Your audiology equipment is essential to your business. Without it, you couldn’t effectively treat your patients, and lost time with patients means lost money for your organization.
Because of this, you should only trust it in the hands of qualified professional technicians. If it’s on the fritz, you want to make sure you have someone to call to get it running good as new in no time. If it’s in need of updates, you want to make sure you can call a tech who has access to the latest software and firmware so you can have it updated as soon as possible.
So how can you make sure you’re entrusting your equipment in the hands of the right service technician? Here are eight questions you can ask.
1. Are you NASED certified?
First thing’s first, you want to make sure your service technician is certified by the National Association of Special Equipment Distributors (NASED). As members of the only national group dedicated to maintaining the highest level of standards for your hearing testing equipment, NASED-certified technicians will ensure your instruments are serviced with the utmost care and efficiency. That’s why it’s important to ask the service technician you intend on hiring this question before letting them handle your equipment.
2. Have you been trained by the factory for repairs?
Nothing beats expertise learned directly from the source. A quality audiometric equipment service technician has been trained directly by the manufacturers of the equipment they calibrate and repair. When speaking with a prospective technician, be sure to ask them if they’ve received training from the manufacturer of your instrument. That’ll ensure they have the knowledge, expertise, and experience needed to properly work on your instrument.
3. Has your test equipment been calibrated in the last year?
Regular calibration of your equipment ensures that the hearing level that is indicated by the audiometer complies with the strict values that are set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or the product manufacturer’s specific references for hearing thresholds. Just as you should have your audiometric instruments calibrated every year, a service technician should have their testing equipment calibrated every year, too. Otherwise, they may be calibrating your devices incorrectly.
4. Do you have access to the latest software and firmware?
Having the latest software and firmware updates installed on your equipment will ensure it is running at its best. Taking this into consideration, you want to make sure the service technician you hire has access to these resources. Ideally, they’ll be in close contact with the manufacturer of your equipment so they can acquire the updates and install them in a timely manner.
5. Will you be providing a certificate for calibration covering the items discussed in the audiometer standards ANSI S3.6 appendix G?
Having proof that you did your due diligence is of the utmost importance. At the end of your calibration appointment, a technician should provide you with a certificate that states your audiology equipment has been calibrated to ANSI standards. This will ultimately protect you from any claims that your screening and diagnostic equipment is producing inaccurate results.
6. Are you carrying liability insurance?
Accidents happen, even when working with the most trained professionals. That’s why it is crucial to ensure your service technician or the organization they work for is covered with liability insurance. If your equipment is damaged somehow during your repair or calibration appointment, you want to ensure the technician will hold themselves accountable and be able to easily replace it.
7. How fast can you get out for emergency repairs?
Proximity is key when working with a service technician.You need someone close by so they can come out to your office ASAP and get your equipment in working shape. Ideally, you want your technician to be a short drive away so they can be at your office the same day you call or within 24 hours. That way you can have your issue resolved before it affects your organization too drastically.
8. Do you have loaners available when needed?
Sometimes a problem can’t be solved with one appointment and your equipment needs to be sent back to the manufacturer for further inspection. In this case, you can’t be left out to dry without your instrument, so it’s best to ensure your service technician can provide you with a loaner. This will allow you to continue treating patients while your instrument is being worked on.
Asking these questions will help you better gauge if the service technician you’re looking to hire is of the quality you desire. If you’re in need of calibration, repair, or maintenance services for your audiology equipment, e3 service technicians are here to support you.
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