The initial cost of the software is an obvious consideration but look beyond that to Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). In calculating the TCO, consider the following:
1. Lifespan of the scale: How many vehicles will it weigh before it needs to be replaced?
2. Included warranties: What is covered and what isn’t? Does this cover likely occurrences or only remote possibilities?
3. Cost and availability of replacement parts: What are the most common parts you will need in the future? Are they costly? Will you need to keep some of these parts in inventory for emergency use?
4. Cost of any specialized labor performed by outside personnel: Is the equipment especially complicated? If so, much of the maintenance labour may have to be performed by a specialist which is typically more expensive than internal labour.