We read a lot of competitors' AMC contracts when clients switch to us. The same seven problems appear again and again — and every one of them is checkable before you sign.
- Response SLA with no service credits: a target with no consequence is a suggestion.
- 'Best effort' resolution language: demand defined resolution or standby-unit commitments for critical devices.
- No named scope list: if the contract doesn't enumerate covered devices, every ticket becomes a scope debate.
- Parts ambiguity: labour-only contracts are fine — hidden parts markups are not. Ask for the rate card up front.
- No preventive maintenance schedule: a purely reactive AMC is just a discounted call-out rate.
- Missing service reports: if visits aren't documented and signed, you can't audit adherence — or pass your own audits.
- Auto-renewal with price escalators buried in annexures: diarise the notice window before you sign, not after.
The one-question test
Ask the vendor: 'What do you owe us when you miss the SLA?' A confident, specific answer — credits, escalation, standby stock — tells you they've been held to it before. Silence tells you everything else.