JR Copier was founded in 1989 by a senior copier technician that worked for a large Minnesota office equipment manufacturer branch. We started in business with the idea of offering ourselves as a reasonably priced, hi-tech alternative to manufacturer service. Reasonably priced, because we run a highly efficient, low-overhead servicing business; hi-tech, because we employ senior technicians only. No technical trainees or junior technicians, just senior techs!
Today, we’re a well-established group; specializing in the maintenance and repair of copiers, printers and fax machines in Minneapolis | St. Paul areas.
Senior Techs
Although we repeatedly state that we are staffed by “senior technicians only,” we know that it probably doesn’t mean very much to you. You’re probably thinking that for what your dealer is charging you for service they better darn well be sending you senior technicians. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.
For the factory dealers, the senior technician is the team leader or field service supervisor. He is, generally, the only senior tech in his group and the only time you’ll ever see him is when the junior techs, (that do most of the everyday servicing,) can’t fix a certain problem or are out sick or are on vacation. In this way, the dealers keep their payroll costs low.
Because of the type of company we are, we can’t afford to send you junior techs or technical trainees. We need to know that when one of our techs services your equipment it is done correctly and thoroughly the first time and we won’t have to send someone back a second time for the same problem at our expense.
Frankly and speaking as a group of guys who all started at the bottom, it is the higher salaries that we pay our senior techs that motivate them to do really good work, rather than just giving them a title that goes with their experience. If you are wondering just how we can afford to pay senior technicians only and still charge more than 30% less than the dealers, it’s probably because you have no idea just how profitable the service end of this business really is.
Our Equipment for sale
Since the mid-nineties we have been able to purchase and resell NEW & Used Kyocera Copystar, Ricoh, Xerox, and most other major Copiers and Printers Brand’s copiers, fax machines, and laser printers – We also offer off-lease copier returns – These machines, which were leased as new equipment, were returned at the end of a three-year lease in almost like-new condition because the first lessee hardly used them during that time. We can sell or lease you one of these units for more than 55% less than the best discounted price when sold as new! You have to remember the copier dealer only makes money by selling new equipment, the manufacturers force them to meet quotas so they can sell more to make a profit, the technology in most cases remains the same and what changes is the outside look of the equipment.
Can we fix everything?
As experienced as we are, we can’t possibly service “every” makes and model of a copier, printer, and fax machine… and we’ll be the first to admit that.
Unfortunately, there are more than just a few independent servicing companies to be found on the Internet (some with very attractive and complex looking websites) that will tell everyone who calls that they are qualified to service”everything.”
The plumber and electrician must first prove their education and experience in order to get a license to be in business. Our industry does not require a license to be in business. With just a few years of training in the technical end of this industry, anyone can invest in a fancy web site and claim to be able to fix “everything” to everyone who calls and there’s no law against it. Unfortunately, these hustlers, and that’s just what they are, hurt honest independent service providers because every time they hustle a customer they drive them back into the waiting arms of the dealerships who are now charging somewhere between $150 to as much as $195 for a one-hour service call.
Furthermore, since ours is an industry that does not require a license, there is no government agency that you can complain to if you get cheated. It becomes your responsibility to sue them and they’re gambling that for the amount of money they took you for, you couldn’t be bothered.
Our parts
Provided that the factory dealer doesn’t charge you more than MSRP, we can save you marginally on small parts like feed rollers, gears, switches, and sensors. However, the real savings is on what we charge for the high-ticket and consumable items.
Generally, we are more than 20% less on copying drums, processing units, developers, wiper blades, fuser rollers, fuser related parts, and most1 especially—circuit boards. Sensitive to the attitudes of the factory dealers and to the stunts pulled by some independent servicing firms, our technicians will often go overboard when explaining, in non-technical terms, the need for any parts which we claim may be needed to implement repairs.
Experienced Service Technicians