Whether you have your lifts and escalators are for residential or commercial use, good maintenance is not only essential for compliance, but also for reducing risk and liability. Here are some of the key considerations of what to consider when you are choosing a company to manage your ongoing maintenance services for your lifts, escalators and moving walks.

Not all lifts are created equal

Vertical transport continues to see increasing technological advances in terms of both software and programming.

Does the company you are considering engaging for maintenance services have technicians that are trained in the specific software make and model of the lift equipment installed in your premises?

It’s critical that the lift service provider you choose has a good understanding of different makes and models of machinery, as well as the modern technology that helps them to function better.

Access to spare parts

Each make and model of lift, escalator and moving walk has specific parts that are often fairly unique to them. Here are some questions to ask a maintenance service provider before engaging them to ensure they’ll be able to provide you with efficient and effective service:

• Does the company you have asked to provide maintenance services have a stock of spare parts readily available which are suitable for the lift or escalator installed at your premises?
• Are spare parts held locally in the country or will you be left waiting on overseas parts to be supplied with your lifts out of service?
• Is the service based on having access to proprietary software systems for predictive maintenance?
• Is your lift at the age when spare parts and supporting information are scarce or no longer available to the open market?
• Does the company have a modernisation department that can offer upgrade or replacement options?

Compare the terms and conditions

Apples for apples, or will you get a lemon? Service Agreements can be complicated documents to comprehend, so you should ensure that before you choose a certain provider, you go through their terms and conditions methodically and compare them ‘like for like’ with those of their competitors.

Look to compare:

• Guaranteed numbers of service visits
• Are after hours calls included?
• Are all replacement parts included?
• Look closely at the exclusion clauses, as having ‘access’ to a service doesn’t necessarily mean it’s free of charge

If you are unsure of anything in relation to offers made, then contact the sales consultants, giving yourself the time to go through the document and ask any pertinent questions.

If you are still not sure you may like to seek some independent expert advice and use the services of a Lift Consultant.

True value for money

Don’t just look at the dollar figure on the offer! Remember that lifts and escalators are an expensive and technologically advanced plant item. To ensure that your lifts or escalators reach their full life expectancy they need to be serviced correctly and regularly by trained and qualified technicians.

Look for companies that are:

• 3rd party capable
• Quality assured
• Safety accredited
• Proficient in the environment systems they have in place

Engaging the services of an accredited provider will help to ensure that your lift, escalator or moving walkway meets the regulatory requirements, ensuring optimum service availability and providing safety for your passengers.

24 hour call centre access and compliance reporting

In the event that your lift has stopped, does the company you are considering have a 24- hour staffed call centre? Or are you reliant upon an individual with a mobile phone? Your lift maintenance service provider will need to have sufficient staffing levels to provide reliable and prompt attention to your breakdowns, in particular when passengers are in your lift car! Your service provider should also have access to real-time online reporting tools so that you can access meaningful service reports when required.

Do your research

You can ask your prospective providers for testimonials, references and any past research projects they may have completed. This will give you an idea of repair and maintenance capabilities, as well as their commitment to customer service.

You may also ask for client contact details so that you can speak to current clients directly about the company’s service and performance. Choosing a supplier with an excellent track record will keep you, your passengers, your lift and your finances in good stead.

Keep these insights in mind and you’ll have a good chance of finding a suitable and reliable lift maintenance service provider. They can help you maintain safety and compliance, as well as ensuring that your elevators have lower running costs and a longer working life.

If you live in NSW, VIC or Queensland, Liftronic is for you. We are a leading supplier of lifts, and we offer a suite of service contracts to keep your elevators in peak condition.

Our Technical and Support Staff have vast experience with the company, having gone through 35 years of local boots-on-the-ground operation. We offer fast, reliable service 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and we are versatile enough to handle most types of lift systems. So, contact us today for an obligation free quote!