Venting...

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  • Murv
    Sr. Escalations Analyst

    100+ Posts
    • Mar 2021
    • 182

    #16
    Re: Venting...

    Originally posted by BillyCarpenter
    Some customers simply like to take their frustration out on the friendly copier repair man. I think that a lot of it has to do with the "service contract." I've always found that the customer sings a different tune when I start charging them to fix stupid shit. Only then will some customers begin to follow directions. My 2-cents.
    Agreed.

    Comment

    • blackcat4866
      Master Of The Obvious

      Site Contributor
      10,000+ Posts
      • Jul 2007
      • 23006

      #17
      Re: Venting...

      Originally posted by BillyCarpenter
      Some customers simply like to take their frustration out on the friendly copier repair man. I think that a lot of it has to do with the "service contract." I've always found that the customer sings a different tune when I start charging them to fix stupid shit. Only then will some customers begin to follow directions. My 2-cents.
      Just recently had an enduser that called every three weeks to clean the slit the glass while it was under service agreement. If I called about them possibly cleaning it: " ... I don't have time for that ... ". Now that it's $140 per hour, they seem to have the time now... and were even thankful. I nearly dropped the phone when I got a Thank You. =^..^=
      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 =^..^=

      Comment

      • slimslob
        Retired

        Site Contributor
        25,000+ Posts
        • May 2013
        • 37458

        #18
        Re: Venting...

        Originally posted by BillyCarpenter
        Some customers simply like to take their frustration out on the friendly copier repair man. I think that a lot of it has to do with the "service contract." I've always found that the customer sings a different tune when I start charging them to fix stupid shit. Only then will some customers begin to follow directions. My 2-cents.
        I haven't had any like that but have had those who like to take their frustration out on the the gal at our office who answers the phone. As an example many years g=had a doctors office with an SCM 55. They called about 9:30 that they are having a problem and want to know how soon I could be there. They were told that I had left about 8:30 to go to Porterville, an hours drive away, and had 4 customers to go to there. As a result in might be late afternoon before I would be back. The customer called every half hour to see if I was on my way back.

        Comment

        • BillyCarpenter
          Field Supervisor

          Site Contributor
          VIP Subscriber
          10,000+ Posts
          • Aug 2020
          • 16374

          #19
          Re: Venting...

          Originally posted by slimslob
          I haven't had any like that but have had those who like to take their frustration out on the the gal at our office who answers the phone. As an example many years g=had a doctors office with an SCM 55. They called about 9:30 that they are having a problem and want to know how soon I could be there. They were told that I had left about 8:30 to go to Porterville, an hours drive away, and had 4 customers to go to there. As a result in might be late afternoon before I would be back. The customer called every half hour to see if I was on my way back.
          Consider yourself lucky. Over the years I've run into some real jerks. Doctors are at the top of that list closely followed by attorneys. Not all, but some doctors have a God-complex. I've seen them bring nurses to tears, so you know that they're not worried about offending a copier tech. I was once called out on a service call for a fax and when I arrived, I discovered that the doctor had grown frustrated and slammed the machine on the floor. Needless to say that it was DOA.

          I have a problem customer on my hands now. It's the same one that keeps calling me out to clean the slit glass. Like in blackcat's scenario, they are too busy to mess with it. This lady is the corporate manager in charge of several locations. The only location that's giving me problems is the headquarters where she's located. The problems have run the spectrum from cheap paper, dirty slit glass and operator error in general. And to boot, they only want a tech working on their machine at lunch time when they're less busy.


          I've already had a talk with this lady but she's not reading the tea leaves. The next conversation that I have with her will be to lay down the law and inform her that she will be charged for operator error moving foward.


          There comes a point to where I draw a line in the sand. At some point these service contracts become unprofitable when a tech has to constantly be on-site.
          Adversity temporarily visits a strong man but stays with the weak for a lifetime.

          Comment

          • slimslob
            Retired

            Site Contributor
            25,000+ Posts
            • May 2013
            • 37458

            #20
            Re: Venting...

            Originally posted by BillyCarpenter
            Consider yourself lucky. Over the years I've run into some real jerks. Doctors are at the top of that list closely followed by attorneys. Not all, but some doctors have a God-complex. I've seen them bring nurses to tears, so you know that they're not worried about offending a copier tech. I was once called out on a service call for a fax and when I arrived, I discovered that the doctor had grown frustrated and slammed the machine on the floor. Needless to say that it was DOA.

            I have a problem customer on my hands now. It's the same one that keeps calling me out to clean the slit glass. Like in blackcat's scenario, they are too busy to mess with it. This lady is the corporate manager in charge of several locations. The only location that's giving me problems is the headquarters where she's located. The problems have run the spectrum from cheap paper, dirty slit glass and operator error in general. And to boot, they only want a tech working on their machine at lunch time when they're less busy.


            I've already had a talk with this lady but she's not reading the tea leaves. The next conversation that I have with her will be to lay down the law and inform her that she will be charged for operator error moving foward.


            There comes a point to where I draw a line in the sand. At some point these service contracts become unprofitable when a tech has to constantly be on-site.
            Many years ago when non brandX plain paper copiers were first coming into use there was a Royal dealer in Los Angeles who was having constant problems with a Key Operator at a large company on a RBC1. Royal sent their regional rep to help. He went to the customer with the local tech and spent a couple of hours there. Afterwards he asked her to dinner and later took her to his hotel room. Now I don't know if she finally got her itch scratched or if she was afraid that Royal might send him out again, but she no longer a problem.

            Comment

            • BillyCarpenter
              Field Supervisor

              Site Contributor
              VIP Subscriber
              10,000+ Posts
              • Aug 2020
              • 16374

              #21
              Re: Venting...

              Originally posted by slimslob
              Many years ago when non brandX plain paper copiers were first coming into use there was a Royal dealer in Los Angeles who was having constant problems with a Key Operator at a large company on a RBC1. Royal sent their regional rep to help. He went to the customer with the local tech and spent a couple of hours there. Afterwards he asked her to dinner and later took her to his hotel room. Now I don't know if she finally got her itch scratched or if she was afraid that Royal might send him out again, but she no longer a problem.

              Are you suggesting that I sleep with my problem customer? LOL


              Not on your life. I'd be in therapy for the rest of mine.
              Adversity temporarily visits a strong man but stays with the weak for a lifetime.

              Comment

              • slimslob
                Retired

                Site Contributor
                25,000+ Posts
                • May 2013
                • 37458

                #22
                Re: Venting...

                Originally posted by BillyCarpenter
                Are you suggesting that I sleep with my problem customer? LOL


                Not on your life. I'd be in therapy for the rest of mine.
                No, that is the job of regional reps.

                Comment

                • Lagonda
                  Service Manager

                  Site Contributor
                  1,000+ Posts
                  • Aug 2008
                  • 1649

                  #23
                  Re: Venting...

                  67 now and haven't seen a copier for almost 18 months...........bliss!
                  At least 50% of IT is a solution looking for a problem.

                  Comment

                  • Phil B.
                    Field Supervisor

                    10,000+ Posts
                    • Jul 2016
                    • 22798

                    #24
                    Re: Venting...

                    Originally posted by Lagonda
                    67 now and haven't seen a copier for almost 18 months...........bliss!
                    Nice break isn't it?


                    Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

                    Comment

                    • slimslob
                      Retired

                      Site Contributor
                      25,000+ Posts
                      • May 2013
                      • 37458

                      #25
                      Re: Venting...

                      Originally posted by Lagonda
                      67 now and haven't seen a copier for almost 18 months...........bliss!
                      Nice to hear from you. How have you and Mrs. Lagonda been doing?

                      Comment

                      • tonerhead
                        Senior Tech

                        500+ Posts
                        • Sep 2009
                        • 582

                        #26
                        Re: Venting...

                        Originally posted by Lagonda
                        67 now and haven't seen a copier for almost 18 months...........bliss!
                        Been doing this crap for 31 years. Afraid if I quit now, I'd go through toner withdrawal symptom. Get the shakes, jitters, etc.

                        I live for my first snort of toner in the day
                        I've proved mathematics wrong. 1 + 1 doesn't always equal 2.........


                        Especially when it comes to sex

                        Comment

                        • Debs1964
                          Service Manager

                          1,000+ Posts
                          • Oct 2010
                          • 1690

                          #27
                          Re: Venting...

                          Originally posted by BillyCarpenter
                          Some customers simply like to take their frustration out on the friendly copier repair man. I think that a lot of it has to do with the "service contract." I've always found that the customer sings a different tune when I start charging them to fix stupid shit. Only then will some customers begin to follow directions. My 2-cents.
                          Don't forget us friendly copier repair women
                          There are 10 types of people in this world, those who understand binary maths and those who don't

                          Comment

                          • Phil B.
                            Field Supervisor

                            10,000+ Posts
                            • Jul 2016
                            • 22798

                            #28
                            Re: Venting...

                            Originally posted by Debs1964
                            Don't forget us friendly copier repair women
                            wouldn't dream of it Lady!

                            Comment

                            • slimslob
                              Retired

                              Site Contributor
                              25,000+ Posts
                              • May 2013
                              • 37458

                              #29
                              Re: Venting...

                              Originally posted by Debs1964
                              Don't forget us friendly copier repair women
                              Maybe in the future we should just use tech or technician. More inclusive that way.

                              Comment

                              • Phil B.
                                Field Supervisor

                                10,000+ Posts
                                • Jul 2016
                                • 22798

                                #30
                                Re: Venting...

                                Originally posted by slimslob
                                Maybe in the future we should just use tech or technician. More inclusive that way.
                                works for me....

                                Comment

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