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View Full Version : What's with repair services?!



John Salitsky
04-16-2013, 7:21 AM
One of my hang ups is repair/annual maintenance for my machines. I either have to pay for a service plan from New Hermes which I will not use most of the time or pay for repairs on as needed basis in whch case thee is a "travel fee" from the time the guy leaves his house and of course he lives three hours away or more. Now I understand it's a business and all but c'mon! It doesn't even cover anything except the guy getting here and I'm spending five hundred bucks. I do most of may repairs myself probobly like most of you but sometimes it just something you can't figure out or don't have the correct tools for. I don't know maybe I'm just griping here but it seems like there' a better way or someone else with a better way.

Dan Hintz
04-16-2013, 7:41 AM
From a business perspective it makes sense to charge for the time the repair guy travels... but then again, I'd prefer machines that can be fixed by me. So I don't purchase machines that require me to use one of their guys. If a company like ULS is willing ot let me take the cover off and swap out a PC board, I think other companies can do similar.

John Salitsky
04-16-2013, 8:20 AM
Dan, I kind of understand it and maybe the frustrating part is not so much that they charge that but it doesn't really guarantee me anything. Then again, I don't know what they could really guarantee without physically being in front of the machine. I think I'm just griping is all.

Mike Null
04-16-2013, 8:26 AM
I have to do the service on my equipment but my Newing Hall is covered with free tech support as I am considered the original purchaser. I consider working on a laser considerably easier than working on a rotary/diamond drag machine. I have changed out most of the parts on a laser be it Epilog, ULS or just recently belts and bearing on a Trotec (I was more than ably assisted by my rep Andy Wingfield).

Dan, I don't know of anybody in the engraving business who requires you to use their service, but for some it may be necessary for any of several reasons. In the case of the equipment John has, I vowed never again to purchase a New Hermes machine simply because they have a bad attitude with respect to tech support of any kind.

John Salitsky
04-16-2013, 8:42 AM
Mike, that's exactly my situation! I do almost all reapirs myself and while New Hermes does offer tech support over the phone/email at no charge so long as you provide them with the serial number on the machine they bsically failed me more than once. Most recently with a problem I was having that ended up being something fairly simple. I had to go all the way to scheduling a service call and when I got the service guy on the phone to set up an appointment, luckily I've worked with this guy before and so I know him, he had it fixed in less than 15 minutes without having to come out. At that point I felt like the phone option was fruitless but I don't want to have to go through the hoops of fire and paperwork to get to the guy who knows what he's doing to touble shoot it.

After countless searches for service options I kind of feel like NH has a stranglehold on repairs of their machines. I found this method out when dealing with Sears for washing machine repair. They just refuse to sell parts to anyone but their technicians. Sort of a monopoly in a round about way.

Ross Moshinsky
04-16-2013, 9:36 AM
Our experience with New Hermes/Gravograph is very similar to yours. Knock on wood, we've only had a few issues with our machines but NH/Gravograph has definitely made them even more stressful.

Their customer service is just bad. Their phone techs are not informed at all. They do not work with you to resolve problems like other companies. You have a problem? Okay, we'll schedule an appointment with our tech. That's their idea of customer service. Luckily, the service guy in NJ is willing to talk to you before coming out and give you some actual advice/input.

With the issues we've had with NH/Gravograph between buggy software and poor customer service, it has definitely left a sour taste in our mouth.

Mark Ross
04-16-2013, 9:49 AM
New Hermes gives me the squirmies. They are to the engraving industry what dimension 3D printers are to that industry. Our computer running windows 95 for the engraver finally died. We wanted to get a software upgrade to run on a newer machine. Their response was that not only did we have to pay to get back on maintenance, we had to pay ALL the back maintenance fees for every single year we were not on maintenance in order to get the software upgrade. This "fee" was more than buying a brand new machine. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that was not worth it. So I went to the next ham radio swap I could find, set up an old beater machine running windows 95 and we were back in business for less than 200 bucks. It would have been cheaper but I bought an extra machine so when the PC running the machine now dies, I have another spare.

I understand machinery going obsolete (I have one machine running DOS 2.11 and another that uses punch cards and a teletype...). However, gouging customers is another story completely.

John Salitsky
04-16-2013, 9:56 AM
I hear ya Ross! The problem ended up being the nut on the end of the lead screw loosing up and needing adjusment. I mean I felt like an idiot once it came to light but I also felt like the guys on the phone should have come to that conlcusion long before I did and I would have been up and running much sooner than the four days it took. I had it narrowed down to the something with the lead screw so I was in the right area and had to actually steer them away from a couple of things I knew it was not.

Ross Moshinsky
04-16-2013, 10:48 AM
I hear ya Ross! The problem ended up being the nut on the end of the lead screw loosing up and needing adjusment. I mean I felt like an idiot once it came to light but I also felt like the guys on the phone should have come to that conlcusion long before I did and I would have been up and running much sooner than the four days it took. I had it narrowed down to the something with the lead screw so I was in the right area and had to actually steer them away from a couple of things I knew it was not.

I genuinely think they don't have any training on the actual machines. Their knowledge level seems to be trouble shooting Gravostyle and that's it. Anything machine related they aren't trained on. It makes it very difficult from our perspective as we can't call them and expect any responses based on experience. They charge top dollar for everything but I'd say they have the worst customer service in the industry. It's a shame because their actual product is fairly good.

John Salitsky
04-16-2013, 10:54 AM
Mark, I was typing when you posted. That's ludicrous! Why would they event think someone would be willing to do that is beyond me.

Like Ross said it's a shame because overall I like their machines but I hold my breath for the problems I can not figure out and the inevitable call to tech support. It's hours I don't have in a day.

bruce cain
04-16-2013, 11:13 AM
I have three New Hermes. Got the first one in 89 and learned quick that the machines were tough but the customer service was not there. Then found out about Quality One Engravers for service and have not contacted New Hermes since.

Bruce

John Salitsky
04-16-2013, 11:22 AM
Hey Bruce I 've used Quality one in the past and they were pretty good but what I am looking for is someone local to me who would be the guy you call when you it's something you can't figure out on your own. It doesn't happen often but it does happen.

Paul Phillips
04-16-2013, 1:39 PM
I genuinely think they don't have any training on the actual machines. Their knowledge level seems to be trouble shooting Gravostyle and that's it. Anything machine related they aren't trained on. It makes it very difficult from our perspective as we can't call them and expect any responses based on experience. They charge top dollar for everything but I'd say they have the worst customer service in the industry. It's a shame because their actual product is fairly good.

Ross, I think you nailed it, that's been my experience as well. I gave up on the Gravostyle software and switched to FlexiEngrave which they stopped making but it still works great for what we do. The machines are solid but the software and support sucks and is way overpriced.
Bruce, thanks for the tip on Quality One, they are not far from me and I will defintely give them a try next time I need help.
Paul

Bert Kemp
04-17-2013, 12:47 AM
I have to do the service on my equipment but my Newing Hall is covered with free tech support as I am considered the original purchaser. I consider working on a laser considerably easier than working on a rotary/diamond drag machine. I have changed out most of the parts on a laser be it Epilog, ULS or just recently belts and bearing on a Trotec (I was more than ably assisted by my rep Andy Wingfield).

Dan, I don't know of anybody in the engraving business who requires you to use their service, but for some it may be necessary for any of several reasons. In the case of the equipment John has, I vowed never again to purchase a New Hermes machine simply because they have a bad attitude with respect to tech support of any kind.
If you want support attitude try dealing with Full Spectrum Laser.