Even if you buy a top-of-the-line UV printer, you may still experience costly problems if the manufacturer doesn’t provide you with vital production support. A reputable vendor will provide you with excellent customer service (both before and after the purchase) and help ensure you can produce your desired printing output with precision and repeatability.
The following are four vital aspects of production support that you should research before purchasing a UV printer:
1. How good is their customer service?
Every UV printer vendor will claim to have excellent customer service and support — so how can you find out the truth? One of the best ways to check this is to read online reviews or speak with shops that use the products and vendors that you are considering. In fact, a reputable manufacturer will be happy to provide you with references from their current or past customers.
When contacting these references, you should ask about the company’s responsiveness. Are they easy to contact? Do they return messages promptly? What’s the effectiveness of their support services, and the overall performance of their printers/products?
2. Is support available for setup and retooling?
Having a vendor available to consult with you for assistance with manual setups and retooling between jobs is paramount to your success. Performing these functions quickly and efficiently will substantially affect your company’s productivity and profitability.
Choose a vendor that is willing and able to guide you through the setup process and work with you to create a production workflow that best fits your products and work environment. A reputable vendor will be able to evaluate the installation process and provide you with helpful feedback on issues such as overall productivity, ink consumption, and a variety of other factors that will impact your profitability.
3. Are parts readily available?
Ensure that the vendor you choose has a reliable supply chain and can provide you with all critical printer parts and components quickly and easily. This is vital because when a problem occurs, it will result in downtime — which can cause a significant loss of revenue for your business.
Remember that breakdowns can occur at any time due to operator mistakes and various other factors. Because problems are inevitable (especially when your printer is used extensively), having quick access to replacement parts is extremely important.
4. Do they offer resources and self-service options?
As mentioned previously, breakdowns (and the resultant downtime) are inevitable with any and every type of printing system. Unfortunately, problems often happen at the most inconvenient times — such as after business hours or on weekends when live support is often unavailable. That’s why it’s crucial to choose a vendor that offers you a wide array of resources, including self-service tools that can help you fix a variety of problems yourself. Educational and training resources are also great ways to learn new printing techniques, production methods, and other procedures or skills that can help you increase profitability and grow your business.
