LED display AMC explained: what a maintenance contract should cover

What is an AMC for an LED display?

An AMC is a yearly service agreement that combines scheduled preventive maintenance with an agreed response to breakdowns. Instead of calling a technician and paying per visit when something fails, the screen owner pays once and the provider takes responsibility for keeping the screen in condition.

The warranty and the AMC do different jobs. A warranty covers defects in the product for a set period; it does not usually include cleaning, inspections, recalibration or faults caused by external factors. An AMC covers the routine work and, depending on its type, some or all repairs. Many owners take an AMC from the end of the warranty, and some take one from day one for preventive visits.

For government offices, banks, municipalities and schools, an AMC also gives a clear, budgetable arrangement that fits annual planning and procurement cycles.

What is the difference between comprehensive and non-comprehensive AMC?

A comprehensive AMC includes both labour and the replacement parts needed for covered faults; a non-comprehensive AMC includes labour and preventive visits, with parts charged separately when needed. The first gives more certainty, the second a lower annual fee.

Comprehensive cover suits critical screens and owners who want a predictable annual figure — control rooms, public information displays and busy advertising screens. Non-comprehensive cover suits owners who hold their own spare modules and power supplies, or whose screens are lightly used.

Whichever you choose, the contract should list exactly which parts are included: modules, power supplies, receiving cards, sending equipment, media players, fans and so on. Ambiguity here causes most AMC disputes.

What should an LED AMC include?

A good LED AMC should include a defined number of preventive visits, a written checklist for each visit, a response time for breakdowns, a clear parts position, software and configuration support, and a report after every visit.

Preventive visits should cover cleaning, test patterns, power and connection checks, structure and sealing inspection, and calibration review. For outdoor screens, schedule visits before and after the monsoon. Response times should be stated in hours or days, and distinguish between a total failure and a minor fault. Remote support — checking the control system or CMS over the network — should be included where the screen is connected.

The contract should also say who owns and holds the spares, how quickly parts not in stock will be supplied, and what happens to replaced components.

What is usually excluded from an AMC?

AMCs usually exclude damage from physical impact, vandalism, fire, flood, lightning beyond the installed protection, power faults in the building supply, unauthorised modifications and natural disasters such as earthquakes. Content creation is also normally excluded.

These exclusions are reasonable, but they should be written clearly, along with how excluded work will be handled — usually quoted and carried out separately. Some providers can extend cover for specific risks, such as surge damage, if suitable protection is installed.

Check also what the contract assumes about the site: access for technicians, a safe working platform for high screens, and a stable power supply. If the owner cannot provide these, the AMC should say what happens.

How do you compare AMC offers?

Compare AMC offers on what is actually delivered, not on the annual fee. A low-cost AMC with one visit a year and no response commitment is not comparable to one with quarterly visits, a stated response time and parts included.

Put each offer in a table: number of preventive visits, checklist, response time, parts included, spares held locally, remote support, exclusions and reporting. Ask whether the provider has the right spares — ideally batch-matched modules for your screen — in Nepal, and whether its technicians are trained on your screen’s control system.

The installer is often the best AMC provider, because they know how the screen was built, hold its documentation and spares, and can respond with the right parts. That is not automatic, though; judge the offer on its terms.

When does an AMC make sense?

An AMC makes most sense for screens that run long hours, sit outdoors, carry critical information or earn revenue, and for owners without in-house technicians. For these, the cost of downtime is greater than the cost of regular care.

A ward information screen running 16 hours a day, a highway DOOH screen selling advertising, or a control room wall in continuous use all benefit. A boardroom screen used a few hours a week may need only an annual service on call. Remember that installation outside the valley — in the hills or the far west — adds travel time, so the contract should say how out-of-valley sites are served.

We offer maintenance contracts for screens we have installed and, after a survey, for screens installed by others. If you want to put your screen on a regular service footing, ask us to review it.

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