Hi! Our company hired I.T to work as I.T/MFP technician because they said that most of the machines needed to configure locally or to the network. We will assist and provide necessary training to them in the field for two to three months in trouble shooting MFP machines. Do you think is it better to train an MFP technician to become an I.T or vice versa and WHY?!
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Re: MFP/IT Technician.
I think that I.T. personnel should work on I.T., and technicians should work on the hardware. Is there any particular reason that you would send your employees out to work on something they are completely unfamiliar with? Is it some sort of a test to see who can adapt the best?
If you could only have one or the other, I would probably select technicians for the majority. The largest part of the work is mechanical, not I.T. Most technicians have some minimal I.T. skills, but in my experience less I.T. personnel have the requisite mechanical skills.
Ideally I would have a mix, 3 wrenches for 1 electron chaser, some of those being able to cross over as needed. Does that answer your question?
=^..^=If you'd like a serious answer to your request:
1) demonstrate that you've read the manual
2) demonstrate that you made some attempt to fix it.
3) if you're going to ask about jams include the jam code.
4) if you're going to ask about an error code include the error code.
5) You are the person onsite. Only you can make observations.
blackcat: Master Of The Obvious =^..^= -
Re: MFP/IT Technician.
Its no match. I though about this the other day how i forget that what seem simple to us make others phobic.
We here techs gets dragged thru IT problems on a daily basis and some of the time you need to fix something unrelated to get the job done.
Like if the router finds itself reset and nothing else works right the one thing they really what fixed is the printer...WhateverComment
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Re: MFP/IT Technician.
I got called out a couple of years ago by a major customer when people were having trouble printing to a MP C3503. When I got there, I found out that those who could not print also were not able to access any network resources, including the internet. Connected my laptop to the C3503 and was able to print. Also some of the users in that building could print and access the internet. Another symptom of the problem was that the only ones having trouble were those who had turned their computers off the night before. Connected my laptop to the network and sure enough, no DHCP. Their current IT was a total F up. He was trying to replace the main router because people could access the internet, therefore the router had to be the problem. Didn't even think to check the DHCP server. Since I could not get in touch with the IT, I told the executive I was working with what I found.Comment
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Re: MFP/IT Technician.
Our tiny shop has 4 mechanics and 2 IT. i am sure that some of the issues that are IT related can take hours to correct and could really mess up that 4.5 calls a day the industry ask for. Even the instructor at the last Ricoh school said they should be kept separate. I think the IT people who are forced to do the mechanical work will quit when they find a job that is only IT. I think that mechanics that are forced to learn and do IT will quit when they find an IT only job.The greatest enemy of knowledge isn't ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen HawkingComment
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Re: MFP/IT Technician.
I have worked in both situations. It works better most of the time to have separate IT and mechanical techs. It is nice to have cross training, if it;s a quick fix either way, then it helps the customer, they don't have to wait.Comment
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Re: MFP/IT Technician.
If you're doing a lot of installs, sell document management software and run remote assistance software your IT should be busy enough doing IT.
Becoming a good copier tech techs a few years of non-stop troubleshooting. There's no way to be great at both.Comment
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Re: MFP/IT Technician.
Catch 22..IT trained tech feels turning screwdrivers is below him/her, Copy tech doesn't feel like he/she is paid enough to be an it tech, if you can find a tech that is willing to learn the IT side, do whatever you can to retain them.. EmujoComment
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Re: MFP/IT Technician.
Our manager said if we hire I.T to become an MFP technician, Two birds in one stone?! It will take time and perseverance maybe, possible or failure who knows it depends on the person... Thanks for your comment guys...Comment
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Re: MFP/IT Technician.
I could be wrong but I believe it would be easier to teach service/repair to an IT person than teach IT. I could be wrong but I am the IT person and have learned a fair amount of service/repair to where I could do PM's, swap parts, etc.Comment
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Re: MFP/IT Technician.
I'm thinking MFP tech needs to know how to load print drivers, and trouble shoot some scanning issues. A lot of I.T guys are not putting in the correct drivers.
If we can prove it is not the machine, we can turn it into an IT call.
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Re: MFP/IT Technician.
Well...I require all my techs to complete CompTIA A+ and we work towards Net+ and we pay them the same as entry level IT guys around here get anyway.
Most IT guys I have ever had working for or with me, did not stay long/had ZERO mechanical skills/had zero desire to turn a screwdriver or get their hands dirty and all thought they could plop their ass in a chair and google will fix the machine for them.
Our service contracts ends where the cat5 begins and while we will do what we can remotely/during the install/over the phone; customers know that IT services is not covered and they will be billed for onsite IT work. Most all of my techs like to tinker with computers at home and that does really add to their value and give them the foundation to learn IT stuff as well as get greasy.Comment
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Re: MFP/IT Technician.
So your Boss want IT tossers to become hardware techs? I hope he's prepared for a large increase in his parts bill as IT twats have absolutely no fault finding skills what so ever. Their solution to everything is just to replace entire assemblies with new ones. And as for getting toner under their fingernails...........dream on!!At least 50% of IT is a solution looking for a problem.Comment
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Re: MFP/IT Technician.
I'm both. I can do both. I'm billed at different rates for whatever job I'm performing.
I completely setup (ran CAT5e, punched the panel, setup server & PC's) in our original office. Once we moved, we had someone run the cabling and do the punching, but, I still setup the switch, Comcast (first), then Verizon (once they came to the building) and new server. Couple of years ago, I planned and deployed a wireless network in a Library. Consisting of 5 floors. User would come in, push a button on a little thermal printer for the amount of time they wanted and they would receive a code to connect to the wireless network. I'm the system admin for an off contract account we used to have.
I'm also the senior printer technician. I work on multiple models (as long as I feel comfortable), mainly HP though. Secondly, Dell, then Lexmark. I'm certified on all currently active HP printer certifications (no plotters), HP Workstations, Desktops & Laptops and Dell printers. I let my Dell PC certs slip as we don't do much anymore.
I think having an understanding in both fields should be a requirement.Comment
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