endoscopes provides convenience and cost-savings," says Mr.
Henderson. "Even if you have a mix of manufacturers on one con-
tract, you can ship the various scopes to a third-party company and
only communicate with one vendor."
One additional tip: Endoscope manufacturers are not the only ones
who can service their scopes, regardless of what a rep might claim.
"We were told that only the company was authorized to work in its
scopes," says Mr. Henderson. "But that's not true. We own the scopes,
so we can have them repaired anywhere we choose."
4. Are they up to speed?
Because they have originally manufactured parts and the first-hand
knowledge about the intricate workings of their devices, original
scope manufacturers are best suited to repair the newest technolo-
gies. Third-party companies, on the other hand, may not be able to
repair scopes that have just hit the market because their technicians
need time to learn about how the devices work and reverse-engineer
replacement parts.
"It depends on the accessibility of those parts and if the third-party
companies can get their hands on them," says Ms. Guan. "Specialized
endoscopes are expensive and need to be kept in the best of condition.
You can rely on original manufacturers to repair the newer technologies
quickly and effectively."
5. What's the turnaround time?
Many endoscope manufacturers have only one facility that handles all
repairs, says Mr. Henderson. "Third-party companies can potentially
repair your scopes a lot faster because they have numerous facilities
throughout many regions of the country," he adds. "Independent com-
panies also have more sales reps who can potentially provide more
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