Questions to ask before signing an IT AMC
Response time, what is covered, spare parts and reports: what to check in an annual maintenance contract.
Updated 26 Oct 2026
An annual maintenance contract (AMC) is a promise of support for a year. Two AMCs at the same price can cover very different things, so read them side by side.
What is covered?
- Which devices are listed, by model and serial number
- Whether software, licences and configuration changes are included, or only hardware faults
- Whether spare parts are included or charged extra
How fast will they respond?
Look for a written response time (how quickly someone calls back) and a resolution or on-site time (how quickly an engineer arrives). "Next business day" and "4 hours" are very different promises.
Preventive maintenance
Good AMCs include scheduled visits: cleaning, firmware updates and health checks, with a short report after each visit.
Before you sign
- Ask for references from businesses like yours
- Check the escalation contact if the engineer does not turn up
- Agree how the contract renews and what happens to the price
Post a service request on this site and matched IT companies near you will send AMC quotes you can compare.