Vending, Kiosk & Self-Service Equipment worked example

Field Failure Cost at 14% annual failure incidence: a worked example in vending, kiosk & self-service equipment

This scenario runs the field failure cost calculation on the strong side: 14% annual failure incidence, with every other input held at its documented default. Use it to size warranty exposure and on-site maintenance budgets before signing a multi-site self-service equipment placement.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Units in Installed Fleet: 500 machines (unchanged)
  • Cost per Field Service Call: 320 $/call (unchanged)
  • Annual Failure Incidence: 14 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 12)
  • Standing Dispatch Overhead: 4,000 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Total field failure cost = fleet units x cost per service call x annual failure rate% + dispatch overhead) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 26,400 $ for total field failure cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 52.8 $ / piece for field failure cost per unit.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 22,400 $ for variable field failure cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 4,000 $ for fixed field failure cost adder.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where annual failure incidence sits at 12% and the headline result is 23,200 $, this scenario comes in 13.79% above the baseline at 26,400 $.
  • Use it when budgeting field service, comparing machine models by reliability, or deciding whether a preventive maintenance program pays for itself. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • Total field failure cost: 26,400 $ (headline result)
  • Field failure cost per unit: 52.8 $ / piece
  • Variable field failure cost: 22,400 $
  • Fixed field failure cost adder: 4,000 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Field Failure Cost calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.