and they will have an easy time sourcing parts in the second-hand market.   

Year Nine and Beyond

While your equipment may still work at this point, the breakdowns will surely become more frequent and unexpected. OEM support will usually be unavailable at this stage. In contrast, TPM will still be widely available, even for devices as old as a decade or two. The availability of spare parts for TPM providers may be slightly impaired but it can be usually maintained well in coordination with a client.