That won't fit there, genius

[KenB]

Just had an install of a Ricoh Pro 907EX with a finisher today. It was part of a 6 machine install.

The machine was to be "shoehorned" into a space (or lack of) in the mailroom that left about 2 inches of free space on either end. 11x17 will hit the wall when it prints.

When we asked our customer contact about it, she said. "Your sales rep came in with a tape measure and assured us that it will fit in that spot. That's why we had the 208 volt line installed right there."

Arrrggghhhh.....

Anybody else have any of these Einstein sales reps who can't even read a product support guide, where it clearly states what the space requirements are?

[zed255]

All the time. I've put machines in where it basically becomes inpossible to remove an option or access the back because 'the rep said it would fit here'. I regularly have to involve my managers to get these issues rectified, where possible. I actually demonstrated the minimum clearance to a customer with a Pro 906EX by opening the back and said, "Now if we put where you suggest how will I get to this later?".

How about machine upgrades where power requirements differ from the old machine? The same idiots who shoehorn a machine in an area where it clearly won't really go also forget to mention the need for an electrician too.

I've often suggested the 'site survey' be completed by the tech who will be responsible for the machine after it's installed, that way someone with a vested interest in properly placing the unit is involved early on.

[Stirton.M]

We had a demo C6501 go to one customer that was in an older building. After having to roll the machine through a couple levels of the parkade to get to the freight elevator, we got the machine to the floor, only to discover that there was no 220V 20A plug for the thing. The sales rep did mention this to the customer, but the customer failed in finding out what would be involved to getting that power line installed. To the tune of over $10G was a quote given. The building was a high rise that was so old, the original design did not allow for the power requirements of this machine, they would have to run a custom installation from the ground floor to the 23rd floor, along with a completely new power tap because the original panels did not have that as well.

Long story short, we packed everything up and took the machine out the same way we brought it in. Try rolling a 700 lb machine up the car ramps of the parkade...it was much easier going in...

[mrwho]

We had a Konica 1212 on a kiosk so small we had to take it back to the shop everytime the machine needed PM because we just couldn't do it at the customer's.

And (this one is not the sales rep fault) one customer bought a Konica 7075 without finisher just because he didn't have space for it at his shop.

[fixthecopier]

New Postage Meter. It was about 5 feet long. I ask where it was going and they pointed to a small table. I laughed and pointed to the long table with the fax and printers and said "When you get me that table cleared off, call back and I will set it up."

[ToshibaTech]

I'd make sure that the idiot sales rep showed them how to remove a jam. And if he didn't I'd make sure I showed them while he was watching.

[pepper38_cnd]

WOW!! You have really touched on my favorite pet peeve. I have seen it all, from putting the machine in a space with shelving above it so you can't open the DF more than 6 inches, putting a C452 on such deep plush carpet that the wheels literally sink down so deep the the frame is now touching the carpet making it impossible to move at all. The best is when they place the equipment in a narrow hallway so when you extended the paper drawers there is like machine stretched from wall to wall. Or course this hallway always leads to the bathroom the coffee maker or the only entrance / exit in the place so while servicing it your have a constant stream of people leaping over you tripping on your tool bag or vacuum.

Of course opening the Owner Guide and showing them that lovely picture outlining the required space with a minimum of 30 inches on left right and front with 6 inches in rear is a total waste of time.

Oh and I forgot to mention the small MFP's conveniently located atop the filling cabinet. At least you can haul those little things down on the floor to work on them.

[Brian8506]

Many years ago a salesman sold a Canon NP155(remember those). Customer ran heavy paper through it on the demo and as you would guess it didnt fuse properly. Salesman assured the customer that the tech would come in and install the high temp fuser to resolve that problem. Glad that tech wasnt me.

[Jimbo1]

I think the biggest has always been the deal where they don't notice it's either 220V or 20 amp circuit so it screws the install.
Then there was the episode where I had to run to the aid of a sales rep becasue he couldn't get it to stop saying close main door.
Latched the clamshell and it went away. Red faced sales rep.

[prntrfxr]

I hate when the copier is in a closet (2 inches on either side), with no light, and in a high traffic hallway that is so narrow if you put your toolcase in front of the copier (lengthwise) you have just enough room to stand between the case and the opposite wall. Oh, it's an old analog machine (client refuses to upgrade) and the machine requires a full PM. When I worked in the field some years ago, I had 3 of these type clients!

[CraigW]

We have a Konica 7075 in a washer/dryer closet (hey, the 220V was already there) luckily the finisher had problems and it now has an exit tray in place, all kinds of extra room now.

[vincent64]

Seems like long time ago, used to have a nursing home with a old SD 2060 in what looked like some type of closet, to work on the back side of machine, had to move the machine to one wall, pull it around and work it out the door, into the main hall way, with people and pacients comming and going, wheelchairs, walkers, you name it, and every one would stop and ask, what, you here again.
They replaced that machine later with a SF 2052, not much better.

[charm5496]

Our techs do all the site surverys now because of that reason. We have had machines next to hot water heaters, inside a large refridgerated room at a meat packing plant, under the stairs of a church where you had to catch the paper coming out and I still do not know how they cleared a jam on that machine. The right door (Canon IR-4570) was touching the wall. Never have had to go back to that place since....thank you GOD!!!!

[blackcat4866]

Hah! I've seen a few of those myself.

My personal favorite was a Mita DC-111C that was built into a wooden cabinet, with about 4" to raise the platen cover, and about 6" on each side. It would not fit through the cabinet door (the front panel must have been installed with the copier inside). You could not remove the glass to clean the optics because there was not enough room to slide the glass off it's track. I spent a very memorable afternoon changing the tabletop clutch pack. It was like building a ship in a bottle. Rotate machine, remove a part, rotate machine, remove a part, ... Thank goodness that was the last time I saw that machine.

There was a Mita DC-162 located at this church. It was sitting on a piece of plate glass 1/2" thick, with 2x4 legs. The interesting part was that the legs were not held in place by anything but gravity. When the machine was running it swayed dangerously. I was seriously afraid the machine would drop on my foot or shim and break my leg. Those machines were 300+ lbs. The pastor assured my that it had been sitting there for years, and that if it was God's will, he could not prevent it. OMG you should have seen how cautiously I closed the drum drawer. Is this a case of faith = stupidity?

How about a Mita DC-213RE in the basement of a residence. It was jamming and giving fuser codes. Then I noticed the four lamp cords strung together 25 ft across the basement ceiling, and the ground prong yanked out of the copiers cord. When you press Start, all the fluorescent lights flicker out, then gradually some of them re-light. When the copy job is finished the lights come back on. Oh, and if you touch the lamp cords you could get burns, its so hot to the touch. Hmmmm, maybe a power issue?

=^..^=

[ptrflrs]

Just had an install of a Ricoh Pro 907EX with a finisher today. It was part of a 6 machine install.

The machine was to be "shoehorned" into a space (or lack of) in the mailroom that left about 2 inches of free space on either end. 11x17 will hit the wall when it prints.

When we asked our customer contact about it, she said. "Your sales rep came in with a tape measure and assured us that it will fit in that spot. That's why we had the 208 volt line installed right there."

Arrrggghhhh.....

Anybody else have any of these Einstein sales reps who can't even read a product support guide, where it clearly states what the space requirements are?

been there, done that and will probably see many more of these cheesedick installs since my company is "sales driven" so the service department just has to make it work, unfortunately