Should You Fix It Or Replace Broken Items?

We may be living in a throwaway society, but there is no shortage of good reasons to repair items in the workplace rather than casually discard and replace them. As a small business owner, you can save a great deal of money by adopting a greener approach in this area of your business.

As well as your pocket benefiting, the environment benefits too and besides, the sense satisfaction and pride you will feel makes being greener well worth your while!

MAKE THE RIGHT PURCHASING DECISIONS  

It is crucial to remember that the lowest cost rarely equates to the lowest price. When purchasing any kind of product or system the only way to determine the most cost effective option is to weigh up not just the initial purchase price, but also the cost of its full life cycle, examining all costs related to its ownership, operation, maintenance and ultimate disposal.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTENANCE

Failure to maintain items and repair them at an early stage is the primary reason for the deterioration and impairment of assets, leading to higher costs in the long run. Purchase quality, then take good care of your items and equipment, servicing and maintaining them on a regular basis and you will significantly extend their lifespan.

IS IT WORTH THE COST AND EFFORT OF REPAIR?

This very much depends on the item in question, but to get an idea of the decision-making process we will take a look at the assessment of repairing typical items that you would find in an office environment.

Office Furniture

General everyday wear and tear can take its toll on your office furniture but before you throw them out it is well worth considering the benefits of repair.

Office Chairs – Common issues include worn out hydraulic cylinders that prevent you from being able to alter the height of the chair, damaged upholstery and broken casters. Providing the chair started out its life as a good quality piece of furniture, a repair job is likely to be your best option as all of these issues can be repaired easily and cost effectively, extending the lifespan of the item. You could even get creative with your upholstery choice and give all of your office chairs a completely new and updated look!

Filing cabinets – Anyone who has ever worked in an office environment is likely to be familiar with those awkward drawers that are forever getting stuck. Broken drawers can drive you around the bend but are easy and economical to have repaired; broken hardware can also be replaced and repaired easily.

Other Furniture Items – Repairing and refreshing good quality office furniture is usually a far better option than throwing it away, look for a local professional service, quality furniture is costly, so by opting to repair, you will save money and prevent items going to landfill unnecessarily.

Electronic Items

With technology developing at such a fast pace, by the time an electronic item begins to fail, it may feel like time for an upgrade anyway and if so, it is important to recycle via a reputable organisation, ensuring that any confidential data held on your equipment is kept safe. Electronic items do have a habit of breaking and often repairs are surprisingly straightforward and cost effective with a little research.

A good rule of thumb is to repair an item if the cost of doing so is less than 50% of the purchase price for a new one.

Appliances

In an office kitchen, plumbing issues and faulty dishwashers can cause havoc! Before you order a new appliance see if it is cost effective to have the broken item fixed. You may find that the only thing preventing the item from working is a worn out washer or a loose connection, so don’t be too hasty to replace things without checking first!