The Confessions of a Copier Rep — Moving a Copier

shhhhhhh ... this is embarassing...

I just got done borrowing the new WorkCentre 6400 from Xerox to show to a customer.  I went down to the tech center, grabbed Xerox’s WC 6400 and rolled out happily to demo this copier to a new customer.  I loaded it in my sweet Kia and started rolling down the road with the WorkCentre 6400 as my passenger.  I get to the customer location, unload it (my back still aches a bit as it is heavy to lift solo… about 130 pounds…)

I get the Xerox WC 6400 into the office, and set it on the desk, and then I realize the drawer isn’t shutting all the way, nor is it opening.  Fortunately, I have been to enough rodeos where this is not something that never occurs.  You just explain how mechanical devices can have some quirks (because we all know they can) and just address it quickly.

Now, I am sitting here with a $4,500 copier that doesn’t belong to me, or the customer and is not under warranty that may have been screwed up a bit as I adjusted its positioning on my car seat.  I call my Xerox rep and I am like, “Joe, I am not sure if it was me, if it was like this when I left, or what happened, what do I do?”  Luckily, I have an excellent rep and a good relationship with Xerox.  Joe told me to bring it in and they’d take care of it.

Now what does this have to do with you?  Well, you may not be so lucky as to have a manufacturer’s rep to bail you out if you screw up a copier in transport.  This may be a $300 or so problem, and I am fortunate that I am getting bailed out.  This made me think, if I were a customer moving a copier, what would I do…

1. I would transport it in an appropriate vehicle, not a Kia Optima.  That would have helped.
2. I would lock drawers and supplies so there isn’t damage from moving
3. I would tie machine down well in vehicle
4. I would have more than 1 person load and unload the copier in the vehicle
5. I would work with a company that could help bail me out if I happened to be as dumb as their salesrep