This has been a frustrating experience and I still don't have an answer to what seems like a very simple question.
Based on the two responses here, I called 1-800-ASK-XEROX and spoke with Leyana Jacob. I explained my question. She took my email and sent me this response:
https://www.wirebids.com/book-making/lot/63875/xerox-jfn-1-square-fold-trimmer-module-1?previous_qs=...
I can engage some specialists to answer this question can I get your name, phone no, company name, company address?
Although the info at Wirebids seemed authoritative, it wasn't from Xerox so I provided the info she requested to get a definitive answer from a specialist. Several days later I got this response:
I have looked into this and as this is the sales department.
I am limited in assisting with this equipment beyond leasing or purchasing equipment to replace it.
In order to receive further help you need to contact the service department 18002759376 and select the options of service instead of sales.
I contacted the service department, and asked my question. I also said that I didn't need service, that I didn't have a service contact and that I might be in the wrong department, but that I was referred here by another Xerox employee. The person there wasn't familiar with the JFN-1 trimmer but found it online when I suggested he google it. He said was in the wrong service area and transferred me.
In this other service area, I spoke with Alexander, and asked my question. As before, I said that I didn't need service and so forth. He still asked the serial number of the trimmer. He couldn't find it in his system so he asked the serial number of the finisher. He couldn't find that so he asked the serial number of the Color 550. Then he said that he couldn't answer my question because I didn't have a service contract. I tried to make it clear that I didn't need service, but he said that his answering any question was a service function, so he couldn't do it and I needed to contact billing. Then Alexander transferred me to billing.
One positive thing did come out of my conversation with Alexander, however. Apparently JFN-1 and TLX both refer to the same machine. JFN-1 is the "production identifier" on a metal plate on the rear of the machine. By asking me for, and showing me where to find, the trimmer serial number, I found out the serial number begins with the prefix TLX.
I suspected calling billing would be a non-starter, but what could I do? The guy who answered told me his name. It was something like Bonaport, but I didn't get it and asked him to spell it. He hung up.
I called 888-339-7887 which, according to the Xerox website, is the billing number for small businesses. I spoke with Christy who understood my frustration, knew she couldn't help and gave me three other numbers: 800-275-9376 (i.e.,1-800-ASK-XEROX), 800-239-3025, and 800-413-3526. I called the latter two and got automated messages that indicated these were departments that would be of dubious help. And so rather than continue, I decided to post my saga, thus far, here.
At this point, four things come to mind:
- I am asking about compatibility because I want to sell the trimmer on eBay and indicating compatibility is a reasonable thing to include in the listing. But suppose I was a potential bidder or buyer of this machine and I wasn't sure of compatibility. Wouldn't it make sense to contact Xerox and ask? If I did, would then Xerox answer the question? Am I getting a non-answer because I'm the seller rather than a potential buyer?
- I did a google search for TLX compatible machines (rather than JFN-1 as I had been doing). Although no official Xerox document came up, a dozen or so third-party lists did. Based on this—as a practical matter—I think I have my answer. But I'd still like an official answer from Xerox. This shouldn't be that difficult.
- Although I'm not trying to offload any of my responsibility to anyone else, perhaps if either Tammy or Cathy were to ask my question at one of the several departments to which I have been referred, they'd get a more accommodating answer, employee to employee.
- This post is partly venting. But it's also sharing what customers sometimes go through. Perhaps a Xerox employee will see this who is in a position to make your processes more user friendly.
