Epilog vs Trotec....again

[Peck Sidara]

Peck,

You could probably blame the myriad of other companies where tech support ranges from just satisfactory to downright poor. Once people get used to the way things are with the majority of products, they will rarely think it's any different with one more.

You're likely right Dan. We all could comment on our general service experiences and I could ramble on but don't want take Robert's post/enquiry in another direction.

[Rodne Gold]

Peck , I think SMC is probably a good mirror of the USA laser market specifically in the semi hobbyist / small commercial arena.

[Mike Null]

Rodney

I wouldn't agree with that in the area of commercial enterprises. We have relatively few on SMC but a large number of hobbyists. I think most commercial engraving/laser businesses in the US do not participate in forums. That said, I don't think it changes the mix of laser brands in the US market as we think it is.

I will say that if anybody is hinting that Trotec tech support is lacking they are just plain wrong.

[Scott Shepherd]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.....

If your machine is down and you call tech support this is what you'll get from Trotec, Epilog, ULS, and probably a few others :

"Hi, my machine is broken."

"We are sending the parts out today, next day air."

"Hi, me again. The parts came, how do I install them?"

"Good to hear from you again, how's the weather there? Let's walk you through the installation now."


You'll get the same from all 3, so no one's got a leg up on anyone in that area, in my opinion.

[Norberto Coutinho]

You are in US... the lasers factorys are in US.... I live in Brazil and my machine was made in China... I speak in Portuenglish and they reply me in Chinenglish... very fun....

[Edgar Buitrago]

Robert,

If we were to poll the SMC members, you'll likely find that most own an Epilog or ULS with Trotec & GCC coming in 3rd or 4th. There are also some Xenetech, Vytek, Kern & over sea laser owners as well.

I do think this has *some* indication as to which is most popular/trusted amongst our peers but SMC should also be considered just a sample of the laser market.

Why are there more Epilog or ULS enquires, because SMC is the place to get answers for these machines as *most* own and/or are very familiar with an Epilog or ULS.

Hilton-I don't believe there are any hidden messages as to why there are more Epilog enquires. IMHO, it's simple, more Epilog owners on board. More experience with the Epilog. At times I get frustrated as to why an Epilog owner would log onto SMC to get technical support for their Epilog laser when our technical support is regarded as the best in the industry. After hours & weekends excluded, I've come to the conclusion that people want to discuss their equipment with like users/owners, get involved with discussions and learn about their machines from their peers. Even though we provide the best support, documentation, a very complete website & owners manual which together will answer the majority of common questions, SMC members will still log on and ask their peers. SMC is a great place to be & I'll continue to be on board daily to help answer/guide our customers in the right direction.

Got a little off track there....Robert, you really can't go wrong with either laser system. As many has already suggested; what are your primary uses/applications? Other questions to ponder:

Compare system/standard features and determine which ones are most beneficial to your applications/use.
Machine warranty, what does it all cover & duration?
Are both machines compatibile with your PC (32bit & 64bit OS) & graphics software?
Replacement parts cost?
Factory and/or local technical/sales support?
Have you processed any specific files on both systems to compare cycle times, quality & thruput?

Have you ever think about how many customers there are for Trotec Lasers in this group? It is obvious, if you have such a lot of customers who own an Epilog, you will find more inquiries about Epilog machines, but startint with the price, Epilog has more advantages. Tech Support, Speed, Quality, and more.

[Jani Pedersen]

When I bought my epilog I went to Identify who are agents for epilog, however I did not purchase from them, the machine I bought was second hand. Stephen Jater treated me as though I were buying it from him, he gave invaluable advice and help, he traced the machine for me and let me know that it had been well maintained etc. How many companies do you know that will do this? - knowing that the best they could hope for from me for the forseeable future were some substrate sales ? Not many, I venture.

One day, sorry, one EVENING I was attempting to engrave on a glass christmas tree bauble, stupidly using autofocus yes, it all moved and the plunger dropped to the table trapping everything. With my eyes out on stalks I ran to my pc and tried to establish how to deal with the now well and truly lopsided rail. I emailed Stephen Jater, but not expecting a reply until the next day I decided to give Epilog USA a ring.

I don't know who answered the call but he was a godsend to me. He explained briefly how to deal with the issue, took my details, emailed me a file showing how to 'fix my issue' and then phoned me back to check that I was okay doing it ! First class service.

I adore my machine. I am more than delighted with the help and service I get from Epilog UK ( Identify ) and Epilog USA. I know that when the time comes to upgrade to a higher wattage and larger bed, which I shall most certainly do, I shall have no second thoughts on which company to call on and purchase from.

I agree with earlier posts, perhaps the hiccups seen here, the questions asked here are because we know that there are a lot of people within the forum that can help us ( whether a true technical issue or a user problem ) because there ARE so many Epilog users here ?

A poll for brand would be really interesting to see.