Harmless whining.

[blackcat4866]

So you show up at a call ... by all appearances every part on the machine is worn out. Next step: print off the maintenance counters. What do you see? After 2 years and 1.3M prints the part counters have never been reset with a parts replacement.

So you look into the history ... a drum was replaced last call. Which? Who knows? The tech could not spare a single character to specify (C-M-Y-K). The previous call was jamming. Do you suppose there was a jam code listed? Of course not.

Does this piss anybody off?
We have these tools available to help us. Why not use them? Hey, I need all the help I can get. =^..^=

[davel]

Re: Harmless whining.

Kick him in the butt.

[copyman]

Re: Harmless whining.

What! Tech didn't log the service call. I'm guilty as charged. As easy as it is to do when I worked for companies I always forgot to log the service call. It's does make it easier for any tech following you up at a future date. With my own business I don't leave a log in the machine. Before I go on a service call I've researched the machine history in my database or just look at database on my phone.

[emujo2]

Re: Harmless whining.

With the use of internal counters logging every page, error, and scan count, and the ability to capture, in real time, the current status of the machine, plus the maintenance policy of replacing entire component modules, most tech don't see the need to enter service logs. As long as you reset the counts of the parts you replaced, or the machine resets on its own, they feel there is no need to keep detailed logs. This usually comes back to bite everyone in the butt as now we are replacing that C developer for the 3rd time in 2 weeks, or the MFPB for the 2nd time because we never knew it was replaced before.. Kudos to any tech out there that takes the time to fill out the log. ( I only speak to office equipment as my production guys know better). E

[FrohnB]

Re: Harmless whining.

I used to fill out the Service history religiously! Now that we have been working with Remote-Tech (E-Automate), I have really really slacked with writing down my visits on the "hard copy" in the machine. One of the older techs gives me a lot of grief for this, but with Remote-Tech having all that information at the click of a button or tap of a finger, it's easier to log calls and look up the history on there. Just like copyman, I too will look at the history before going to the call. ARMS has also made it easier to know what parts to bring and if it needs F/W.

On the flip-side, before we had E-auto, I would get irate at a couple of guys who didn't fill out the histories. I was always the guy to go "clean up" the messes these other guys left behind, and often times was left guessing or making unnecessary phone calls because of missing history, counters not reset, worn parts but near 0 counter, screws left out, etc.

[seansbar]

[copyman]

Re: Harmless whining.

With the use of internal counters logging every page, error, and scan count, and the ability to capture, in real time, the current status of the machine, plus the maintenance policy of replacing entire component modules, most tech don't see the need to enter service logs. As long as you reset the counts of the parts you replaced, or the machine resets on its own, they feel there is no need to keep detailed logs. This usually comes back to bite everyone in the butt as now we are replacing that C developer for the 3rd time in 2 weeks, or the MFPB for the 2nd time because we never knew it was replaced before.. Kudos to any tech out there that takes the time to fill out the log. ( I only speak to office equipment as my production guys know better). E

[Grey]

Re: Harmless whining.

I fill out basic info on the machine paper log.

Worked with a few people who would reset drum, developer, and fuser counters All THE TIME
without changing the supplies/parts.

Great for them... calls per day/low parts supply stats. And the easy 8 stops per day reputation.

Always started 1 hour early (off the clock) to check account info on customers at the main office.

We called it "early day coffee time".

So my standard process would be to go out loaded for bear, ready to replace loads of shit.

Sorry to hear that so many are still cutting corners.

Grey

[ZOOTECH]

Re: Harmless whining.

The problem with a hard copy left in machine is that a competing sales person would bring it out to show the customer how 'poorly' their current service company is taking care of their machine.

[copyman]

Re: Harmless whining.

I fill out basic info on the machine paper log.

Worked with a few people who would reset drum, developer, and fuser counters All THE TIME
without changing the supplies/parts.

Great for them... calls per day/low parts supply stats. And the easy 8 stops per day reputation.

Always started 1 hour early (off the clock) to check account info on customers at the main office.

We called it "early day coffee time".

So my standard process would be to go out loaded for bear, ready to replace loads of shit.

Sorry to hear that so many are still cutting corners.

Grey

I guess it's a lot different if only one person is working on the machine and easy for me being self employed now. Like I mentioned in previous post I don't consider it cutting corners if someone doesn't fill out log. Just knowing how inconsistent the log is I go through my normal troubleshooting process. Especially if I know other techs in company reset meters. What good is a log at that point, have to trust your knowledge.

Let's put it this way a log can't hurt, and "could" be a valuable tool if "legibly" logged with details. I remember half the time you could't read the techs handwriting! No help at all...

[Grey]

Re: Harmless whining.

I'm cool with no paper log or exact record of visit.

Cutting corners comment was all about "funny" strange parts/consumable usage.

Grey

[keithxxiii]

Re: Harmless whining.

I do yield approval sometimes and it is a pain in the eyes to see this kind of reports.
Had many cases, the technician blindly requests parts because upon printing of PM parts it was not reset.
Had to reject many parts requests for not taking the yields

[tsbservice]

Re: Harmless whining.

Agree with emujo and Grey. It's utter nonsense to throw/replace working parts and do the same job twice. Besides no service log will hamper your colleagues troubleshooting and productivity.
We used to fill service cards on every machine when I was working with Toshiba. Just like Grey I studied machine history on service calls.
Nowadays as one man show I keep electronic logs/files, still missing those 'paper' days though.

[BaconSteve]

[mikadonovan]

Re: Harmless whining.

As a solitary tech, I make it a point to keep pretty good records of my service calls. If I didn't I guess I would have to kick my own ass. I run a smc for every call and write on it what the particulars are, then after I get a pile of these in my inbox I scan them and enter the data into my service files on the computer for easy future reference. There is a little lag time, but this system seems to work out ok.