Although we do not actually sell or repair printers, over the years we have had first hand experience of dealing with printer related issues. So we thought we would offer some free advice and links to sites which we have found to offer both good value and service on printer related problems. The commercial printer market is a minefield for small and large companies alike, and it is easy to spend vast sums unnecessarily. The domestic market is awash with ridiculously low priced printers, but just wait till you need a new cartridge! Oh boy those cartridges cost, are they full of liquid gold? Probably not but the makers lure you in with a low priced printer, then take it all back with high priced consumables. Fair? Not really, so lets do what we can to reduce these costs.
Commercial printer repairs (including printers on a network) If you are a small - medium sized company like ourselves, over the years you will have experienced printer related issues at some point. Printers, seem to have a fairly high rate of breakdown, this is caused by any number of the following. User abuse (these are the bangs and wallops which your staff claim "usually work") , lack of maintenance (probably your fault) A fault with the pc or network you are printing from, or a plain and simple breakdown with the printer itself. When your company cannot print, it cannot operate, so usually you call out an engineer. Thing is though, the faster they can get there the more they usually charge, fair enough. The same of course applies to most technical and service related problems. Most repair companies work on a call out charge which will cover you for up to one hour of labour, any parts needed would be added to this. The problem here is that many engineers like to take ages fixing your printer so that (a) you go in to the next hours labour charge and (b) he gets more commission and he can stay in your comfortable office instead of traveling to his next call. Either way it is amazing how much these unscrupulous companies can charge, we cannot name names but there are many out there. There are of course some excellent companies who offer a fair price for an excellent service. The problem is they are usually booked up for days or even weeks ahead, so when your printer fails you are at the mercy of any company who can get to you in quick time.
We believe one of the best solutions is a maintenance contract, you might be surprised how cost effective this solution can be. Even the smallest company can take advantage of some good deals which are on offer. This solution works well for both parties, as the customer gets a fair priced quick repair, and the maintenance company gets a regular income from list of regular repair sites. Of course not all maintenance contracts are good value, in fact some are ridiculously over priced. So get a number of quotes before you decide where to place your order. A good maintenance company will offer some flexibility of how your contract is structured. For instance you may decide to take out a low fee contract which covers you against call out charges and guarantees a response in a certain time. However you will still pay the normal labour charge plus parts (ouch!) The most popular package is to pay a monthly fee to cover all labour and call out charges, and you only pay for parts. The thing to remember here is the response time, within 48 working hours is acceptable but some take longer. Some of the points you need to remember - Make sure repairs are on site - Do they offer telephone support? - Can they offer loan printers if the repairs take longer? - Do they stock parts or replacement consumables?
Should you decide not to take out a maintenance contract, it pays to shop around for the best value repair centre before your printer breaks down. Some companies will let you register and even offer priority call out for doing so, this can save time and get you up and running faster. When replacing your printers of course it pays to shop around, but stick to the more popular makes. Usually the parts are cheaper and easier to source, and engineers are more familiar with the product. The consumables like toners, cartridges and drums are often much cheaper too. Do you know that in the UK the company printer is one of the most overlooked items? Companies can spend ages selecting the right type of network or software, but printers are often an after thought with most companies accepting the first printer offered by their IT supplier. Many companies end up replacing or purchasing another printer within months or even weeks of a new network installation, as the machine cannot cope with the demands made of it.
Domestic printer repairs and cartridge replacement With the average cost of a new home printer being at an all time low, it is amazing how many are not even worth the cost of a repair. Some printers can cost as little as £24.99 (the cheapest we have seen), yet the cartridges for the same product can cost triple (yes triple). Not an environmentally friendly scenario as many printers breakdown within the first three years of life, and are thrown in the bin and replaced by an updated version. Did you know that many home printers are discarded when still in working order? This is sometimes because the user has not read the manual to find out why the printer is not working, or because it needs expensive new cartridges. They prefer to throw it in the bin and get another as they cost so little. But it is the cost of the cartridges which seem to be the main reason printers are discarded earlier than perhaps they should. There are alternatives to the expensive genuine cartridges offered by the maker, with a huge range of copy or refurbished cartridges. Some companies even offer ink kits where you can refill your own cartridges for as little as £3 or £4. Whilst it is appealing to save so much money on the cost of ink, most manufacturers warn against using such products on their printers. If your printer develops a fault the manufacturer may void your guarantee because you used a non authorised cartridge. In fact some makers have gone as far as making anti fill cartridges to stop the use of ink refill kits, although most refill companies seem to have found ways around this. Our advice is to buy a popular brand of printer, but check the cost of replacement cartridges before you buy. If you are going to use non standard cartridges or ink refill kits, be aware that they can sometimes cause problems and avoid using them during the makers warranty. As for repairing home printers, at present due to the low cost of replacement it is often not cost effective to have a printer repaired. Of course you may have a high end printer which costs more to replace, either way check out your options before deciding. See if you can find a small local company willing to quote for repair (these shops are rare but usually offer good service + value). Do read the manual or go online to check out the makers web site as many faults can be software or maintenance related. |
