U.S. Printers Opt for Heidelberg Service Contracts

KENNESAW, Ga.—According to Heidelberg (www.us.heidelberg.com), customers that received Heidelberg’s Systemservice 36plus Service Package with the purchase of a new press three years ago are confirming the benefits of Heidelberg Systemservice by extending their coverage with full-service contracts on their investments.

Like Systemservice 36plus, Heidelberg’s full-service program exceeds the industry standard with a schedule of benefits that includes:
• Full coverage of all needed repairs, including travel costs;
• All repair service parts in connection with work performed by Heidelberg service technicians;
• All software updates for the duration of the program;
• eCall intelligent notification system providing a quick and qualified callback;
• Expert technical support;
• Direct Priority Access for quick answers when you need them;
• Web-based Remote Service for fast problem resolution;
• 5,500 hours per year additional availability through the Global Expert Network 24/7.

No Shortcuts
Printers understand that in order to make a profit, they need to provide their clients with quality products while operating at maximum productivity. That’s precisely why Heidelberg structures its full-service program to guarantee high production through greater press availability and increased effective machine usage.

Said Mike Lunsforn, plant manager at Knight Abbey in Biloxi, Miss., “We stick to a rigorous schedule of regular preventive maintenance with Heidelberg Systemservice. When our Heidelberg presses were new and for three years afterward, we enjoyed the many benefits of Systemservice 36plus, including Web-based Remote Service and eCall notification, and experienced a significant increase in the overall productivity of our pressroom.”

The printer recently extended the Systemservice coverage on its Printmaster PM 74 and Speedmaster SM 74 perfector. “In our opinion, Heidelberg Systemservice is the reason our machines continue to run as reliably and productively as they do,” he said.

One Call Starts the Ball Rolling
Time is of the essence, of course, and Heidelberg Systemservice provides a variety of ways for printers to get the help they need when they need it, without necessarily requesting an on-site service call. Both Heidelberg Remote Service and eCall notification offer phone- and Web-based diagnostic information that often enable a company to troubleshoot and correct minor problems on its own.

Heidelberg’s Technical Helpdesk “fix rate”, meaning the number of problems solved upon first contact over the phone, is around 70 percent, and is up to 90 percent for Prinect software. Heidelberg claims it is the only provider to offer remote solutions for all print shop areas from a single source. The phone support minimizes downtime, which can even be reduced further with regular Systemservice inspections.

When a service call can’t be avoided, Heidelberg technicians can be dispatched to the location quickly. For example, George Nikard, vice president operations for Swifty Printing and Digital Imaging in Seattle, Wash., said, “What we most appreciate about Heidelberg Systemservice is the speed with which they respond when anything goes wrong. … Heidelberg Systemservice adds real value for us.”

Adds Bruce Volz, plant manager at Alphagraphics in Tucson, Ariz., “The majority of the time, we can figure out what’s wrong after making a single phone call to Heidelberg, without setting up an on-site service call. When we do need one, a technician is dispatched quickly, and if a part is needed, it’s often waiting for him when he gets here.”

Best Insurance
Besides being able to depend on well serviced and maintained equipment, perhaps the most significant benefit of regular preventive maintenance is a dramatic reduction in unplanned downtime.

“As a relatively small, privately held, commercial printer, our Speedmaster CD 102 6-color press is a really important part of our livelihood,” Volz explained. “We run it relentlessly, 24 hours a day, five days a week, and some weekends, too. We can’t afford the press to perform less productively, we can’t afford unplanned downtime, and we really can’t afford to court bankruptcy in case we’re not protected when something goes wrong. Our full-service Heidelberg Systemservice contract is a great value, not least because it enables us to budget for repairs rather than get hit with a big bill all at once.”

“Printers looking for ways to lower their operating costs and increase their efficiency would be wise to consider their equipment service costs,” said Rodney Strasser, Director, Systemservice Product Marketing, Heidelberg USA. “In fact, the right service program can actually save printers money, based on a comparison of the annual cost of downtime hours with the annual cost of a comprehensive service contract.”