IT vs. Tonerheads

**TheOwl** · 07-09-2009, 05:29 AM

This one made me laugh.

I can remember the good old days when I would finally walk back into the workshop after an install from hell. The first thing you would yell is "Bloody IT people. They don't know s*&t".

They used to make everything difficult, all because they couldn't be stuffed doing what you asked them to such as getting an IP address or creating a mailbox for the copier. The simplest jobs became hell.

After years of putting up with it, I finally turned around and became an IT person myself so I can now argue with other IT people about how easy it is to get a copier on the network.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em and then stab them in the back! hahahaha

**mrwho** · 07-09-2009, 10:19 AM

Although I earn my living working with copier machines, I'm a geek at heart and, in my spare time, toying around with my computers is the hobby I enjoy the most.

Even so, I get quite surprised when I get one of those higher-educated and handsomely-paid IT people asking me "Hey! How did you do that?"

The best example so far - and this could go into the dumb-questions-asked-by-customers thread - was this IT woman (also with a good paycheck and with a job position I would kill for) who was having trouble with the scan-to-email function. As I sat on the computer and fired up telnet to manually test the SMTP server, she leaned over my shoulder and asked "Hey! How did you do that? What's that? How is it done?"

**fixthecopier** · 07-09-2009, 11:53 AM

Every once in a while I have to ask questions to IT people in my shop, and sometimes they can make you feel dumb just for asking. I took enjoyment at watching three of them trying to set up and test a new fax machine. For some reason they just could not get it to work. They were very perplexed. I watched for 10 minutes and then I held up the end of the phone cord they had not plugged into a phone jack. I mention that incident whenever they get condescending.

**blackcat4866** · 07-09-2009, 01:25 PM

I've been there too, fixthecopier!

**TheOwl** · 07-10-2009, 12:02 AM

I still get the "How did you do that?" when I install and print driver on a client machine by using the Run box.

The best one recently was for a big government agency. They ring me up and say that the scanning feature on their Kyocera wasn't working anymore. So I go for a drive and meet their IT people who then show me where the machine was. Two seconds after seeing the machine I told them that the scanner NIC wasn't patched in.

Their IT people had a huge laugh about it cause they had been trying to resolve the scanning issue for three days. lol

What about Mac people? I find that Mac people are easier to get along with out in the field and over the phone. Show a Mac person how to install a print driver and they are happy to install the drivers on the rest of the Macs. Show a PC person how to install the driver and then they expect that to be done for 50+ PC's.

**KenB** · 07-10-2009, 01:34 AM

You would think that IT would take a more vested interest in printers and MFPs on their network.

A study done ( I think about 3 years ago), indicated that 42% of IT's bane was print related. That's a bunch!

It would only make sense that IT would want to work more closely with us, but sadly, that's not the case.

When was the last time , if ever, that you had an IT person set up a driver on their server, and actually managed to get the correct accessories configured, or even ask, for that matter? My pet peave, BTW...

And good luck on finding one who actually knows the difference between RGB and CMYK; I just heard that one (again) yesterday.

**Mr Spock** · 07-10-2009, 02:48 AM

I think we have had a bunch of _________(insert derogatory comment here) IT people. I know I have had a few (a couple of them even called asked that I not come back after humiliating them in front of the company owner), that were dumber then my kids. However I do have an account that I went in spent 1 hour with the IT department setting up the first of 5 machines (scanning, dual fax lines, printing, email, address books, network faxing, and printing) Toshiba's 3500c machines. The next day I returned to help with the rest of them and they had them already configured and the network drivers setup (one b/w locked down and one color) and logged into Active directory and distributed to the employees so I set the rest up in under an hour total. When I have a question on a network issue they GLADLY tell me how and show me on their equipment and they also buy new equipment every 4-5 years depending on lease terms. So there are good ones out there it is just harder to find them.

**mascan42** · 07-10-2009, 03:27 AM

Just yesterday I had an IT guy call me wondering if the default printing preferences could be set on the copier or if he had change them in the driver. Seriously? When was the last time you ever saw printing preferences set anywhere besides in the driver or the application?

And the same idiot called me this morning asking why turning the copier on & off didn't reset the external Fiery. Um, because the Fiery has its own power cord and switch, dummy?

Let's not even get into the supposed "IT" guys who don't even know what SMTP authentication is.

**KenB** · 07-10-2009, 03:41 AM

I agree with you, Mr. Spock; there are good ones out there. Good job on developing such a good relationship!

I realize what I said in my previous post, but there are a few things that can be done to make IT less adversarial.

I think one of the best ways to get IT on your side is for your dealership to work with IT before the sale, don't just involve them in a post sale role.

If IT is brought into the picture before the installation, they feel a lot more a part of the deal, and they actually have a say in what's going on their network.

That way, when you arrive to do an installation, the proverbial ice has already been broken, and you aren't working with a total stranger.

Unfortunately this rarely happens with most installations. It seems that once the salesrep inks the deal, it's out of their hands, and it's all up to us to make it work.

I really don't want to get started on how most sales managers and sales reps handle connected deals.... Grrrrrrrrr

**fixthecopier** · 07-10-2009, 03:53 AM

I think that sometimes the IT person on the customers end is just the person who knows more about such things than anyone else in the office. I am not a genius, but when I ask the IT person if he can ping the printer and he cocks his head to the side like a dog hearing a high pitched noise and repeats the word "ping" questioningly, I sure feel like one.

**KenB** · 07-10-2009, 04:26 AM

I think I know that guy....

**Mr Spock** · 07-10-2009, 04:31 AM

Originally posted by KenB

I think one of the best ways to get IT on your side is for your dealership to work with IT before the sale, don't just involve them in a post sale role.

I really don't want to get started on how most sales managers and sales reps handle connected deals.... Grrrrrrrrr

In any REAL networked environment we have a "network analyst" who helps the sales force and the customer's IT prepare the network for the new machines. Unfortunatly the analyst does not do the final install and a "lesser" techs is left to handle this (usually me). Most of the time I can get the Information I need from the IT guy but I have to beat a sales rep or a sales manager to find out who the IT guy is and how to get a hold of him/her.

As to how sales handles this..... Well lets just say I have a sales rep that refuses to let me install her sales. Something about postponing the install till 3 days after month end due to missing/incomplete paper work. And because it went past the month end they did not get to meet quota and lost $$$ in bonus.

The other sales reps know to fill it out right and ASK questions before the machine is delivered to the customer...

**KenB** · 07-10-2009, 04:54 AM

Hi, Mr. Spock,

Do you use any sort of network survey for connected installs?

We have one, which asks the basics: Server OS, Workstation OS(es), SMTP info, proprietary applications, network contact, etc...

We also have a work order which states what is to be done.

Unfortunately, sometimes these forms fall by the wayside (especially at the end of the month), and the techs are forced to wing it on the installs.

This leads to a huge disconnect with IT - sometimes they don't even know the equipment (or a tech) is coming, and then... SURPRISE!

Then management wonders why it sometimes take so long to complete an installation...

**Mr Spock** · 07-10-2009, 05:04 AM

We have 2 site survey sheets. One on line and one paper version. If I had one or the other (2-3 days in advance) then it is no big deal call the customer and the IT guy and see what and when it needs to be done. But usually I get a workorder to go install the machine before I know it is coming. And then try to figure out who sold it, where the paper work is and by then the customer is screaming because the delivery guy took the old one with him and they left the new one wrapped up waiting for us to install.

Part of the paper one tells the customer how many free machines and servers and what features (scan fax..) and who gets quick training. By default I do 1or 2 servers and 5-7 workstations then bill by the hour for any more. I will give 15 minutes basic copier function training and 15 minutes of network print/management training to the IT people. After that it is all billable. A small 8 person office I may not bill the extra depending on attitude.

IT vs. Tonerheads

IT vs. Tonerheads

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