For furniture covered under warranty, it's reasonable for manufacturers to offer maintenance services. But what happens when the furniture is beyond the warranty period? How should it be handled?
According to statistics from "Government Procurement Information News," in recent years, there has been a growing trend of separate furniture repair service projects in government procurement, especially for student dormitory furniture. These projects are typically organized by large universities with high student populations. When the number of damaged items exceeds a certain threshold, schools will initiate specific repair contracts.
"Such projects are usually initiated when the scale of damaged furniture becomes significant," said an official from the Education Procurement Management Office at the Guangdong Education Equipment Center.
Whether or not to organize separate repair services largely depends on the scale of damage. In most cases, during the bidding process for furniture purchases, maintenance services are included. Many purchasers require a five-year warranty, sometimes extending it to eight years. If furniture within the warranty period is damaged, the original supplier handles the repairs.
However, once the furniture is out of warranty, the question arises: should a separate maintenance project be organized? For institutions with a large volume of damaged furniture, this approach can be necessary and cost-effective.
Take South China Agricultural University as an example. With over 40,000 students, the university has a massive demand for dormitory furniture. Some of these pieces may have exceeded their warranty period and show minor damages. Instead of discarding them, the university opts for repairs. According to the university’s representative, annual repair costs are substantial, and public bidding helps save money.
In July and December 2013, the university conducted two separate repair projects, with budgets of 480,000 yuan and 490,000 yuan respectively.
On the other hand, Sun Yat-sen University hasn't organized similar projects due to the smaller number of damaged items. According to Jia Yanjiang from the Tender Management Center, while organizing separate projects is one solution, other options exist. Universities often handle maintenance through their own logistics departments, and some companies may offer free repairs after warranty to maintain good relationships with clients.
While it's ideal for suppliers to provide free maintenance, not all do so. Most purchasing units still prefer to pay the original supplier for repairs, even after the warranty expires.
Dai Wei, a project leader at the Zhejiang Education Technology Center, expressed concerns about repairing furniture with different materials and parts from other manufacturers, which could affect consistency and aesthetics. However, he also acknowledged that in the future, such practices might be considered if needed.
From an aesthetic perspective, it’s better to have the original supplier handle repairs. But according to Guangzhou Xinye Furniture Co., Ltd.’s project manager, many furniture items that go beyond warranty have been in use for more than five years, some even over ten. As long as they can be restored to functional condition, it’s worth repairing.
He also noted that many furniture companies close down each year, and some products may no longer have active manufacturers. In such cases, re-tendering for maintenance services can be a practical solution. In fact, many universities in Guangdong have already started bidding for furniture repair services. His company successfully won two such contracts in 2013.
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