Lazy technicians

[slimslob]

Lately I have started to see a lot of technicians asking questions where the answers are in the service documentation.

[COPIERMAN]

Re: Lazy technicians

real questions what is behind this. Is it the company they work for don't provide proper training or manuals. I been in copier class and people show up from a company that just hire on and no experience but expect them to be train and give them a certificate for that copier. One day they will build a copier and it will fix itself or a robot that will replace us.

[Phil B.]

Re: Lazy technicians

Lately I have started to see a lot of technicians asking questions where the answers are in the service documentation.

so have I.. wondering IF they are really Techs or just end users posing as a tech to avoid having to pay guys like us...

I have been responding with " RTFM" ... guess maybe that's why my rating has fallen.... OFW

[Ratchet2501]

Re: Lazy technicians

Personally I could see either laziness or lack of google kung fu. My biggest problem is lack of training and somethings having multiple names.

[Phil B.]

Re: Lazy technicians

Personally I could see either laziness or lack of google kung fu. My biggest problem is lack of training and somethings having multiple names.

well when the manual lists out the directory for the firmware install... and people don't read and follow instructions on the " how to do it " and then pose queries here.. make me think 1) Lazy 2) not really a tech and has no manual....

[Geo]

Re: Lazy technicians

Hi all...

Everyone is forgetting one important factor....It takes effort and thought to use a S.M. to troubleshot .... Substantially simpler to post a critic question without details... ...speaking of problems, If a MFP is wireless, why is there a big fat wire plugged into the wall outlet...

Everyone... Please have a wonderful and safe Memorial weekend.

[Phil B.]

Re: Lazy technicians

Hi all...

Everyone is forgetting one important factor....It takes effort and thought to use a S.M. to troubleshot .... Substantially simpler to post a critic question without details... ...speaking of problems, If a MFP is wireless, why is there a big fat wire plugged into the wall outlet...

Everyone... Please have a wonderful and safe Memorial weekend.

ummm did you mean LABOR DAY? my memorial weekend sucked.. I got rear ended at a stop light...

[JR2ALTA]

Re: Lazy technicians

The only posts I hate are techs who don't mention the jam code.

But I get a little tired of the techs on their high horse.

1) A lot of techs, including myself, get sent to work on crap boxes we've never seen before.

2) We want to order the right part the first time, we don't have the luxury of shotgunning at company cost

3) For most troubleshooting I find manuals worthless. Replace switch, clutch, main board. That's all they say.

4) Since when is CTN the option of last resort? Instead of trying everything under the sun and THEN posting. I'd rather post sooner and get off on the right foot.

I like shootin the shit and helping out with easy problems. That's why I am here. If I were a super tech I wouldn't have 1,000 posts

[blackcat4866]

Re: Lazy technicians

I find myself answering phone questions more and more lately with: " ... so you want me to read the manual to you? Did you forget how to read? I don't read manuals to people capable of reading for themselves."

Either the manual is in the car, or the computer isn't working, or there isn't time to download, or I should just know it off the top of my head. And the task I'm supposed to be working on is clearly less important to the caller. Who's doing my call?

I have no problem reading to clarify an issue, or helping on anything that you've given some thought. I don't just hand out little golden nuggets of wisdom if you're not going to even try to work it out. "Just tell me what to do. I don't want to know why." That's really hard for me to hear.

End rant. =^..^=

[JR2ALTA]

Re: Lazy technicians

I find myself answering phone questions more and more lately with: " ... so you want me to read the manual to you? Did you forget how to read? I don't read manuals to people capable of reading for themselves."

Either the manual is in the car, or the computer isn't working, or there isn't time to download, or I should just know it off the top of my head. And the task I'm supposed to be working on clearly less important.

I have no problem reading to clarify an issue, or helping on anything that you've given some thought. I don't just hand out little golden nuggets if you're not going to even try to work it out.

End rant. =^..^=

I have always worked with smaller companies, I consider my co-workers friends and good people. If I ask a solid Sharp tech "hey, do you remember the simulation to enable the right side exit tray?" They'll either say "yea it's 26-1" "or no, sorry I can't think of it"

I seriously don't get the resentment or admonishment. We're here for each other. bbuuttt I guess I've never had a co-worker who was CONSTANTLY asking or worse, asking same questions over and over.

[ZOOTECH]

Re: Lazy technicians

I have no problem reading to clarify an issue, or helping on anything that you've given some thought. I don't just hand out little golden nuggets of wisdom if you're not going to even try to work it out. "Just tell me what to do. I don't want to know why." That's really hard for me to hear.

End rant. =^..^=

I just read recently (either here or elsewhere) that "I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you".

[slimslob]

Re: Lazy technicians

I seriously don't get the resentment or admonishment. We're here for each other. bbuuttt I guess I've never had a co-worker who was CONSTANTLY asking or worse, asking same questions over and over.

I remember debs1964 posting about a junior tech she worked with in the London area. Every day at least 2 or 3 times the individual would call her about how to do something. Sometimes the same thing he had asked a few days earlier.

[copyman]

Re: Lazy technicians

Companies are putting more emphasis on IT experience than real tech experience. I find most IT people just google everything and they end up here. The days of old time techs is coming to an end. Old fashion troubleshooting is winding down.........

[Ctl-Alt-Del]

Re: Lazy technicians

so have I.. wondering IF they are really Techs or just end users posing as a tech to avoid having to pay guys like us...

I have been responding with " RTFM" ... guess maybe that's why my rating has fallen.... OFW

[Bucky]

Re: Lazy technicians

Guys, I've been a copier tech since 1968. 50 years now. I'm finding it harder and harder to remember every little thing, or even where to find it in the manual. Our company encourages us to ask questions. In fact, so does our manufacturer...Ricoh. Case in point, I'm working a few weeks ago on a machine that is showing an SC code that I am not familiar with. All documentation is on our laptops. No book manuals available. My laptop is in the car, which is parked a hundred yards away. But I have two faster ways to find out what the code is. Ricoh recently opened a TEXT number for us to send a quick TEXT message to for a quick simple answer. All I have to do is send a TEXT to the number with the model number and the SC code. They provided the answer within 5 minutes by return TEXT. The number is only available to authorized dealers. Our company also uses an APP program called "SLACK". It's on our Smart phones, and it instantly connects all of our technician to each other. If I have a unique problem and need some help with it, I just ask the question in SLACK and it is instantly broadcast to all company techs. I will generally get a response within a minute or two. Both save time and money for our company.

Copiers these days are very complex. And so is Networking. I don't know how the younger newer fellows are going to learn all of this stuff. I know I could not do it again.