Gut instinct

[Phrag]

Have you ever responded to a job where your gut told you it might be wise to take this part, based on the fault details, but decide that it couldn't be that, or you thought of something else more likely?

I had a call for a dirty background on a C280. I gave the customer a call, because I had a feeling a knew what it was.

The customer told me the background was dirty. I asked specifically, "Does the background have a yellowish tinge or a sepia tone to it?" "No," they replied. ( That was the gist of the conversation.

I thought 'It's probably a yellow drum putting lots of yellow spots on the page.' I ended up ignoring my own advice and took a black drum, and a black dev unit.

As it turns out, the copies were indeed dirty, with a nice pale yellow background.

[CompyTech]

Re: Gut instinct

Been there too man.

I had one once from a customer: "line on faxes and prints, copies ok" Didn't make sense to me, I asked if they cleaned the glass anyways, they said yes. So I took a drum and cleaning blade with me.. Turned out it was the dirty strip glass. Everytime I get a call for lines from this customer, my gut tells me its the glass and 9/10 I'm right..

[gwaddle]

Re: Gut instinct

Been there too man.

I had one once from a customer: "line on faxes and prints, copies ok" Didn't make sense to me, I asked if they cleaned the glass anyways, they said yes. So I took a drum and cleaning blade with me.. Turned out it was the dirty strip glass. Everytime I get a call for lines from this customer, my gut tells me its the glass and 9/10 I'm right..

I couldn't tell you how many times I've had that call. The worst was from a customer about 200 miles away. I knew from the description that it was a spot on the slit glass, but she swore she had cleaned it. Sure enough, got there scraped the spot with my fingernail, ran a test copy and left.

[DAG COPIERS & COMPUTERS]

Re: Gut instinct

I couldn't tell you how many times I've had that call. The worst was from a customer about 200 miles away. I knew from the description that it was a spot on the slit glass, but she swore she had cleaned it. Sure enough, got there scraped the spot with my fingernail, ran a test copy and left.

And you just 'left' like that without billing her? Surely 400 miles is too long a distance to cover, and just get nothing in return!

[mikadonovan]

Re: Gut instinct

I've learned to listen to my "spidey sense", even if dont fully understand it at the moment. Better to take a part you MIGHT use than not have it at all.

[gwaddle]

Re: Gut instinct

And you just 'left' like that without billing her? Surely 400 miles is too long a distance to cover, and just get nothing in return!

They were covered under a service contract.

[ZOOTECH]

Re: Gut instinct

They were covered under a service contract.

The first time is covered, but the next time would be billable if you had instructed the user on proper cleaning methods.

[gwaddle]

Re: Gut instinct

The first time is covered, but the next time would be billable if you had instructed the user on proper cleaning methods.

I instruct all of them every time. Billing isn't up to me.

[fixthecopier]

Re: Gut instinct

Mine works opposite. As I am putting a part in, my spider sense is telling me "Nope, this isn't going to fix it either!"

[KenB]

Re: Gut instinct

I've felt for a long time now that the main reason you replace most circuit boards is to prove that it isn't the problem.

[Tonerbomb]

Re: Gut instinct

I've felt for a long time now that the main reason you replace most circuit boards is to prove that it isn't the problem.

Yep got to prove it to the customer:


It's not the MFP............
It's not the Tech............
It's really the phone line...........
It's the network..............
IT say's it's the machine.............
IT doesn't know what the problem is............., so it's the copier tech's problem..............$$ssholes..................


Did it again today on a Fiery with print issues.......................................

[Phrag]

Re: Gut instinct

Yep got to prove it to the customer:


It's not the MFP............
It's not the Tech............
It's really the phone line...........
It's the network..............
IT say's it's the machine.............
IT doesn't know what the problem is............., so it's the copier tech's problem..............$$ssholes..................


Did it again today on a Fiery with print issues.......................................

And then there are Telstra Techs. It's never the degraded phone line. Never. Unless you can show them, then it must have happened after they checked.

[Wild Bill]

Re: Gut instinct

I think that taking the end-user at their word is a mistake. I don't, then my spidy sense works better.

[Kidaver]

Re: Gut instinct

Before I ever order a board I call tech support, let them tell me to replace the board, get a ticket number, and then in a few days send it back to them with the ticket number so I don't have to pay a fee...

[fixthecopier]

Re: Gut instinct

And then there are Telstra Techs. It's never the degraded phone line. Never. Unless you can show them, then it must have happened after they checked.

Just this week at a large car dealership being renovated. They have 2 muratec 520 faxes and 1 doesn't work.We have had storms and I noticed no surge protector,so I mentioned it. The room across from me had their IT guy and a phone systems guy. They assured me that the whole building was 0on a state of the art system. I go back to check the one without dial tone and notice a piece of tape where the port is. I touch it and the phone line falls out. I point this out as the root cause of the problem and their phone tech says he knows about it, he is the one who did it, he just didn't have time to fix it...??????????????????