Yearly 'maintenance' charges

[frailer]

Any of you guys have an idea of what your Co. is paying on your workflow systems? Ours is just under AU$5K. That includes all upgrades and minor updates/fixes. Just curious. Especially any XMF users. We are a small (under 5 seat), '4-up' site.

[gnubler]

No idea, but it's not that much $$. I know that last January my shop upgraded to CS4 (shortly before I started working there) and the year prior purchased 2 new iMacs. Software-wise, we're set for a while with regard to the level of work we do.

Our RIP/platemaker is "old", I think they got it in 2005 and there have been no upgrades. It does what we need it to do. The owner is in the market to buy a new press early next year, so along with that will come many related expenses and new equipment/software.

I don't work in a *state of the art* type of shop. Lots of old-school equipment still sitting in dark corners gathering dust. Sometimes I find old, old manuals and documentation packed in boxes, interesting to find and look through.

[Joe]

$1200 per month.

[frailer]

$1200 per month.

Sounds like that would equivalate (just coined that), back to our size. I imagine if you were more our size, the big red'n'yellow fairy would be charging less.  :undecided:

[gtrev]

We're just about to come out of a years warranty on a newly installed Heidelberg Platesetter - Software and Sundries - they've quoted us over $20k  a year Aust for a PSA - Obscene!

[gnubler]

$1200 per month.

For what? :shocked:

[frailer]

Interesting. This helps my end. Thanks.

[frailer]

$1200 per month.

For what? :shocked:

Maintaining your workflow software...updates/upgrades/bug fixes.

[gtrev]

I'ts for all updates - hardware failure - phone support - yada yada - really sucks as a selling point for them - it's the same price as the PSA on our SM52 5 Colour?

Don't think we'll be biting in this climate!

[Joe]

$1200 per month.

For what? :shocked:

ditto to what frailer and gtrev replied. (workflow service contract - Prinergy)

We were using Nexus before. It was around $10K per year for 2 Nexus servers I think.

[frailer]

I'ts for all updates - hardware failure - phone support - yada yada - really sucks as a selling point for them - it's the same price as the PSA on our SM52 5 Colour?

Don't think we'll be biting in this climate!

That's for your server, running workflow? Not your platesetter, surely.... :undecided:

[gtrev]

Yeh.. It includes the Platesetter/Stacker/Gumming Unit - does this sound cheap to you now?

[gnubler]

Interesting. I don't have knowledge of our accounting dept information but from the questions I've asked it sounds like our RIP/platemaker purchase was a one time deal and there's no service contract.

[frailer]

Yeh.. It includes the Platesetter/Stacker/Gumming Unit - does this sound cheap to you now?

Well, cheaper.  :undecided:  So, platesetter breaks down...no call-out charge? But you'd pay for parts?   Ours is strictly XMF workflow itself.

[gtrev]

I've got a feeling that includes parts - they tend to ramp up the PSA the older the machine gets! to cover all the money they have hidden at the bottom of the pickle barrel