A manager commented at a support staff meeting, "What you know about how to solve computer problems is less important than the skills you have to locate information." Do you agree or disagree?
This is one of those broad statements that tends to draw a line right down the center of two opposing views. As someone who was mostly self-taught in the information technology field I would tend to agree with this opinion on a very basic level. The idea that being that with the abundance of information at our fingertips now, the majority of problems we face in the support field have answers published somewhere. I feel that in the course of troubleshooting if I can't figure it out on my own in a timely fashion it's equally as important for me to know where to go to find the solution to the problem. With that in mind knowing where to look for an answer and knowing how to fix something are two entirely different things.
The problem with the manager's statement is that it minimizes the importance of education, skills and experience necessary to work in the technical support field. The manager is essentially telling his team that a group of skilled researchers could come in and do just as good, if not better, work than a team of skilled technicians. I don't agree with this. I think practical knowledge of troubleshooting, and knowledge of where to seek information from go hand in hand. As I said before I am mostly self taught in the technical support field and I have become a skilled technician based on my ability to go and seek out answers and information. That being said my skills in locating information are the same now as the day I began and I would say the skills I have picked up in technical support or troubleshooting have made me a much stronger technician. I would say that my skills in solving computer problems are vastly more important than my ability to locate information. When I apply for a job they don't ask me if I am certified in locating information, even though it's a part of my job, I'm expected first and foremost to have the skills necessary to solve computer problems. It's important to realize that, as I said before, the two things go hand in hand. Knowing how to fix the problem is the best, but if you don't know how, the next best thing is being able to know how to find out. I would trade my troubleshooting experience and education for all the research skills in the world because in this field one without the other is worthless.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Case Study 5: OEM vs Refilled Cartridges
What are the relative costs of OEM versus refilled cartridges for a typical printer?
When discussing parts it's important to remember that OEM parts are always going to be more expensive. We currently utilize the HP 4014n series printers in most of our departments. New OEM cartridges on average cost about $150.00, occasionally they will cost a little more or less depending on who we purchase them from. A refilled or generic cartridge can normally be purchased for less than $100.00. With the amount of printing we generally do these savings can add up greatly over time
What factors other than cost should be considered in making a decision about OEM versus refilled cartridges? What are the pros and cons in this decision?
It is important to remember that the OEM cartridges are manufactured specifically for optimal use in their designated printers and the refilled or generic cartridges can come with some risks as they are not the exact product intended to work with that specific unit. One of the biggest factors when dealing with refilled cartridges is the quality of the ink and the lifespan of the cartridge that is being refilled. If the ink is of lower quality the internal components of the printer run the risk of being damaged. Rollers and fusers can become damaged or dirtied to the point where they are unable to be used or repaired. It can also cause the printouts to be illegible or easily smeared. Another factor to consider is that many refilled units tend to leak due to the way they must be refilled, and they usually do not carry any performance guarantee.
When discussing parts it's important to remember that OEM parts are always going to be more expensive. We currently utilize the HP 4014n series printers in most of our departments. New OEM cartridges on average cost about $150.00, occasionally they will cost a little more or less depending on who we purchase them from. A refilled or generic cartridge can normally be purchased for less than $100.00. With the amount of printing we generally do these savings can add up greatly over time
What factors other than cost should be considered in making a decision about OEM versus refilled cartridges? What are the pros and cons in this decision?
It is important to remember that the OEM cartridges are manufactured specifically for optimal use in their designated printers and the refilled or generic cartridges can come with some risks as they are not the exact product intended to work with that specific unit. One of the biggest factors when dealing with refilled cartridges is the quality of the ink and the lifespan of the cartridge that is being refilled. If the ink is of lower quality the internal components of the printer run the risk of being damaged. Rollers and fusers can become damaged or dirtied to the point where they are unable to be used or repaired. It can also cause the printouts to be illegible or easily smeared. Another factor to consider is that many refilled units tend to leak due to the way they must be refilled, and they usually do not carry any performance guarantee.
OEM Pros
Quality of ink tends to be higher
Comes with a service guarantee
Intended specifically for use in your machine
Has new, clean components that makeup the cartridge
Quality of prints tends to be higher
OEM Cons
More expensive
Refillable Pros
Relatively inexpensive
Comparable quality to OEM cartridges
Environmentally friendly
Refillable Cons
Usually do not have a service guarantee
Ink tends to leak
Potential damage can be caused to the printer
Do some printer manufacturers discourage printer users from purchasing refilled cartridges? How?
Most printer manufacturers discourage the use of refilled cartridges. HP, Cannon, and Lexmark all do not recognize refilled cartridges. The microchip sensors that communicates the ink levels with the printer are unable to be reset once the cartridge has been expended the first time these leads to the printer not recognizing the cartridge as full and constantly giving errors warning the ink is low. Most manufacturers also state that the use of refilled cartridges void the manufacturers warranty of the printer due to the potential harm than can come to the printers internal components by using lower quality ink.
How might the purchase and use of refilled printer cartridges impact the work of the support team? Are users in book production likely to experience increased problems with refilled cartridges that will result in more incidents for the user support team?
Refilled printer cartridges have the ability to create many potential problems. Ink spillage in the printer or lower quality ink on the internal components can cause the rollers and fusers to become damaged or dirtied to the point where they are no long able to be used. The holes put into the cartridge to refill it can lead to plastic pieces in the ink that can damage the cartridge and the printer. The bottom line here is that OEM cartridges are safer and come with fewer potential problems. When problems do occur they can usually be fixed by the support team quickly or they are covered under the manufacturers warranty. By using refilled cartridges the problems become more complex, time consuming, and generally won't be solved by the manufacturer.
Users in book production are likely to experience problems with cartridges that are refilled due to the quality of the ink and the cartridge in tandem with the amount of printing taking place. To cut down the potential for incidents that require the user support teams attention it would be in the best interest to continue using OEM cartridges.
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