Clinic owners compare quotations because quotations are what they are given. But a quotation is one line of a much longer sum, and the missing lines are not small.
You do not need an accountant for this. You need six numbers, four of which come from the supplier in writing.
The six numbers
| # | Number | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Machine price, pre-tax | The quotation. |
| 2 | Cartridges included, by type | The quotation — itemised, not "with cartridges". |
| 3 | Replacement cost and rated shots per cartridge type | The supplier, in writing. See cartridges. |
| 4 | Expected shots per client session | Your practitioner plus the manufacturer's documentation. |
| 5 | Sessions you realistically expect per month | Your own honest forecast, not the supplier's. |
| 6 | Service and repair terms beyond warranty | The supplier, in writing. Include freight both ways. |
Numbers 3, 4 and 5 multiply together into your consumable cost. That is normally the largest number in the whole exercise after the machine itself, and it is the one that is missing from every quotation we have ever seen a client bring us.
The method, step by step
- Cost per shotCartridge replacement price divided by its rated shots. Do this for every cartridge type you will actually use.
- Consumable cost per sessionCost per shot multiplied by the shots your practitioner expects to use in one session.
- Consumable cost per yearCost per session multiplied by your realistic monthly session count, multiplied by twelve.
- Add service and freightFor years two and three, what does support cost once the warranty period ends? Include courier charges in both directions if the machine has to travel for repair.
- Add trainingOperational training for your current staff, plus what it will cost to train a replacement when someone leaves. Staff turnover is a real cost of a device-led service.
- Add a downtime allowanceEstimate days out of service and multiply by what a treatment day is worth to you. A cheaper machine with a three-week parts lead time can be the more expensive one.
On payback claims
You will hear payback estimates from every supplier, ourselves included. Ours is that a machine like this can recover its cost within a few months — and we mean that as a typical expectation, not a guarantee, because it depends entirely on your footfall, your pricing and how well the service is sold in your clinic.
Treat every payback claim, including ours, as arithmetic to check rather than a promise to accept. If you are still weighing HIFU against another category entirely, the commercial comparison against RF and thread lifts is the page for that. Ask what session volume and price the estimate assumes. If a supplier's payback figure quietly assumes a session count you know your clinic will not hit, the figure is not wrong — it is just not yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the cheapest HIFU machine the most expensive over three years?
Sometimes, but not automatically - that framing is its own sales pitch. It depends on cartridge cost, parts availability and service terms. Do the sum with real numbers instead of assuming either direction.
What is a reasonable downtime allowance?
Rather than guess, ask each supplier two things: typical repair turnaround, and whether common parts are stocked in India. Convert their answers into days, and multiply by what a treatment day earns you.
Should the machine price include installation?
Ask, because it varies product to product. Get the specific answer for the exact machine you are buying, in writing, including whether installation is onsite or remote.
How do I compare a quotation that includes more cartridges against a cheaper one that includes fewer?
Price the missing cartridges at the supplier's own written replacement price and add them to the cheaper quotation. That is the only way the two numbers become comparable.