Printer & Photocopier repair and maintenance service

A new year, a new you, I often hear people saying! After the excesses of Christmas, this is the time of year when we all begin thinking about looking after ourselves, losing a few pounds, giving up vices such as smoking, to improve our general wellbeing, and so on. You may be wondering why these things bear any connection to our blog this month, so let me enlighten you!

The human body, as we all know is a very complex machine that needs to be nurtured and maintained for it to remain healthy.   This adage can also be applied to many such things in the work place environment too. 

Photocopiers and printers are also particularly complex machines, especially the newer ones that are currently on the market. As with your body, there are simple everyday things that you can do to maintain and prolong the life of your printer and photocopier

General housekeeping tips to maintain your printer and photocopier

So, to enable you to get the best results from your printers and photocopying devices, you need to maintain them.  But how can you do this? 

1. There are a range of things that you can do as everyday housekeeping maintenance. Firstly, though…..
   Remember to turn off the power and unplug the printer before you start, as we want to maintain and prolong your life too!
2. Clean the outside of your printer and copier regularly, (at least every week.)  Use a damp, lint-free cloth dipped in water or surgical spirit, to clear away dust, dirt, hair etc. Beware, though, that stronger cleaners can damage the case.
3. Remove the toner cartridge occasionally. Clean the gears and rollers along the paper path. To clean the rollers, try using surgical spirit.
4. Use a small, portable vacuum to remove dust and grime from the inside.
5. Before replacing a toner cartridge, rock it gently from side to side. This helps to prolong the life of the toner. It also helps to redistribute the toner so that your printer prints more evenly across the page.
6. To pick up any lint, dust and stray toner, run a clean page through your printer. In some printers, you will need to take the printer offline and then press the Form Feed button. Alternatively, open your word processor to a blank page and press 'Print'. If it won't print a blank page, type any letter and then press 'Print.' 
7. There are lots of inkjet and laser cleaning products that claim to remove dust, paper debris or dried ink from the feed rollers, thermal head and toner drum.  Ignore them and save yourself money!
8. Finally, protect devices with a cover when not in use.  These can be bought at office supply stores. This will keep it safe and clean when you aren't using it.

Printer and Photocopier Service and maintenance contracts

It is unlikely that your office has the required expertise and skill to perform in-house repairs and maintenance, so leave this to a reputable, professional company who can provide service contracts for your machines. Photocopiers and printers are essential assets to the office environment and any interruption in their performance can be costly.  Malfunctioning photocopiers and printers can cause serious frustrations to you and your staff, resulting in important projects being delayed and interruptions to everyone's schedule.

Without a repair contract, getting your appliances functioning again can be very costly. Instead of paying for repairs in full, maintenance contracts only ask you to pay a pre-arranged monthly fee. A third party will then take the responsibility of ensuring that the copier or printer is kept in good condition.  So make sure you are covered by a comprehensive contract.

However, service contracts can add a significant amount to the cost of a photocopier or printer. They are usually based on a combination of fixed monthly charges and extra charges based on usage. Different suppliers offer different contracts, so consider all the factors before you sign up, such as how quickly a technician will be sent out to fix your machine.

• Paragon Comment

There is some excellent advice here about how you can take preventative measures to protect your appliances.  These can help to prolong the life of your machines.  Yet there are times when you need professional help to do this.  And that is where Paragon comes in. 

We not only provide you with the latest printers and photocopiers on the market, through either a buying or leasing agreement, but we also have a first class, preventative maintenance service, which is second to none.  If you put your trust in us, we will match any price from our competitors, along with ensuring that, should there be a problem, there is someone with you within 4 hours, (2 hours throughout London.)

Furthermore, with our regular services we can guarantee that you will be fully supplied with all you need to keep your printer or photocopier functioning at its best.  Count on us at Paragon, the premier photocopier and printing company that you can rely on. Contact us now to find out how we can help.

Assessing the Options for Contracts

There are many different arrangements for photocopier/ printer maintenance contracts. If you intend to rent or lease from a company, you will probably be bound to an ongoing service agreement. Here are several things to bear in mind when choosing a contract.

• Do you need to pay a fixed monthly fee?
• Do you need to pay a fee based on the usage volume?
• Will the contract cover labour charges and the cost of parts if your machine breaks down?
• How long will it take for the technician to come if you need repairs?
• Will the contract cover consumables such as toner or ink cartridges or do you have to buy them yourself?
• Will you get a replacement machine for the whole time yours is being serviced?
• Be sure to read the fine print before signing anything.

The above points should give you an idea of the level of service you should expect to get.

• Paragon Comment

The flexible service agreements that we offer at Paragon are second to none. We are so confident about being able to provide you with this 'First Class' service, that we feel little need to tie you into a long term, and ultimately costly, service contract.  We are also not in the business of deceiving people with small print and extra costs.  For example, many competitors will charge customers a leaving fee, and often not forewarn them about it.

We believe that honesty is always best, and therefore assure you that this will never happen here at Paragon.  Therewillbe a call out charge and youwillpay for parts etc, although, as with everything we offer, these will be on a par, or cheaper than, all our competitors.  What's more, with 95% of our customers returning to us time and again, our reliability speaks for itself.  What's more, if we can't repair your machine on site, we will provide you with a replacement while yours is being repaired.

We also provide preventative maintenance programmes and on-going staff training, to help you to troubleshoot any potential problems.  At Paragon, we also ensure you have extras such as toners and drums stored away on site with you. This way, if you run out of something or something fails, you don't always have to wait for the emergency services to arrive before you can return to business as normal!

Alternatives to Service Contracts

If you feel that a service and maintenance contract is not for you, there are several alternatives.

Extended Warranty

There is often the possibility to have an extended warranty for your unit. This applies more to the cheaper end of the market because it is often not economically wise to take out a service contract. Extended warranties, though, usually cover much less than typical service contracts. This means it is unlikely that an engineer will be sent to your office if you need one. Also, relying on just the warranty will mean long delays because you will need to send your copier away for repairs. Ask yourself if the office will be seriously affected if the photocopier is out of use for extended periods.  Some manufacturers offer extended warranties at no extra charge, but again, will your office cope with delays

True, with no maintenance and service agreement, you have saved money, but your office may also suffer due to lack of equipment. Therefore, weigh up the pros and cons before signing up for extended warranties.

Pay as You Go

Pay as You Go contracts are also available from many sources.  This agreement means you only incur costs if your copier or printer requires attention. Charges apply only if an engineer comes to repair your unit. This agreement works in circumstances where it isn't financially viable to get a comprehensive agreement. (eg for small volume or cheaper machines).  However, the call out and repair charges for this type of contract are generally higher than a standard service contract so there are more financial risks. This option is popular among low volume machine owners because they are less likely to break down.  The advantages here, are that there are no monthly costs. You will need an emergency plan though, if repairs become expensive. This can also greatly impact the cash flow of a small business.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Conclusion

Make sure you consider the cost of the photocopier or printer versus the service contract cost. Also, consider the likelihood of your device breaking down and what effect this will have on your company. Can your office handle the loss of a copier or printer for extended lengths of time? It may be better to bite the bullet and go for a service agreement from a reputable company, giving you peace of mind, rather than be caught off guard with expensive repair costs. With a good service contract, you just call your supplier and they will take care of everything for you.

• Paragon Comment

Paragon Document Solutions are a company that you can trust.  We recognise that, 'Time is money', so if you choose our service contract, we will guarantee that you won't regret it.  You will have peace of mind, knowing that your appliances are in good hands.  So why not be smart, and put your faith in the expertise that we can provide.  You know it makes sense! For further information contact Paragon Document Solutions.