Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

[guitar9199]

Service call on the board... "Customer can't scan!"

...Customer is about 50 miles away, so phone call initiated.

Tech: I understand you're having a scanning issue on your copier.

Cust: Yeah... we can't scan because this new copier is a piece of junk. You need to come fix it or get it out of here!!

T: I understand this can be frustrating, but let's see if we can't get you going right away. Are you still able to print?

C: Yeah...prints look good.

T: Great... Now, what error are you seeing when you scan?

C: It just won't go through to the email addresses.

T: OK....does it show an error on the copier screen when you scan to email?

C: Nope....it won't go through... in fact, NONE of the copiers in any of our schools can scan to email.

...............

...............

T: so.... the scanning issue is NOT isolated to that one copier?

C: Oh no.... All our copiers can't scan. You need to come fix it!!

T: Let's try one little thing first. Can you try scanning a document to my email address?

C: Sure.... (scans doc....) OK, it just stopped, and said "Authentication Error"....just like all the others.

T: Has someone recently changed the password on your email account for the scanner?

C: Yeah.... we change it every year.

T: Did you put the NEW password into the copier?

C: No.... was I supposed to?

T: Yes. If the copier doesn't have the new password, your email account won't let it scan.

C: Oh.... let me try it. (Changes Password...Scans doc... Doc received)

T: That seems to have fixed it. Was there anything else?

C: So...does that mean I need to put that password into EVERY copier that scans?

T: Yes sir... they all need valid credentials in order to scan to email.

C: ...I never knew that....
(no kidding)
T: Was there anything else I can help you with?

C: No....looks like that's all for now.

<Hang up phone....Pound head into desk repeatedly>

[JR2ALTA]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

It's nice to have a shop-tech or helpdesk monitor service calls for potential phone fixes. Nice Job!

[copyman]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

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!

[JR2ALTA]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

I hate when i do a phone fix (being very polite and patient) and the customer says

"thank you so much! But this machine looks pretty dusty can you still come out?"

ayfkm?

[JDYAL]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

Honestly customers are just plain lazy. I can't tell you how many times I've called to walk them through a simple fix at the control panel at they give me " aren't we under service?" " we just want a service call" They are to lazy to get up and do anything even if it means waiting for someone to come out.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

I think the part I like the best is when you point out that the PDF document they are printing is requesting C4 sized envelopes (and of course, who has C4 sized envelopes loaded?), and they say: "Well that was really dumb! I could have taken care of that!"

Clearly not. =^..^=

[gneebore]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

Honestly customers are just plain lazy. I can't tell you how many times I've called to walk them through a simple fix at the control panel at they give me " aren't we under service?" " we just want a service call" They are to lazy to get up and do anything even if it means waiting for someone to come out.

Been there done that too many times when I was a tech. The very worst ones I can remember were actually when I worked on typewriters. Yes I started out on them and even had to learn how to fix manual typewriters. And the really fun calls on those were. I just changed the ribbon and now it types all in red can you come out and fix it? My response was always lets try something easy first. Are you at the machine and can you see the button that has ribbon on it? Answer yes I thought I had to move that to change the ribbon They told me when I started that was how to change it. Me: Okay now if you can put the ribbon lever back to where it was before you changed the ribbon. Very quickly I hear Oh that works How did you know that?
Or even better was when the operator actually put an IBM standard typewriter carbon ribbon in backwards so the carbon faced away from the paper. I once drove over ninety five miles from near Flemington Nj almost all the way to Sandy Hook because the manager of the office wanted someone there right now to fix this typewriter. My boss explained that they were not under service contract and they would be charged mileage from our office and one hour minimum when we were done. Then he asked if they would try a different ribbon since it may have been defective. They refused and I was sent there to fix it. I got there and took me all of two minutes to put the ribbon in correctly. Checked to see if the machine needed any oiling or adjustments all was fine so handed them a bill for 92 miles at 25 cents a mile and one hour service charge of 45.00 per hour. Of course the as88ole boss refused to sign it and I put right on the bill refused to sign left them a copy and walked out and got into my car. Wasn't five minutes later boss was on my service radio asking me to stop somewhere and call in. I found a payphone and explained everything the guy refused to sign and it was nothing more than the ribbon was in backwards. If they had been near the office I would have gladly no charged it but I was still an hour and a half away from the office and this call was actually three hours of wasted time. Now the real fun part was the customer was an office for the state and we actually had the service contract for working on state machines either on contract or on a billable basis. I found out from some friends the jerk tried to make IBM come out and fix his typewriter. They refused knowing we had the contract and told him that we were the only company authorized by the state to work on any IBM typewriters owned by the state according the contract. And of course he finally broke down and had to call us for another problem and told my boss that he did not want me to be the service tech sent. I was in the office and saw a big old grin on my bosses face when he flat out told the jerk that I was the only technician that was trained to work on the typewriter. If he refused to let me work on it then no one else could be sent. We finally had to send me to fix it and I made sure I had the parts I might need. Of course he still refused the mileage and service call charges again and we turned his office over to the state comptrollers office for not paying either bill even when they knew before we went out what the charges would be. He went ahead and bought a new typewriter from Royal.

[keithxxiii]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

Some customers are also rude, they will register a complain about lines on copies/scans in which most of the MFPs have stickers or guidelines how to fix them. So you call them up, ask if it's ok to guide them how to fix it and they say you come and fix it.
AYFKM? That's the moment I tell the work controllers to put it in least priority for the field tech.

[copyman]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

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.

[Setright]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

"Yes, you DO have a Service Contract with us. It covers machine servicing needs and defects.

It does not cover user operation and maintenance."

[KenB]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

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]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

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]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

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]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!

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]

Re: Probing Questions.... a Lost Art!!