Don’t take our word for it. Here’s a review left on our Facebook page:
“Was having issues with my printer running the FreeFlow RIP. After struggling to get any useful information from Xerox for hours, talking to automated robots, I tried First Copy to see if they could help.
The simple answer…YES.
Fantastic service, great to talk to, and an in-depth knowledge of their products. I would highly recommend them.”
[Thanks, Richard, we know it was your knowledge that made the difference in this case!]
First Copy Service Packages
To underline our commitment to you, our production customer Service Agreements now include additional assurances, things we do but want to share more widely with current and future customers. You will receive:
a named specialist production print analyst
a named billing account manager
support tracking toners and escalating any consumables issues
assistance dispatching and tracking Xerox service calls
facilitation of communications between you and Xerox service
These assurances come on top of your chosen support package (Silver or Gold).
We’ve talked about supply challenges already this year, and we can’t promise to solve global issues single-handedly, but we endeavour to do everything in our power to support you.
Helpdesk Expectations
Our support squad is here to help you. You’ll get to know Ali, Angela, Mark and Richard (our analysts), and because they’re a small team, your message will get to the right person: fast.
Xerox assesses channel partners on an ongoing basis concerning how often they can solve a customer issue on the spot. First Copy’s target is to fix 43% of troubleshooting calls remotely. In February this year, we more than achieved this, with 57% of calls to our service desk satisfied without an engineer visit.
Clearly, there will always be some issues that require an engineer visit, and where this is the case, the team will advise you. Where it is called for, our technical team will act as a bridge between you and Xerox teams, despatching calls where necessary and following up on bookings and visits, escalating messages if needed.
Perhaps the technical teams at channel partners are not those most often in the limelight (often at their request!), but you would soon notice a difference without them. We all rely on the knowledge and skills they possess that keep presses and networks running.
The team has access to lots of tools that help them solve issues remotely already. Who knows, perhaps they will even have Augmented Reality on their side in the next year or two…
The Helpdesk team at First Copy is ably assisted by Specialist Analysts who have undergone extensive training in the industry and continue to learn as technology moves on. Not all manufacturers and concessions offer this additional layer of expertise.
Our message when it comes to our helpdesk and analysts is that the team is here to help you, advocate for you, and support your business effectively so that you can get on with your day-to-day. Does your supplier’s helpdesk consistently offer you the same?
Service and Consumables Expectations
Do you feel that your current service matches your expectations? Does it match what your service contract says or rise above it?
Recent years have been difficult for service teams; there’s no sugarcoating it. Like almost all others, the print industry has been affected by part shortages (you can read more in last month’s blog post about print industry supplies). If that weren’t enough, the workforce has been impacted by a double whammy of COVID and staff shortages: fewer hands to cover the workload.
Nevertheless, there have been improvements this year, and we are confident that customers usually receive an excellent service. With a reseller in your corner, you have an extra layer of support when you need it and additional skills from our in-house analysts, who can talk directly to Xerox engineers and service managers.
Our service agreements usually state that consumables should arrive within two to three working days of the order date; however, this is a targeted response time. We can – and do- follow reasonable channels to speed up delivery but cannot always get them to you within this timeframe. That said, the team always does its utmost to get toner to you in time to keep you printing using all means at its disposal, including escalations and allocated emergency reserves.
Service Limitations
Most contracts will include service limitations along the lines of the following. Check yours to see what’s covered. Your service provider is probably not obligated to, for example:
repair damage caused by someone trying to repair your press that they didn’t direct
sort out problems related to the improper use or maintenance of the press, including, but not limited to, incorrect use, failing to clean and maintain your device properly and connecting it to incompatible equipment
support software you use that isn’t part of the solution provided by your supplier
fix issues caused by using non-approved stocks, supplies and consumables, or from moving the press to an inappropriate environment
If you have any questions about your contract, please ask.
Managed Print Service (MPS) Expectations
The majority of our customers choose to use our MPS offering. Why? Because MPS offers one point of contact for supplies, meter reads, engineers and escalations. That means less time waiting on hold and making your own orders, and it means not dealing with call centres and multiple people in multiple departments.
Given current industry conditions, MPS is particularly useful right now because it helps us proactively manage consumables. We feel we can offer you a better service if you opt for MPS support.
To allow MPS to work, First Copy installs a piece of software called Xerox Device Agent (XDA) on a Windows 10 or 11 PC. Unfortunately, we cannot install it on Apple devices, so please discuss your options with our analysts if this affects you.
Conclusion
Installing a new digital press is a significant investment and commitment. Of course, price is important, but so is value. What added value are you receiving from your supplier, and conversely, what is it costing you to undertake more of the maintenance and call organisation yourself?
First Copy has received calls from former customers looking for help in the past – because their new supplier doesn’t offer the same level of support. Our advice is to consider all your managed service options, concession support and helpdesk options before you make a decision about a new contract.
You might not miss the value you already get until it’s too late.
