Evaluating BAS Service Plans

Seasonal and extreme changes in weather can serve as a rigorous test for building automation systems and HVAC equipment. In moments like this, can you count on your BAS vendor to keep your system up and running and your occupants comfortable? If you call your provider during an emergency, how long will it take them to respond? Do they have the expertise to solve the problem once they’ve answered the call?

One of the most common pain points we hear from facility managers and decision makers who are considering a new BAS vendor is that their current service team is unresponsive or under-responsive, require multiple visits to solve a problem, and are too costly. They might also be locked into a costly service agreement that does not provide effective problem-solving and therefore does not generate value for the customer.

To help you evaluate the merits of your service provider and/or service plan, here are some critical questions to consider, divided into categories of response time, expertise, and service plan structure:

• What is the vendor’s average response time during high-volume periods such as shoulder seasons or weather crises?
• How many staff members monitor the service phone line or the emergency contact line?
• Does the service provider have inside engineering support that you can reach via direct phone call, who can remotely connect to your system and provide instant troubleshooting and analysis of your problem?
• Will calls to your service provider connect you directly to a human being? Or will you be transferred to a call center or automated attendant?
• Is the service line monitored 24/7, or only during business hours?
• Is company leadership notified of emergencies, or is communication limited to front-line technicians?

• Is the service team well-versed in a variety of BAS systems, technologies, and suppliers? This is particularly important for integrated systems.
• Are the service team members factory-certified in the technology they’ll be servicing?
• How many members of the service team have over 10 years of experience in the field?
• What is the overall size of the service and support team?
• What are some examples or case studies of outside-the-box thinking that the vendor has demonstrated to resolve issues? Are they constrained by a lack of experience to only offer the most basic maintenance?

• Does the vendor force you to buy a SMA (Software Maintenance Agreement) and refuse service if you do not purchase one?
• Is the service team regularly analyzing system performance to ensure uptime? Or do they only respond in an emergency?
• Are there a variety of plans ranging from Block-of-Time to Full Hardware, Software, and Preventative Maintenance coverage?
• Does the service plan have a minimum number of hours per visit, meaning technicians might charge you for work even if they have finished the task?
• Does the plan include an exit penalty or cancellation fee if you decide it no longer works for your facility?
• Can the vendor provide you with an example of a service report?

If you’ve reviewed these questions and determined that your current service plan or team isn’t meeting your expectations, use the contact form below or call our service line at (833) RADIUS-1 to learn about the options offered by Radius Systems. We’ve built a team of service experts with extensive experience in a wide variety of building automation systems manufacturers, and we ensure that all calls will be addressed by our service team during business hours or our on-call service team outside of business hours.