Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

[JR2ALTA]

I have been doing this job for about 10 years and have never questioned my job security until recently.

The new Bizhub 4 series (admittedly after some firmware fixes) are THE most rock solid low maintenance machines I have seen since the days of the Kyocera Falcons.

I have very good networking, troubleshooting and people skills so I don't consider myself low-hanging fruit in the company, but I honestly think companies moving forward are going to need less techs.

My essential tools of the trade are down to screwdriver, flat blade, clamps and cleaning supplies.

No more rebuilding fusers or IUs. Feed rollers are a breeze. And PM lights turned off by default.

The old adage of "there's always going to be need for xy&z" will always be true but not as much as before.

By the way, this is coming from several months of a steady decline in service calls as old equipment has been replaced so I am not speaking out of school.

[allan]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

Jip your right. after a lot of upgrades in the field we have the same amount of machines and service calls have died down. We had a meeting in the office this week about this topic. Now i must gear up with added value option to move over to billable IT hours. So My job is to find ways to do this.

First thing is to get CS remote care running with Vcare server to be able to pitch that for sales. Then find useful ways to integrate the LK's like 101,103... to start with. Use and prove the security functions. Also to create a better internal infrastructure by setting up 2 local servers. And to engage in IT consultation.

So the two sides finally integrates. This means less of us, higher skill level, more working hours and better money at the end of the day.

[DAG COPIERS & COMPUTERS]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

I have been doing this job for about 10 years and have never questioned my job security until recently.

The new Bizhub 4 series (admittedly after some firmware fixes) are THE most rock solid low maintenance machines I have seen since the days of the Kyocera Falcons.

I have very good networking, troubleshooting and people skills so I don't consider myself low-hanging fruit in the company, but I honestly think companies moving forward are going to need less techs.

My essential tools of the trade are down to screwdriver, flat blade, clamps and cleaning supplies.

No more rebuilding fusers or IUs. Feed rollers are a breeze. And PM lights turned off by default.

The old adage of "there's always going to be need for xy&z" will always be true but not as much as before.

By the way, this is coming from several months of a steady decline in service calls as old equipment has been replaced so I am not speaking out of school.

The 'paperless office' is slowly but surely taking root, the demand for hard copy print is diminishing everyday, machine's reliability is high; smart phones, tablets etc are not helping matters. I am contemplating moving to another business such as in the fast moving consumer goods or construction materials. The future doesn't look very bright for copier repair techs.

[JR2ALTA]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

Yes DAG,

The other nail in our coffin is most machines I work with you cannot rebuild fusers or image units.

Even the feed rollers only require a couple screws and c-clips.

That means a skilled hand isn't required. No aptitude needed, just teach someone to turn a screwdriver and pay him peanuts.

[NeoMatrix]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

As much as it hurts to say the same thing as everyone here.
I too am attempting to diversify/focus in another direction.
I'm still working in the service industry, but just working on different prospects.

Hopefully we can see a light at the end of the tunnel in 12 months or so.

I appreciate everyone's input in the current post....

[subaro]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

Takes nerves to mention this topic, as a lot of guys out there knows this and put it in the back burner. There are some people today called " preppers", who are taking proactive measures in case of predicted events, e.g economy collapse ect. Well if the writing is on the wall, then folks in this industry will have to do the same, learning new skill set as of now and not waiting. For the old dogs, and cats, they have to start thinking of the resting plot they would want purchase.
Must say though, to be independent and or to be hired with experience in this field, strong " Information technology" skills should be on your resume. Most large companies separate hardware and IT deparments, so some techs are not exposed to software side of troubleshooting, which put them at a disadvantage to becoming a complete service tech.
calls for software issues are sent to IT and hardware malfunction to service tech. In my opinion, if you want to survive a be competitive in this industry , you must have strong skills in both. Also if independent, then a short course in social skill would not hurt.

great topic though and i hope many more will give their input here.

[jmaister]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

well, still us dummies to cover them distance tho. even its just putting in a modular part

and you can always count on engineers to mess it up, or zero QA on outsourced parts.

for example, i suspect a brand's toner chemical engineer team is not talking to the fuser engineer design team.

[Dreama]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

Definitely the newer general office machines are
1) more reliable
2) used less

this adds up to = less techs! Pure and simple.

I used to go and service machines who had dirty lines etc and the drum had only got to 80-90% of their life, and sometimes I wasn't even the first tech. I went out a while back to a "low end colour" machine - I was the first tech to visit this machine, and everything was over 120% of life! Newer model far easier to repair and more reliable.

There re will always be techs, just not so many of us

[subaro]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

[QUOTE=Dreama;487621]Definitely the newer general office machines are
1) more reliable
2) used less

this adds up to = less techs! Pure and simple.

I went out a while back to a "low end colour" machine - I was the first tech to visit this machine, and everything was over 120% of life!


colour machine over 120%. now which machine that might be if i may ask politely. i want one.

[JR2ALTA]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

[QUOTE=subaro;487920]

Definitely the newer general office machines are
1) more reliable
2) used less

this adds up to = less techs! Pure and simple.

I went out a while back to a "low end colour" machine - I was the first tech to visit this machine, and everything was over 120% of life!


colour machine over 120%. now which machine that might be if i may ask politely. i want one.

The vast majority of Konica OEM parts will last 2x or 3x life expectancy (t-belts will last years). This was such a racket that KM was forced to offer a switch that turns off "end of life" messages

[subaro]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

[QUOTE=JR2ALTA;487954]

The vast majority of Konica OEM parts will last 2x or 3x life expectancy (t-belts will last years). This was such a racket that KM was forced to offer a switch that turns off "end of life" messages

rearly seen colour machines that would see the consumables go the life time consistently. Yeh, you would get some here and there, and they are getting better at it these days. but fusers still a problem and dev units dropping toner [main problem areas and which is substantial cost to profit. We had bizhub in the past and for the most part mechanically sound, but the devs and fusers and duplex unit generate too many calls. great colour quality though.
IF the newer Konica are doing what you say, then i will have to show my boss your post.

[cccjjn]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

I came to the copier world from a dealer who's primary business was typewriters. Anybody remember those things???!!!!! The guy had a thriving business. We had the government contract for IBM Selectric Typewriters and a couple other brands. He was getting $189 per typewriter per year on the government contract. We also did all the typewriter repairs for a number of local SEARS stores. We had schools, county colleges and municipalities that each had 200+ typewriters. I will never forget the day in the summer of 1993 when I visited one of my largest school districts and all of the desks with typewriters were pulled out in the hallway. I went to the office and asked what was up???? They told me that they would no longer be teaching typing on typewriters that they were all being replaced with computers. What a sinking feeling that was. I began searching for a new job and landed where I am today. Within 18 months of me leaving, that company I used to work for was out of business despite the owner's attempts to get into computers and copiers. He thought typewriters and his gravy train would be around forever. He failed to adapt and find other sources of revenue.

I often get the feeling that that is exactly where the copier industry is heading. The end for copiers just won't be as abrupt as it was for typewriters. Businesses will always need to get output onto paper so there will always be some sort of need. Those who will really be hurt are those small dealers who have build their businesses on small machines and who lack IT capabilities. You have to have a good clientele of mid volume and high volume machines to have any chance of survival..

[allan]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

[QUOTE=subaro;487958]

rearly seen colour machines that would see the consumables go the life time consistently. Yeh, you would get some here and there, and they are getting better at it these days. but fusers still a problem and dev units dropping toner [main problem areas and which is substantial cost to profit. We had bizhub in the past and for the most part mechanically sound, but the devs and fusers and duplex unit generate too many calls. great colour quality though.
IF the newer Konica are doing what you say, then i will have to show my boss your post.

I can confirm that Konica Minolta machines does 2 to 3 times the yields. From a C35 to a B1250 it would just keep going. I can get up to 2.4M prints from a B1250 drum that is 2 and a 1/2 times the yield. You get 300K prints out of a C360 drum that is rated for only 70K prints.

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

What includes the bizhub 4 series?

I have been doing this job for about 10 years and have never questioned my job security until recently.

The new Bizhub 4 series (admittedly after some firmware fixes) are THE most rock solid low maintenance machines I have seen since the days of the Kyocera Falcons.

I have very good networking, troubleshooting and people skills so I don't consider myself low-hanging fruit in the company, but I honestly think companies moving forward are going to need less techs.

My essential tools of the trade are down to screwdriver, flat blade, clamps and cleaning supplies.

No more rebuilding fusers or IUs. Feed rollers are a breeze. And PM lights turned off by default.

The old adage of "there's always going to be need for xy&z" will always be true but not as much as before.

By the way, this is coming from several months of a steady decline in service calls as old equipment has been replaced so I am not speaking out of school.

[JR2ALTA]

Re: Scary new Reliability specifically Bizhubs

They're not current anymore and I can't speak to the current run because I don't work on KM right now.

http://http://www.biz.konicaminolta.com/bw/554e_454e_364e_284e_224e/