Minimum Call Procedures?

[fixthecopier]

The first time I was sent for training, it was at a company that had 40 full time road techs. The guy who did the training was some sort of manager when he was not teaching. He told us that at his company the techs are required to do "Minimum Call Procedures". This was a checklist of things to do each time you visit a machine, such as pull the glass and clean the mirrors, clean rollers, wipe down the machine, ect. He said that he would go behind techs at random and audit them to see if they were doing these things. The idea seems to be common sense, and if done every time ,you would think you would have fewer calls. However, I know that reality sets in and when techs are busy, they fix the problem and leave. I am guilty of it like any one else. I used to think that maybe it was just me, but I have noticed that my competitors machines are no cleaner. My question is, Does anybody else have a set procedure, or is cleaning a machine a judgment call? Does any body check your work? I have machines that are so underused, and in like new condition, that cleaning them would be redundant. Others are in a place so dusty, that they will be covered again in a week. I see dirty copiers everywhere, is it just my state or worldwide?

[OMD-227]

I have a set procedure for sure.

Upon arrival, first thing that is done is check all maint counters.... get an overall picture of where the machine is at right now...... what is due now & what will be due very soon.
If anything is due soon, that I have the parts for in the car, I start the firmware upgrade, go back to the car and get everything else.
Obviously replace everything that is due now & almost due (obviously saving another call in the near future), and thoroughly clean all PF & transport rollers (replace if required). Once machine has booted back up to ready, check copy & print quality & test all trays, ADF & ADU. Run color calibration if needed, get client to print something they are picky about, confirm print quality is to their liking. Write up the job history card & paperwork.
Rarely does the optics/mirrors need cleaning, but this is done if causing any problems. Make sure machine is clean.
If you do what is due now, as well as what is due soon, and then double check everything is working OK & to spec, you can leave that site with confidence that everything was working OK when you left, with little chance of a recall.

Take pride in your work and you will go a long way. You will have clients requesting you by name to work on their machine & go home at the end of the day feeling like you have accomplished alot & done a great job.

One thing my first service manager said to me was "make sure the covers are clean..... even if you haven't fixed it, it looks like you've done something''.

He was a genius!

[fixthecopier]

I agree with what you are saying. Most of my calls will be on machines that only I have worked on. i know what has been done and how the machine looks is on me. However in a shop where there is no set procedure, and different techs may be sent to the same machine, a tech with a good work ethic will get screwed following others who do the quick fix and run.

[OMD-227]

I'm totally with you on the techss doing a quickie fix and running. I freakin hate that! Why should I bust my nuts, work longer hours & risk parking fines for someone to walk in and just spit & polish. I fill in the history card religiously so I know what I have done and I demand that everyone else does too. Eventually, everyone gets it..... just to get me off their back.

[Mr Spock]

I had a service manager tell me (while on a 2 hour call on a xerox mid-volume copier) "I am lazy I will spend 2 hours on a machine so I do not have to come back in 4 weeks to do this all over again."
I have tried (as previous stated If I am backed logged I will not do as thorough a job) to do a complete and total call just so I can be sure of my machines. This also allows for that 1 or 2 visits where I have to hit and run. I know which machines need a total service and which could be hit quickly when needed. I have 4 accounts that have "requested" me and no one else to service their machines. This has lead to 5 machines upgraded and another 4 in the works.

[jonhiker]

we have worked up a total call procedure and yes, not everyone follows it. but, check all maintenace counters and work history to see if any consumables need replacing, check all functions from all trays, and wipe down the outside. check waste toner(this should never generate a call back). if you keep the pm's up to date, the machines tend to run smoother and keeps non-maintence calls to a minimum. and allows you to hit & run sometimes when things get busy. we do not have supervisors or other people check our work, the call history will give them a clue.

[OMD-227]

Or you can just smack the last tech upside-the-head if they miss something that was clear as day should have been done.

When a client says 'someone was just here' ...... that pisses me off big time! Might have been yesterday or even a week ago, its still not right. Do more than what is required, and you will have no problems. exploding-copier.gif

[fixthecopier]

Yep, when looking at a machine that is dirty with a worn out fuser and slick feed rollers, and the customer says "Someone from your shop was just here", I ask "Who was it, Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder"?

[OMD-227]

Yep, when looking at a machine that is dirty with a worn out fuser and slick feed rollers, and the customer says "Someone from your shop was just here", I ask "Who was it, Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder"?

Nice! Jump.gif

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

The one that always ticked me off, although not any techs fault, was having dried white out on the platen glass.

[copyguy2]

It seems that in this economic climate managers are tasked with many duties so they make sure that they have completed to the 'T' what the owner or upper management is looking for....cost savings ( meeting parts budgets, claiming waranty parts from manufacturer, # of calls performed daily. Each manager no mater what industry is tasked to do more with less. The hit and run gets you your # today. I can recall having a very inexpierienced manager who thought the teams hit and run king was the best tech in the world because he never spent any money on parts. But, two years down the road that techs territory had dwindled to nothing and the sales rep was pegged for not knowing how to sell. Good service techs almost always have high perfroming sales reps in their territory even if they dont know what they are doing. Bad performing techs over time will have poor performing sales reps in their territory. Keep in mind 10 years ago the per page click rate was at a level where you could have an extra tech around to pick up the slack, now a days at 1/2 cent a page who can make money......

[prntrfxr]

I had a 21 step procedure that I pretty much followed and I didn't worry about time spent doing it (which bugged my boss at the time). The result was that I had customers asking for me and refusing to let any other tech work on their machines. To me it's worth the time to do the job right.

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

It seems that in this economic climate managers are tasked with many duties so they make sure that they have completed to the 'T' what the owner or upper management is looking for....cost savings ( meeting parts budgets, claiming waranty parts from manufacturer, # of calls performed daily. Each manager no mater what industry is tasked to do more with less. The hit and run gets you your # today. I can recall having a very inexpierienced manager who thought the teams hit and run king was the best tech in the world because he never spent any money on parts. But, two years down the road that techs territory had dwindled to nothing and the sales rep was pegged for not knowing how to sell. Good service techs almost always have high perfroming sales reps in their territory even if they dont know what they are doing. Bad performing techs over time will have poor performing sales reps in their territory. Keep in mind 10 years ago the per page click rate was at a level where you could have an extra tech around to pick up the slack, now a days at 1/2 cent a page who can make money......

I think the years of fierce competition, manufacturers pushing their own dealerships into areas with private dealers, among other things, fostered an environment of ubercompetition and drove prices down too far. It seems everybody and their brother sells copiers anymore.

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

I had a 21 step procedure that I pretty much followed and I didn't worry about time spent doing it (which bugged my boss at the time). The result was that I had customers asking for me and refusing to let any other tech work on their machines. To me it's worth the time to do the job right.

I was always picky about the quality myself. One should always take pride in their work.
What were some of your steps if you don't mind me asking?

[Jules Winfield]

I remember when the dealership I used to work for was sold to some former IKON big wigs that started their own company. All the techs who were meticulous, replaced parts according to schedule and in my opinion did quality work were fired immediately on the first day the company was sold. I only managed to dodge that round of firings because I was the network tech at the time and they needed me. Depending on which company you work for, pride in your work may be your downfall. Unfortunately in a lot of companies it's the "blow and go" guys who keep their jobs fixing copiers while the really good techs are looking for work in some other industry.