Service as a Game Changer: Why It Matters in UPS Selection

In today's digital age, businesses rely heavily on technology to stay connected, informed and productive. From small startups to large corporations, mission-critical systems are essential for daily operations. As our reliance on technology continues to grow, the need for reliable power protection becomes increasingly important for businesses.

Power outages, brownouts and other power disturbances can cause significant financial losses for businesses and safety implications for organisations such as hospitals and airports due to data loss, hardware damage and system downtime. Therefore, selecting the right uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that protects against power disturbances and helps maintain electrical continuity in the worst-case scenario becomes crucial.

Choosing the right UPS can be a daunting task, given the numerous options available in the market. Factors such as capacity, runtime requirement, efficiency and scalability should be taken into consideration; selecting a UPS that is right for the equipment and application is essential. When businesses invest in the right UPS, they can rest assured that their critical systems will remain operational even in the event of power disturbances, leading to uninterrupted operations and avoiding financial losses.

A focus on service

When selecting the right uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for a business, it's important to consider more than just the technical features such as the UPS technology (offline, line-interactive or online), runtime requirement (internal battery only or extended battery cabinet), form factor (rack or tower) and innovative technology elements such as insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) or peak shaving capability.

Service is a crucial element to take into consideration as the reliability of the UPS strongly depends on it.

Service encompasses all the activities that occur before starting up the UPS, such as delivery, positioning and installation. It also includes the start-up process itself to verify that the electrical installation has been performed correctly and to regulate all necessary UPS settings in the proper way. These are all project services, supporting the deployment at site.

Once the UPS is set up and running, it's crucial to maintain its optimal functionality.. This is where subscribing to a service contract becomes key. Service contracts typically include regular UPS maintenance to verify that all components are working properly and trigger immediate or scheduled replacement if they are not. They may also include digital services

such as remote monitoring and diagnostics and incident management to identify critical conditions early enough to correct them before they become major issues. This can provide valuable information on how the UPS is being used, which can be leveraged to optimise its performance.

Taking a comprehensive approach to UPS selection, including consideration of the available services, can improve equipment uptime and reliability, lower operating costs, increase energy efficiency, and ultimately reduce the environmental impact of the UPS. Therefore, it's important to recognise that technical features and services go hand in hand when selecting the right UPS for a business's critical applications.

Choosing the right partner

Choosing the right UPS vendor is an important decision that businesses must make to keep their critical systems operational in the event of power disturbances. We’ve already covered service levels, but there is more to consider too.

Firstly, expertise and experience should be at the forefront of your mind. A vendor with extensive experience in designing, deploying and maintaining UPS systems can offer valuable insights and advice to help you choose the right solution for your business. Look for a vendor that has a team of certified professionals who can provide ongoing support.

A good vendor should also offer a range of UPS solutions that cater to different business needs and budgets. They should provide customised solutions that meet your specific requirements. Moreover, the solutions should be reliable, high-performance, and scalable to meet your business needs as they evolve.

Considering the environmental impact

In addition to technical features and services, businesses should also consider the environmental impact of their UPS selection. The energy efficiency of the UPS and its power factor correction can have a significant impact on energy consumption and costs.

The energy efficiency of a UPS is determined by its efficiency rating, which measures how much energy is converted into usable power for connected devices. A higher efficiency rating means less energy is lost as heat, resulting in lower energy consumption and costs. In addition, UPS models with power factor correction (PFC) can improve the UPS's efficiency and reduce the amount of energy wasted.

Of course, managing the environmental impact of a UPS involves more than just purchasing an efficient unit. A holistic approach to its management is necessary, from initial purchase and installation through regular maintenance, repair and eventual decommissioning and responsible disposal.

A bright future for those who get it right

Investing in a reliable UPS system is essential for businesses to thrive and safeguard their operations. Selecting the right UPS, partnering with a reputable vendor or partner, and leveraging professional services for maintenance and support are critical factors in safeguarding your business from any power-related challenges. Taking a holistic approach to UPS management is also essential to achieve the highest level of performance, stability and resilience for businesses in the face of potential power disruption.

In today's hyper-competitive world, the stakes have never been higher for businesses to protect the continuity of their critical systems. By investing in the right UPS system and taking a lifecycle approach to UPS management, businesses can achieve the level of performance, stability, and resilience necessary to thrive in today's digital age. Moreover, choosing the right UPS vendor is also critical to the success of businesses. A vendor that can offer customised solutions, high-performance UPS systems and comprehensive services and support can make the critical difference in achieving uninterrupted operations.