Business Equipment Service Engineer

Also known as:

Mechanic, Office Machine Service
Service Engineer, Office Machine

Introduction

Business equipment service engineers install, service and repair the wide range of machinery and equipment used in offices, including photocopiers, fax machines, printers, word processors, phones and computers. They may specialise in one type or make of machine or deal with a wide range.

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Work Activities

When equipment goes wrong, service engineers travel to the customer's office. They may only have to make a simple adjustment or they may have to dismantle the machine and use test equipment to locate and diagnose the fault.

On routine servicing or maintenance duties, the engineer visits clients' offices regularly to clean the equipment, check its performance, make adjustments, and replace or repair worn or faulty parts.

If the engineer cannot repair a fault, they may have to provide a replacement machine while they take the faulty equipment to a workshop for further tests and repair work.

Engineers who work for suppliers or manufacturers may encourage customers to replace old equipment with new machines.

Engineers usually advise on dealing with common problems to save unnecessary callouts.

Travel is usually in the local area, and the employer normally provides a car or van.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

Business equipment service engineers need diagnostic and problem-solving skills to find the cause of a fault and patience to trace it. Good hand skills, the ability to understand diagrams and manuals, good eyesight and normal colour vision (to identify colour-coded wires and components) are important. You will need physical fitness and stamina to cope with lifting, bending and reaching into awkward spaces.

You should be logical and methodical so that you can organise both your work schedules and the most efficient way to do each task. You need to work quickly and under pressure. You must be friendly and have a professional manner.

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Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Business equipment service engineers earn in the range of £16,000 - £19,000 a year, rising to £22,500 - £26,000 a year.

Service engineers usually work a 39-hour week, Monday to Friday.

Employers throughout the UK include small and medium-sized firms that specialise in servicing office machines. Other employers are dealers who sell the machines or hire them out, or manufacturers who offer after-sales service.

A few large commercial firms and institutions such as colleges and local authorities may employ their own service staff. Some experienced service engineers become self-employed.

Career progression is possible from service engineer to senior service engineer, and then to supervisory and management positions.

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Adult Opportunities

It is now illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Entrants with relevant skills and abilities in areas such as light engineering, electrical/electronics servicing and manufacturing assembly have an advantage.

Modern Apprenticeships may be available in some areas.

You may be able to have your skills and experience recognised by the achievement of SVQs, for which there are no academic entry requirements.

Career progression is possible from service engineer to senior service engineer, and then to supervisory and management positions.

• 12% of people in occupations such as business equipment service engineer are self-employed.
• 5% have flexible hours.

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