Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

**KenB** · 07-22-2019

Originally Posted by copyman

I try and help customers over the phone all the time. When I have a customer like that I say to them, do you want to try something that will take less than 5 mins? It will save the company $100+. Can't tell you how many times they say just come out. When I go out to do service call and hand them the bill after only being there 5 mins they start to bitch. That's when I tell them I offered to help over the phone but the person that called didn't want to do it!

It's even hard to try and help people save money now a days!

Any time I've had a 5 minute fix I've always tried to "fill up the hour" by checking all the other sections that weren't part of the original call, noting which parts may be due for replacement soon, etc and giving them their money's worth.

That way they can't get all weird about paying for a full hour when they only got a few minute's worth.

**Bix** · 07-22-2019

Customer 70 miles away

Customer: Hi, the printer print retort.
Me: Good morning, ok, copy or even print?
Customer: Both.
Me: Is the paper well placed in the tray?
Customer: Yes, hurry up because employees are complaining.

I leave and as soon as I arrive I find a bundle of documents near the printer with the text perfectly aligned.

I do several tests and the problem is not present. I call the manager. I show him that the printer has nothing.

I ask him to try to show me the problem. I see that he begins to make a copy of a document that has already been distorted by at least 30 degrees.
Imagine my face.

**roho** · 07-22-2019

Originally Posted by KenB

Any time I've had a 5 minute fix I've always tried to "fill up the hour" by checking all the other sections that weren't part of the original call, noting which parts may be due for replacement soon, etc and giving them their money's worth.

That way they can't get all weird about paying for a full hour when they only got a few minute's worth.

I used to do the same thing at contract calls to end the day, perhaps update the firmware and extra cleaning, etc. All the little things that you would not have time for in the middle of the day. Like I said, I USED to do that until my bonehead inexperienced manager claimed we were milking calls at the end of the day.

**j2shortt** · 07-22-2019

Originally Posted by KenB

Any time I've had a 5 minute fix I've always tried to "fill up the hour" by checking all the other sections that weren't part of the original call, noting which parts may be due for replacement soon, etc and giving them their money's worth.

That way they can't get all weird about paying for a full hour when they only got a few minute's worth.

I was taught to be extra through until i get some time under my belt. so i do this with every call. my manager says speed will come with experience. and he is right! im way more efficient than i was when i first started, and i get the same if not more work done in the same amount of time!! I LOVE MY JOB!!

**mrwho** · 07-23-2019

**gneebore** · 07-23-2019

Originally Posted by copyman

How about when contract customers want you to come out and put toner in machine. Or to remove a paper jam. I tell them there will be a charge for me to come out, then they say "but we are under contract". Then tell them to read contract where it says customer is responsible to install toners & remove paper jams (I added this to contract about 2 years ago after refunding a customer because they refused to do it) gave them money back and told them to "try" and find another company that will do it. Talk to a friend of mine who services them now, they are on a per call basis and pay them to come out to change toners, remove jams, etc.

The best customer I can remember was one that actually paid me to come in on a saturday and teach the office people how to do all of what you mentioned. He figured if they all knew how to do the basics then he wouldn't be wasting a lot of money paying them to not be able to do their jobs waiting for me to get there to do something as easy as clearing a paper jam or putting toner in the machine. He admitted the third time he had me run a weekend class for his office people that he saved more in productivity than it cost him to pay me for the class. They were also open on the weekends anyway so he always had people that needed the training working then. And I always knew when there was a call about jam or some other similar problem it was an actual call instead of someone that had not tried the most basic key operator fixes first. Oh yes my boss also knew about the classes and said ot was okay. It saved my money because he wasn't paying me travel expenses and wasted service time doing what they could have/should have done anyway

**tsbservice** · 07-23-2019

Originally Posted by gneebore

The best customer I can remember was one that actually paid me to come in on a saturday and teach the office people how to do all of what you mentioned. He figured if they all knew how to do the basics then he wouldn't be wasting a lot of money paying them to not be able to do their jobs waiting for me to get there to do something as easy as clearing a paper jam or putting toner in the machine. He admitted the third time he had me run a weekend class for his office people that he saved more in productivity than it cost him to pay me for the class. They were also open on the weekends anyway so he always had people that needed the training working then. And I always knew when there was a call about jam or some other similar problem it was an actual call instead of someone that had not tried the most basic key operator fixes first. Oh yes my boss also knew about the classes and said ot was okay. It saved my money because he wasn't paying me travel expenses and wasted service time doing what they could have/should have done anyway

I would love to have such a smart/great customers! Unfortunately there are none of them amongs ours, most worst by far are governmental offices.
They give me hard time asking them elementary questions and I have big headache(because of their general stupidity) after every visit at them.

**roho** · 07-23-2019

Originally Posted by j2shortt

I was taught to be extra through until i get some time under my belt. so i do this with every call. my manager says speed will come with experience. and he is right! im way more efficient than i was when i first started, and i get the same if not more work done in the same amount of time!! I LOVE MY JOB!!

Sounds like you have a good manager to work for, THAT makes a huge difference in this industry!

**gneebore** · 07-23-2019

Originally Posted by tsbservice

I would love to have such a smart/great customers! Unfortunately there are none of them amongs ours, most worst by far are governmental offices.
They give me hard time asking them elementary questions and I have big headache(because of their general stupidity) after every visit at them.

Oh yeah been there done that with government employees. Really like the ones with some sort of degree in some weird subject that makes it impossible to work for anyone but the government. Had a few that flat out said " I have a college degree ....... and you an uneducated service technician are not going to try to tell me how to use a printer." When the call turned out to be nothing more than installing the correct toner .

**guitar9199** · 07-23-2019

Originally Posted by gneebore

Oh yeah been there done that with government employees. Really like the ones with some sort of degree in some weird subject that makes it impossible to work for anyone but the government. Had a few that flat out said " I have a college degree ....... and you an uneducated service technician are not going to try to tell me how to use a printer." When the call turned out to be nothing more than installing the correct toner .

....had one of "THESE" calls at a High School.

A HIGH SCHOOL!!!! ....In the Teacher Work Area!!! ..... I wish I were joking!