A Copier Invasion?

These days, copiers are in virtually every in-plant. Find out how in-plant managers are using them, the problems they're facing and the features they want.

Are copiers taking over in-plants? The answer varies depending on who you talk to. But no one can deny that convenience copiers are a convenience for more than the end user—and that color copiers are a boon for short-run printing jobs.

While copiers are proliferating in in-plants, features are proliferating on copiers. Customers are demanding such features as sorting/stapling, collating and even three-hole punching—and the latest generation of copiers is delivering. New designs reduce paper jams by using a straight paper path instead of bending the paper around rollers. Helpful touch screens reduce service calls.

With all these features, what else can be added? When asked what features he'd like to see on copiers, Steve Chant, who oversees five print-shop copiers and three walk-ups at University of Vermont Graphics and Printing, answers, "Lower prices. They already come with pretty much everything you need. On the DocuTech, though, I'd like to see more features for improving the copy submitted by the customer. Xerox has the software to easily clean up spots and straighten the image, but they don't include it with the DocuTech."

On the wish list of Keith Lee, Chief of Printing at the Department of the Treasury, in Washington, are light sensors that automatically power down copiers when they're not in use, to save energy on his four in-plant copiers and 85 convenience copiers.

"As soon as someone walks into the room, the copier fires up," says Lee. "That would be a nice feature."

With an abundance of features usually comes an abundance of problems, because more gadgets means more opportunities for things to break down. But this isn't the case with the new generation of copiers, managers say.

"This generation of copiers has gotten more reliable," says Chant. "The paper handling and self-diagnostics are better. The manufacturers make a good product."

No Major Problems

Mark Cunningham, group manager of office copying and stationery at Boeing's St. Louis plant, and Mark Niederschmidt, group manager in duplicating at the same facility, agree.

"I can't think of any single major problem," says Cunningham. And they know, because they carefully track all service calls for their 550 copiers. Explains Niederschmidt, "We have every service call logged, and we compare them to national averages quarterly."

In fact, the biggest complaints in-plant operators have about their copiers aren't with the manufacturers, but the end users. Customers who don't know how to use the machines are the biggest cause of service calls.

"On some areas there are too many service calls," says Brenda Norquist, copy service coordinator at the University of Nebraska. "Some are legitimate, but some are because the end-users don't understand how to use the copier and feel the machine is broken when it isn't."

Adds Allen Palovik, who oversees 25 copiers at Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park, Calif., "The biggest problem with the central copier is from multiple use and lack of training due to high turnover—not from the manufacturer. People aren't sure how to clear a paper jam or load the paper tray."

Some vendors offer training to alleviate these problems.

"Xerox helped us a lot with the network part of the DocuTech, and they also helped us host an open house to train secretaries and customers on how to prepare documents," says Chant.

Response Time Lagging

Overall, vendors are largely responsible for in-plant operators' satisfaction (or lack of) with copier equipment. Response time is the one area where operators find vendors lacking.

"Response time can periodically be a problem," says Lee, from the Treasury. "The manufacturers' sales reps will hound you to sell their equipment, but when you need them for a service problem, they don't show one-tenth that enthusiasm."

Niederschmidt, of Boeing, agrees.

"Over the last six months, the response times have gotten a little bit longer," he notes.

"Response times have risen slightly, I think, because the vendors have a high turnover in staff," adds Cunningham.

There's always the option of using an alternative service provider to service copiers, but managers say it's often difficult to find one vendor who can meet required response times or service other manufacturers' equipment.

"I've looked into an alternative service provider, but didn't follow through because he didn't have an established office or technicians in the area and would have to travel in from too far away for service calls," says Norquist. "When you're managing close to 200 units you need someone handier—especially if it's snowing."

Lee has also looked into an alternative service provider for his shop's high-volume equipment.

"The service provider didn't meet our expectations," he says. "The company we talked with was primarily interested in servicing only one other manufacturer's copiers besides its own. I haven't heard of many who like to service others' equipment."

But operators tend to stick with vendors who go above and beyond when it comes to value-added services.

"We get free training and support whenever we need it, and we have access to any information the vendors have," says Norquist. "They also do retraining because, since we're in a university, the end users usually move on after a while."

Says Cunningham, "Our vendors do quarterly reviews where they provide reports. Some do weekly follow-ups. They also show us non-disclosure machines and teach us about new technology so we can plan for the future."

Some vendors also offer an analysis of in-plants' copier programs, but managers are skeptical.

"They'll never tell you that you need fewer products," says Lee. "They're too busy trying to sell."

More Copiers Than Ever

Are copiers taking over in-plants? Most managers say yes.

"I see them taking over more and more of mine," offers Chant. "Ten years ago we did about 40,000 copies per month. Now we do from 600,000 to 1.2 million."

But that's not to say that all jobs are being output on copiers. That is simply not cost effective.

"If you're going to make copies, the limit is 1,500," says Palovik, of Knotts Berry Farm. "Beyond 1,500 you should print it."

Steve Chant agrees. "Smart organizations have a cut-off point above which the job has to go to the central printing facility," he says. "You can't let every department have their own little copy shop."

When asked where copier technology is going, all in-plant operators answered with the same three words: multi-functionality, connectivity and digital.

"Digital products and multi-functional networked devices will become more prominent, especially in smaller companies," predicts Lee.

Norquist agrees. "Obviously technology is heading towards the digital arena," she says. "And that's where I think it should be in this day and age."

Copier Abuse

With both vendors and copiers getting high marks from in-plant managers, operators must be in copier heaven, right? Well, not really. There's still a small problem of users abusing the copiers by doing everything from robbing the coin boxes to counterfeiting documents on the color copiers.

Though Mark Cunningham and Mark Niederschmidt don't see much abuse at Boeing's St. Louis facility, people on their shop floors have been known to scratch or even break the copier glass by photocopying parts. And three years ago at the University of Vermont, the print shop broke up a ring of students who were making counterfeit IDs by taking photos in their dorm rooms, copying them on a color copier, then putting it all together on the shop's paste-up tables.

"Our receptionist noticed what they were doing and asked them about it, and they hightailed it, leaving all their stuff behind," says Steve Chant, manager. "The police tracked down the perpetrators through the photos left behind."

The University of Vermont in-plant, like most others, now safeguards against such abuse by letting only staff use the color copiers.

Linda Formichelli can be reached at:

linda@tp.net