I feel so cheap and used

[JR2ALTA]

Re: I feel so cheap and used

Granted.

[allan]

Re: I feel so cheap and used

Not so much bottom feeder just cheap. If they could afford to send out 4 guys for the same problem and add incorrect parts it amounts to say $300 for that fix. So its seems that they don't under stand the difference between skilled and unskilled labor. Or really don't think much of us techs.

[fixthecopier]

Re: I feel so cheap and used

Send them my way!
$50.00 is better than nothing when you could use the money.
I can knock out 10 easy calls a day if I plan my route.
All I need are simple tools and the manual on a thumb drive.

Do I sound too desperate?

Since I am pretty sure they just call around what ever city they have a call i , looking for cheap labor, you may have a shot. Check with your local Staples, that's who my calls are coming from. For some reason I can't remember the contractors name for service. Must be a mental block. I just called them yesterday. When I started working on shredders I called all the manufactures and ask for work. It got me on the list for a couple of them.

[theengel]

Re: I feel so cheap and used

I love walking into those calls where they have horror stories about warranty service. My advice, always, is :

"Next time, don't buy it from staples."

[igi]

Re: I feel so cheap and used

Ever go to one of those big chain office supply stores, look at the printers and notice how cheap the extended warranty is? We can't compete with that. How can they offer on site service, the next day for those prices? Well I found out. They are sending me. It seems those extended warranties are all owned by a third party who farms them out to local companies as calls come in. Of course they shop around for anyone to take their chump change payments. Who would work that cheap? Apparently I will. I guess after not having a lot of success farming these calls out to low bidders, this service provider worked out a deal with my boss. $50 for each visit, per machine, no matter what the amount of time.

I found this out as I was being handed the first 2 tickets. They were at a large nation wide used car dealer. I was walking in blind. Had no idea someone else had been there before. They had checked out the machine, and the parts I needed had been sent to fix the machine.

The machine was an HP m601 and the ticket said that the tray 2 and tray 3 were not lifting. The previous tech, with the aid of tech support, had a fuser maintenance kit, two tray lift motors and a new paper tray sent. I went in. opened both trays, heard them both drop, closed them and printed a config sheet. I then ask the customer to demo the issue. They went to print the form, click print, and the printer starts flashing. I look at the message. It wants legal paper put in tray 2. I don't know why, as it is in tray 3 and the machine is properly configured. I open tray 2 and 3 and swap the paper around, it takes off and prints. Some where on the IT side, which is completely locked out, they are set up to print that form from that tray. Problem solved. They said I was the third guy to show up for that issue.

Now to the office next door. Hp 475mfp. Jam issue. I test. It jams. Part has been sent. Tray two feed assembly. Seems logical. I don't have the manual, but how hard can this be? Well apparently hp never intended for this to be changed, that is why there is not a section in the manual to tell you how to take it out. I discovered this after half way gutting the machine, thinking there must be an easier way, going to the shop and downloading the manual and looking 3 times for the instructions. Turns out you just need to start at the beginning of the manual and start taking shit off til you have it gutted. Seems the designer snaked the wires from it through the entire machine to plug into a board under the scanner. Anyway, got the assembly in, tested machine, seems to work fine.

The next week when the boss come sback, I have another call, same jam issue , same machine. I start from scratch. Keeps saying out put bin jam. That would seem like a stuck actuator. I cant find issue with the one on the output bin, but while playing with the fuser actuator, I finally got it to stick. I am on the phone with the contractor, report what I see, and tell him I will remove the fuser and see if I can fix it. He says not to bother, they will send another fuser.
Go back next day, they sent wrong fuser, I fixed the one in the machine.

I think I am worth more than $50 a visit. I feel so cheap and used.

your boss is cheap, not you

[kjg]

Re: I feel so cheap and used

Not worth the bother to deal with them. We only go on our terms, our price. Thats it.
If return call is needed, they pay. They threaten to go elsewhere and we say "go for it".
They often come back and agree to our terms.
Hold out friends and make them agree to your payment rates and policies or you will get sucked in and used.

[DallasTech]

Re: I feel so cheap and used

Not worth the bother to deal with them. We only go on our terms, our price. Thats it.
If return call is needed, they pay. They threaten to go elsewhere and we say "go for it".
They often come back and agree to our terms.
Hold out friends and make them agree to your payment rates and policies or you will get sucked in and used.

I agree. You have to build value in yourself and your work. The warranty company is losing money by having 4 different techs show up for $400 and the customer really starts to question the retailer/warranty company/manufacturer. At least the tech doesn't look bad, but it does give his manager a good reason to ask for a better rate. Once you get them locked in where they know you are reliable, you tell them you need $75 or $100 a trip. If they know what's good for them, they'll be willing to pay.