7 Truthful Answers To Printer Questions Your Busy Office Will Be Glad To Know! Having a moody printer in your break room can really ruin your day. With so many options to choose from it can be overwhelming to know who to go to. Whether you run a dental practice, design agency or family bakery, you should feel confident that your New York printer repair service is like having a local friend to help! Here are a few truthful answers to the most common questions we get asked. How do I know if it needs a professional? Try doing some basic troubleshooting first! Turn the machine off for a minute, re-insert the ink/toner cartridges and check that all cables are firmly secured. Then pop in a new pack of paper. If the issues disappear then you’re good to go. However, if you start getting issues again with faded lines, grinding noise, ghost prints or error messages within a few days – then there may be a bigger issue. It is unlikely that an ongoing issue will fix itself. Ignoring it will often cause other parts to become damaged. This can cause the cost of your repair to increase. How much will it cost? You should always know what you’ll be charged before any professional gets involved. You’ll be given a small diagnostic fee which will often be deducted from the overall cost if you decide to go ahead with the repair. Everything will be broken down for you so you know exactly what you’ll be paying for. Costs can vary greatly depending on the issue. A worn pickup roller will be a lot cheaper than a faulty fuser or broken logic board. Ask for a detailed quote and ensure you give your approval. No one likes surprises on their bills! How fast can someone come? This will depend on if your printer needs to be repaired at your desk or in our workshop. Most small desktop printers will need to be brought into our workshop. However, large floor standing copiers will be checked on site. In urgent circumstances you may be able to get an engineer in the same day. However, this can be difficult due to rush hour and rules in place. Many buildings in Manhattan require proof of insurance, booking of the freight lift and signing in at the lobby. Let your provider know about these issues ahead of time to ensure everything is organised with your property manager. No one likes waiting outside in the rain! Is every brand treated the same? No. Each printer acts differently. Laser printers, inkjet printers, thermal label machines and wide format plotters all have their own quirks. Ask if they have experience with your specific model and if they will be using original parts. Whilst there are quality aftermarket parts there should be honesty around what parts they will be using. A confident expert will be happy to answer your questions. Will my sensitive documents be kept private? Modern printers can store a lot of information! Your printer may be storing important documents such as scanned contracts, patient forms or payroll summaries. Law firms, clinics and accountants should ask how technicians handle this information. Reliable companies will have confidentiality agreements in place. They won’t copy any documents and will fully wipe the drives when returning the hardware. Ask this question ahead of time. What guarantee will I get? You should always be given a written guarantee. This will usually be between a few weeks to a few months. Some guarantees will state that it won’t be valid if you use non-approved supplies. Others will not cover damage caused by power surges. Keep your receipt somewhere you’ll remember. Maybe stick it in your ink/toner cupboard. A trustworthy company will come back to fix the issue within the guaranteed period with no arguments, negotiating or extra charges. When should I consider replacing? All printers will eventually reach the end of their life. If your estimated costs are nearly half the cost of a new similar printer, the manufacture no longer make consumables or it is breaking down more than it is working – then it may be time to replace. Often business printers will be worth repairing. They have strong frames and replaceable parts so will last longer than a flimsy home printer. An honest technician will explain both options available. They’ll mention trade in value and let you decide at your own pace. Final Thoughts It’s always best to build a relationship. Get to know your provider. Tell them what you have and ask about maintenance plans that fit with your workload. Keeping your vents clean, stationery dry and reporting any unusual noises will cost very little but can save you a headache. Next time you’re under the cosh you’ll know who to call and you’ll feel calm!