If you’ve had a problem with your TV or phone that you couldn’t seem to figure out, what did you do?
More than likely, you contacted someone for help, and that “someone” was probably a support agent from the brand of device you have.
Xerox, the printer brand we partner with, has a similar infrastructure in place for remote support called Xerox Support Services, and it’s important that you understand the pros and cons of using it.
While it is useful to resolve minor issues, trying to solve any type of major issues with your printer over the phone can result in frustration and wasted time.
To help you know when Xerox Support Services would be best to use, we’re going to provide you with the pros and cons of the service so you can see if it would be a good service solution for your current problem.
But before we can get to the pros and cons, let’s go over what Xerox Support Services are first:
What Is Xerox Support Services?
Xerox Support Services are Xerox’s equivalent of Apple Support or DirecTV Support: It’s a place you can call with trained professionals on the line that can try to help you solve issues with your printer.
The design of the Xerox product line allows a trained Xerox professional to collaborate with an end-user to address most service calls to get the machine functional again quickly and efficiently.
Just like other remote support services, Xerox’s support service is free to use as long as you are under a service contract with Xerox.
It is a phone-based service that is intended to fix issues you are having with your machine. If you have billing or other concerns, then Xerox Support Services is not the place to go.
Xerox Support Services also differs from Xerox’s Augmented Reality Support, CareAR, which is a more immersive service solution that is also free to use for Xerox customers.
It allows for a trained service technician to see what you see so they can virtually diagnose the issue and use visuals to provide graphical guidance.
Read our blog on Xerox’s Augmented Reality Support to learn more about its features and benefits.
2 Pros of Xerox Support Services
Now that you know what Xerox Support Services are, let’s take a look at two of the benefits to using it:
-
Quicker Service Solution
The main advantage of using Xerox Support Services is that they can provide fast solutions to minor problems.
In the old days, you would have to wait for a service technician to travel to your location to fix whatever issue you couldn’t figure out on your own.
Having to wait for a representative to come to your site and fix a minor issue when it’s something you could fix yourself over the phone is not ideal.
That’s primarily why Xerox offers remote support services: If you have a simple issue that just requires you to change a supply item to fix, then being able to remedy that situation yourself over the phone is much more efficient than having somebody come to your office and fix it.
Read our blog over common printer service questions if you would like solutions to some of the most common printer problems you could experience with your machine.
-
It’s Included in Your Service Contract
As mentioned previously, Xerox Support Services is free of charge as long as you have a service contract with Xerox.
That is a major benefit to the service; it costs you no money to use and all you have to do is pick up the phone and call.
3 Cons of Xerox Support Services
Although Xerox Support Services are typically fast and efficient, it doesn’t mean they can fix every issue over the phone.
Let’s look at three of the main cons to using Xerox Support Services:
-
Can’t Fix Complex Issues
The main drawback to Xerox Support Services is they likely won’t be able to solve intricate issues with your printer.
That means if the problem requires the use of any tools, Xerox Support Services is not the solution.
Printers are multifaceted machines and require the work of a trained service technician to fix them. If you try to fix the machine yourself, you could end up damaging it more---which may result in increased service costs to fix.
If you’re under a service contract with Xerox or one of its affiliated partners, dispatching a service technician to your location is free and should be utilized if you can’t fix an issue quickly over the phone.
-
You Have to Be in Front of the Printer
The next con is more of a logistical hurdle if you use a work phone to conduct business calls.
To try and fix the issue you’re having, you will need to be in front of the machine to do it. That means you will need to use your mobile phone to conduct the call, and depending on your location, that might cause a minor inconvenience for you.
As a best practice, if you’re calling Xerox Support Services, do it from your mobile phone first so you don’t have to hang up your business phone and call back from your cell phone a second time.
-
Requires Time on the Phone to Complete
The last con to using Xerox Support Services is it requires you to spend time out of your day on the phone.
If you’re in a consistently busy workplace---think hospitals and schools---spending time on the phone over a printer issue may not be the best use of your time.
As a general rule, you should never spend more than a few minutes on the phone with a Xerox representative.
Xerox Support Services is designed to offer quick solutions to simple problems. If you’ve tried a couple of the representative’s suggestions and it’s not fixing your issue, ask them to send out a technician to remedy the problem.
It’s free (if you’re under a service contract), and a technician can normally be there within a day or two.
Bottom line: Don’t spend too much time on the phone, and when in doubt, have a technician come out and resolve the issue for you.
Who Is a Fit for Xerox Support Services?
Xerox Support Services is a solid, free-of-charge, solution for you if you’re having service issues with your Xerox printer.
They won’t be able to fix everything, though, and if you can’t fix the issue with your device over the phone, don’t stress yourself out over it: Just ask them to send one of their trained professionals and they will usually get there in a timely manner.
But if you’re having trouble with your Xerox machine and you don’t know where to go first, calling Xerox Support Services is an optimal place to start.
If they can’t fix the issue over the phone, they can at least guide you in the right direction and send a trained technician to your location, if needed.
For more resolutions to common problems you might encounter with your printer, read these blogs:
Have an Issue With Your Printer?
Being in the printer/copier industry for almost 40 years has given us the expertise and platform to talk about the issues most pertinent to you.
Our goal is to offer you solutions to your problems in an honest and transparent way—no matter what the issue is.
If you’re having a problem with your printer, we have a team of trained service technicians that can provide authentic advice and offer timely solutions to any problem you’re having with your machine.
The last thing you need to worry about is an issue with your office equipment. If you’re frustrated by an ongoing printer problem, use our “Request a Service” page to describe your issue and we will get right on it.
