Ok, a quick post on
shoddy service in the wilds of Bohemia. Many months ago
my printer began failing me.
But wait, first, do you work for
Epson?…better still do you service printers and does the following sound normal to you?
As far as I'm concerned the two best technologies I've ever worked with are
Apple and
Epson. Both are superb, I'm a fan. The
Epson printers are the best I've ever used. The two work beautifully together.
I'd recommend them to any artist or photographer. My machine has been great for 4 years but now it is perhaps time to upgrade. I tell you though, if I serviced these machines I think I'd treat them with more respect than my machine has seen and at the very least send them home no worse than they arrived in my store.
My machine has not been a
work-horse, more a
much loved thoroughbred and my guess was my problem was dried ink, a printhead issue, a blockage, yet despite many power cleanings the problem remained. I called the only service company I've had dealings with in
Prague. I've been a customer of these people 5 years and the people I deal with at the front desk (whenever
I bought ink or paper) were always pleasant enough. In fact they seemed to know me quite well and so it came as a surprise to me that they took so long to look over my machine and determine how to fix it. It took months. I called once a week.
This is the web-site. http://www.epsonhpservis.cz/
I was told they needed to conduct power cleanings of their own, this drinks ink and 2 of my cartridges were too low. So I agreed to replace 2 cartridges to allow them to do their work. Finally I was told it had not worked and new parts were required. I was asked if i had used ink other than Epsons. Answer = NO. Nor do I feed plants engine oil. The cost of Epson inks is worth the result in my opinion and I wouldn't deviate.
The ink would cost me 3600 kc. (£120) ($191)
The parts 19,960 Kc. (£663) ($1,052)
I briefly considered ways to raise the money before realising a new machine would be wiser. Probably what Epson would prefer too ; ).
With
Christmas fast approaching and slow print sales I decided to wait. We've had rotten weather lately so I delayed pick up of my machine 4 times. Partly because the pavement outside the shop could hardly be walked on as nobody, neither council nor shopkeeper sees any reason to clear the mountains of snow ice and dog waste in this particular 'hood. How would I traverse this hell-foam with my massive printer? I'm not the only one wondering
why shopkeepers don't clear their entrances to most here it seems a revolutionary concept...and no, they don't deliver or collect.
Last Monday I went to the shop and was appalled to find my machine lying on the ground, near the door on a wet muddy floor. The back of the machine was covered in dust and one of the electrical ports had some kind of white powder inside it. Dust and specks of stuff resting in the paper-feed. Nobody seemed to understand why that was 'not good'.
Yes my printer and a bucket, no doubt an expensive Epson bucket.In fact they all got pretty cheeky and the manager at one point stepped into my physical space as if to make me back away, it didn't work, did I imagine that?...what have I done wrong?. But It was very strange. It was really, really very strange indeed, are you not grown ups? I told them I expected my printer at the very least to be resting on paper, something, or wrapped in plastic, but not sitting on a dirty floor.
Epson Exceeds my vision alright...I couldn't believe my eyes.The machine cost over 2000 dollars and it's a delicate piece of kit, so in a sense they seemed to be insuring its demise by treating it badly. I guess they would have donned the white gloves if I'd bought the parts. But now I'm concerned about buying a new machine if this is the kind of service I can expect. What am I thinking, we live in Prague, a small one-horse out-post. Not a major European capitol…no, but wait - THIS IS A MAJOR CAPITOL CITY!
Snorting cocaine out of the electrical port socket maybe?...now it all makes sense!So I should expect a standard of service. Heck I don't care
if I'm in flipping Tibet, the jungles of
Africa, or on the surface of
the Moon- if the company sports a certificate from Epson promising quality - I should expect that standard.
Just thought we'd clip some toe-nails in there for you Mr Moore...no extra charge.Having pointed out the certificate on the wall, the man whose name is on it seemed to come to his senses and told me to come back next day and my Epson will have been magically restored to how I'd given them it.
A magical document that seems to break the spell...Next day I came back and my machine was wrapped in plastic. I'm not sure as It remains wrapped but it may have been cleaned, I loaded it in my car and came back to pay up for my ink, my only charge, I could not afford the new parts. I opened the box containing my ink cartridges, 6 of them were opened and empty. Ok, alright, they've performed perhaps several power-cleanings. It's a shame that no ink was left, but ok. I'll begin with a new compliment of inks, I'll plonk down 10,800 Kc (£360) ($571).
Surprise! We're empty...but we're coming home with you anyway.Next to the 6 old inks were the two new inks that were required at the outset. Opening their boxes I found they were open to the air, and the ink all dried up. Worse…judging by weight only 15% of the ink could have been used for the power-cleaning process. It is
standard practice to seal the ink-hole after removal and prior to transportation with cellophane or even tape or at the very least put the cartridge in a bag.
I'm sure the ink on the certificate is just as dry as my brand new inks.And these were larger format inks, open to the air and completely wasted, useless. 3600 kc. (£120) ($190) down the drain…or hard-set in the cartridge to be precise.
Straight out of the box...no ink, not even hope...is Pandora in today?I asked to speak to the manager (the space invader) Mr Vanek. But I was told he'd be back Monday, so I left the ink on the counter and left the shop completely baffled by this experience. What do I now do? I asked for an explanation and all I got was a shoulder shrug and a demand that I pay. What do I do? Is this normal Epson service?
They then threatened to withhold my printer and not give me it back. That was pretty back to front as it was already in the car. I'll pay them I guess, but I want an explanation, an apology maybe, perhaps some understanding...
Answers on a postcard, please.
Now Hannibal, How do we get to the car with all these white elephants?
