Summarized article written by Scott Cullen of Office Dealers Magazine. This is an unbiased viewpoint of how to evaluate if your company is receiving quality copier service.

“Virtually ever copier dealer claims to provide great service, but what qualities set the best apart from the rest? In an era where there are more similarities than differences among the copiers sold today, service after the sale is often more important than the brand name on the machine. But how can you tell if you’re receiving quality service from your office equipment dealer or, for that matter, if the dealer you’re thinking about buying that copier from will be able to deliver the services you need?"

Response Time
Most dealers promise customers a specific service response time. This could range from two to eight hours depending on a number of variables. For example, it could depend on the number of techs a dealer employs, the technicians territory – rural or metropolitan areas, also the nature of the call comes into play, and lastly how ling did it take the dispatcher to return your call.

A “LIVE” telephone operator
Does the dealer have a “live” person answer the phone when you place your call for service or does an automated attendant or answering machine answer the phone?

Certified Service Technicians
Dealer’s technicians should be manufacturer certified – always ask to see certifications. Many dealerships will have certified technicians train non-certified techs saving them additional expenses. Make sure your dealer’s technicians have certifications.

The right tools
All the new digital copier products require firmware upgrades. A dealership’s technicians should be equipped with laptops in order to download firmware upgrades from the manufacturer into the copier.

The ability to communicate
Communication is critical in any business situation, which is why dispatchers and technicians must be able to communicate clearly and understandably with customers.

Satisfied technicians
It’s important to know how the dealer’s technicians are paid and what they receive bonuses for. If a technician makes a base salary and their bonus is paid out on their ability to make the machine run longer than the national average – 1/3 of their income is commission. This means that the customer wins because the technicians will fix the machine right the first time.

Picking through the parts
Fast repair is extremely important. The quicker the machine is up and running the less downtime your business experiences. In order to ensure this the technicians should carry at least $7000 worth of parts in their company vehicles. (Yes – company vehicles – no excuses for breakdowns) Having parts on hand at the time of the service call ensures having the machine up and running sooner.

The little stuff
The Technician should leave your equipment and surrounding areas clean upon completion of the service call. Technicians should also add toner to the machine if it is running low.

Follow-through
Once the problem has been fixed, the service tech or dealer’s dispatch department should follow through to make sure you were happy with the quality of service and confirm that the problem was indeed fixed.

The bottom line
Dealers who possess many of the qualities listed above will most likely provide you with the best service because; service is what you are really buying in the long run.