Recently Introduced Service Offer from Epson

[Mark D Segal]

Periodically I peruse the Epson website to check for driver or firmware updates as well as any other new stuff they may have introduced of interest to pro printer users. I just recently came across this one, which is probably new enough to have received little notice:

Epson OneTime Service Plan

So far it's available for several 24 inch and 44 inch models (7000/7900; 9000/9900). In a nutshell, it's a one-time special-priced service plan offer for what Epson calls a Primary Issue with a printer, as identified in consultation over the phone with Epson tech support. It gives customers a one-time integrated package of a service call and the necessary components to fix a Primary Issue. It differs from an extended warranty (EW) in several important respects: EW is good for a defined period; the One-Time plan is usable once. The One-time plan is considerably cheaper than an EW. An EW expires at a date-certain tied to the purchase date of the printer, whereas the One-time plan can be activated over an indefinite time period (my reading of the terms and conditions). The EW is like an insurance policy - you buy it, but may never draw on it, whereas you only buy the One-time plan after you and Epson agree over the phone that there is a Primary Issue for which this plan may be cost-effective. There are probably other differences in the fine print of each agreement type, but these are the key ones that lit-up for me as I looked it over. Like any product, it's not going to be everybody's solution for every circumstance, but I can see it filling an important niche for people whose warranties have expired, do not have an EW and encounter a costly repair issue - for example a wide-format printer owner who never bought an EW and experienced an out of warranty printhead failure. In such a situation, once diagnosed over the phone, Epson would likely offer this one-time plan option, which comes at a much lower cost than the alternative of buying a new printhead and paying for the installation. So I think something worthwhile knowing about. It's also useful to read the terms of conditions on the website; I found it a well-drafted and sensible set of arrangements for what it intends to provide.

[deanwork]

If they will let you buy that at anytime after your initial warranty is up it sounds like a fair and smart strategy.. It would calm the nerves of people who have one or two nozzles go out shortly after the one year warranty expires. In the case of these printers it is almost always the head that goes out first, or occasionally a pump. Other that that I don’t hear many complaints at all.

For instance it would put them in the ballpark of what the replacement of an out of warranty Canon  print head would run, though with the Canon you do it yourself. 90 days is plenty of time to evaluate the quality of the part and workmanship. I mean for me it might make the difference between choosing an Epson over a Canon for my next 44”. Keeping people buying Epson ink rather than jumping ship to another brand is smart.

John

Periodically I peruse the Epson website to check for driver or firmware updates as well as any other new stuff they may have introduced of interest to pro printer users. I just recently came across this one, which is probably new enough to have received little notice:

Epson OneTime Service Plan

So far it's available for several 24 inch and 44 inch models (7000/7900; 9000/9900). In a nutshell, it's a one-time special-priced service plan offer for what Epson calls a Primary Issue with a printer, as identified in consultation over the phone with Epson tech support. It gives customers a one-time integrated package of a service call and the necessary components to fix a Primary Issue. It differs from an extended warranty (EW) in several important respects: EW is good for a defined period; the One-Time plan is usable once. The One-time plan is considerably cheaper than an EW. An EW expires at a date-certain tied to the purchase date of the printer, whereas the One-time plan can be activated over an indefinite time period (my reading of the terms and conditions). The EW is like an insurance policy - you buy it, but may never draw on it, whereas you only buy the One-time plan after you and Epson agree over the phone that there is a Primary Issue for which this plan may be cost-effective. There are probably other differences in the fine print of each agreement type, but these are the key ones that lit-up for me as I looked it over. Like any product, it's not going to be everybody's solution for every circumstance, but I can see it filling an important niche for people whose warranties have expired, do not have an EW and encounter a costly repair issue - for example a wide-format printer owner who never bought an EW and experienced an out of warranty printhead failure. In such a situation, once diagnosed over the phone, Epson would likely offer this one-time plan option, which comes at a much lower cost than the alternative of buying a new printhead and paying for the installation. So I think something worthwhile knowing about. It's also useful to read the terms of conditions on the website; I found it a well-drafted and sensible set of arrangements for what it intends to provide.

[dchew]

Wow, thank you, Mark. That may be a good deal for my 10-year old 7900. I will give them a call and investigate further.

Dave

[narikin]

18 months ago, I bought a 2year Extended Warranty for my Epson P20000 (just under $2000)

Recently had a reason to call them out to fix a capping/wiper blade issue under EW period. Have to say Epson's service was 1st Class:
From a lunchtime call Weds, a range of parts arrived overnight FedEx Thursday morning, the engineer an hour later, all fixed 90mins after that. 
The engineer was great - smart, efficient and personable. Clearly knew what he was doing.

Printer is back and running well. Really happy. Credit where credit is due: I could not imagine a better pro printer repair experience than this.

[deanwork]

I would expect that from a 20k client as you are their elite customers who spend a lot on media and ink and that is their best aqueous machine
.
I also think there is a wide range of competency around the country and if you are still in warranty they always send the best people out in my experience.

18 months ago, I bought a 2year Extended Warranty for my Epson P20000 (just under $2000)

Recently had a reason to call them out to fix a capping/wiper blade issue under EW period. Have to say Epson's service was 1st Class:
From a lunchtime call Weds, a range of parts arrived overnight FedEx Thursday morning, the engineer an hour later, all fixed 90mins after that. 
The engineer was great - smart, efficient and personable. Clearly knew what he was doing.

Printer is back and running well. Really happy. Credit where credit is due: I could not imagine a better pro printer repair experience than this.

[dgberg]

Is it for a certain length of time?
If I could get coverage for my 9900 at a reasonable price I would be in.

[Mark D Segal]

Is it for a certain length of time?
If I could get coverage for my 9900 at a reasonable price I would be in.

As I said in my opening post, its availability is indefinite. You only buy it when you need it and Epson offers it to you for the diagnosed Primary Issue. If you read the terms and conditions you will see that from that point, it has a validity of 90 days. As I said in my opening post, it is available for the 9900.

[dgberg]

Thanks Mark
I read but not well enough. I stopped reading the link when it only discussed the 7900.
Did not see any cost for the 9900. With all the ink I have for my 9900 I want to keep it going as long as possible.
If it is around a thousand and my head goes I would get this in a heart beat.

[Mark D Segal]

Hi Dan,

There is a separate link to the 9000/9900: Epson 9000/9900. I probably should have included it, but just mentioned it instead. It's the same material, just a higher price for the larger printer - USD 1195!

[dgberg]

Thanks Mark
That is very affordable if you use it for the $2500 head replacement.

[BAB]

I had a 80” print that wouldn’t finish printing called Epson they wanted me to prove out many troubleshooting protocols before they sent out a technician when the problem was without a rip the p8000 doesn’t print an image that large without the rip. It was two days of frustrations. Epson might come out and fix issues that occur with there printers but at least with my issue they wanted me to identify the issue before they sent the technician.

[Mark D Segal]

I had a 80” print that wouldn’t finish printing called Epson they wanted me to prove out many troubleshooting protocols before they sent out a technician when the problem was without a rip the p8000 doesn’t print an image that large without the rip. It was two days of frustrations. Epson might come out and fix issues that occur with there printers but at least with my issue they wanted me to identify the issue before they sent the technician.

OK, once I was able to understand what you were trying to write, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, that your main complaint was the trouble-shooting protocol before they sent a technician. I think it's important to recognize that a technical service call to a premises at today's labour rates and overhead costs is an expensive proposition, regardless of who pays for it, and I have little doubt based on my own experience and that of other cases I know, that many issues can be identified and resolved without sending a technician. That's better all round when it can work this way. Also consider that the person at the other end of the line doesn't have a clue what's wrong with your printer or your settings or the computing environment in which the printer sits until he has gathered all that information, so that's why they took you through the protocols. It's completely sensible.

[deanwork]

Mark is totally correct. Hp may have me trouble shoot with them on the phone for two hours before they send someone out. Sometimes it solves the problem and I usually learn something.

Today I spent an hour on the phone with Att Uverse dealing with a modem software update issue before they would consider sending someone out. In a related note, often the guys on the phone know a lot more about software glitches than the mechanic techs that are sent out and might have to call them anyway.

 

OK, once I was able to understand what you were trying to write, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, that your main complaint was the trouble-shooting protocol before they sent a technician. I think it's important to recognize that a technical service call to a premises at today's labour rates and overhead costs is an expensive proposition, regardless of who pays for it, and I have little doubt based on my own experience and that of other cases I know, that many issues can be identified and resolved without sending a technician. That's better all round when it can work this way. Also consider that the person at the other end of the line doesn't have a clue what's wrong with your printer or your settings or the computing environment in which the printer sits until he has gathered all that information, so that's why they took you through the protocols. It's completely sensible.

[dchew]

Originally, I thought this was "insurance" against future failures. But it appears you do not purchase this in advance; you purchase it once you have a problem and that problem has been diagnosed over the phone:

C. Eligibility
The Plan is available for purchase at Epson’s discretion and must be purchased after the Primary Issue diagnosis and prior to the on-site service repair for the Product. You must receive a diagnosis of the Primary Issue from Epson’s service technician prior to on-site service repair.

So it is more or less a fixed price ($895) for a service call associated with a specific "primary issue." After diagnosing over the phone, you have the option to purchase this service plan. if the tech comes out and finds it wasn't plugged in, $895. If the tech comes out and finds it needs a new head, $895.

Am I understanding this correctly?

Dave

[Mark D Segal]

Originally, I thought this was "insurance" against future failures. But it appears you do not purchase this in advance; you purchase it once you have a problem and that problem has been diagnosed over the phone:So it is more or less a fixed price ($895) for a service call associated with a specific "primary issue." After diagnosing over the phone, you have the option to purchase this service plan. if the tech comes out and finds it wasn't plugged in, $895. If the tech comes out and finds it needs a new head, $895.

Am I understanding this correctly?

Dave

Yes; I thought/hope my initiating post made this clear.