DealersEdge Professional Forums

For any of you on laser printers for UCS, please contact your rep immediately!!!!!

As you are aware, UCS charges laser printing with the number of pages printed (clicks) just as other DMS providers.

What you may not be aware is that a huge number of items will not print an entire page. The bottom 3" is left completely blank by the computer. Because of this they can get 2 or more pages out of you. What items does this include?????

Cash receipts-
Accounts payable checks-
Analysis Reports-
Schedules-
NAD Reports-
etc.

Instead of .04 they end up with .08 or more!!!!!

They add up pretty quick when you think about it. Think about the fact that you get 5" of printing space instead of 7.5".

Doesn't sound like a lot? Follow me here a minute. I have a schedule here in front of me that is 5 "full" pages, 6th page has 2 1/2" and the 7th page is the summary. Let's take into consideration that the header is 1/2". That will give me 24.5" of schedule detail that needs to print. If the system were to print a true full page, 7.5" (in my calc I'm deducting .5" for header). 24.5/7 = 3.50 pages. Add page a summary page. Total pages 5. What did UCS actually print out? 7 pages. An extra .08 that I shouldn't have had to pay for. I have another schedule here that printed 4 pages more than if it had printed a true full page! We're probably also getting charged for the "leader" page but I'm not even going there!

How many times does that happen? Are we talking hundreds of thousands of dollars per dealership? Probably not. But wouldn't maybe $1,000/year be better in our pockets rather than in UCS??????? Let's not also forget the cost of the wasted paper. Remember, AP checks cost us even more $$$$$$ to pay UCS. How many more of them are you buying? What about the blank paper that you have to pay for from your office supply company????

Contact your rep now and complain about this. Maybe if we yell loud enough we can get them to change their programming. And maybe pigs will fly but I just think it is worth a try.

Thanks!

[This message has been edited by MaryG (edited 03-11-2005).]

[This message has been edited by MaryG (edited 03-11-2005).]

"As you are aware, UCS charges laser printing with the number of pages printed (clicks) just as other DMS providers. "

Procede Software does not charge anything for printing.

"Contact your rep now and complain about this. Maybe if we yell loud enough we can get them to change their programming. And maybe pigs will fly but I just think it is worth a try."

When your contract expires do the right thing. Look into the modern DMS providers, these ancient big boys are only interested in maintaining shareholder profits, they have long since forgotten the dealers. I mentioned Procede Software earlier because they were founded by dealers for dealers; is owned by the Mossy group in San Diego. Sorry for the shameless plug but it pains me to hear these horror stories from dealers. Imagine if a web site charged you 4 cents per visit, or per image load, I bet no one would visit that site. Well the same is true for dealers, if you continue to support the incumbants everyone but them loses.

[This message has been edited by skeletonkeyz (edited 05-18-2005).]

My short tenure with UCS was closely akin to pushing a rope-was definitely NOT impressed.

A quick question -- Why are you printing any reports on UCS Laser forms printers? The only things you mentioned that you MUST print on a UCS forms printer are what would normally be forms, in this case AP checks and cash receipts.

You should be able to add any laser printer you wish to UCS, they will turn the serial# on for you.

Then print to that printer and no 'click' charge. Of course, your salesperson probably won't volunteer this to you as he will lose revenue, but if you ask him he should tell you this is an option.

You can buy a nice laser from CompUSA for $249, much less than what you will pay in clickm charges over the long haul.

[This message has been edited by Rick in DC (edited 06-07-2005).]

[This message has been edited by Rick in DC (edited 06-07-2005).]

Thanks Rick! No, he didn't volunteer and I'm new to the UCS world. I'll get IT on that immediately.

[This message has been edited by MaryG (edited 06-07-2005).]