FAQs

You can call our Customer Solutions Center 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A representative will answer during our normal business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). During non-business hours, you can place your order via email, fax or by using our automated phone system.

When your order is received by Advance, it is entered into our system and immediately processed. Items are shipped no later than one (1) business day after receiving the order for stocked items.

You can call our Customer Solutions Center, 410-628-0490, and one of our representatives will track your delivery in our state-of-the-art system. If a problem has occurred with the delivery, a duplicate shipment can be arranged as needed.

Our commitment to service is unequaled in the industry. We are there for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Every Advance employee, and we mean every one, is wholly committed to satisfying the customer. We also have an unprecedented unconditional guarantee on all our equipment, supplies and service.

Every one of our service technicians is a full-time career Advance employee, fully factory-trained to service Advance’s equipment. In fact, Advance is a Certified Service Training Center for “training the trainers” – one of only several in the entire United States.

Advance offers guaranteed manufacturer’s supplies made specifically for your equipment. We have a rapid turnover in inventory, so our supplies are always fresh. We guarantee replacement, should any quality problems result.

Advance has dedicated service technicians on-call during non-business hours. If you are in need of service, call our Customer Solutions Center at 410-628-0490. Leave a complete message including your name, equipment ID number, the nature of your service request, and a telephone number where you can be reached (cell phone, not an answering machine), and a full-time Advance professional senior service technician or a supervisor, who knows your system and network, will return your call within two hours and will be able to assist you.

Yes. Dedicated Advance professional trainers will work with your staff on both the equipment and network aspect after the product has been delivered and installed. Repeat visits are offered, should the need arise.

Acquisition programs involving leasing, cost-per-copy, as well as long and short-term rentals are available. All of these options are provided directly by Advance. It works to your advantage when the company that provides the equipment and service also provides the financial arrangements…it’s seamless!

As your needs change, we will work with you, your associates and your IT staff to upgrade your equipment so it will have the flexibility to grow and expand along with your business.

If the equipment is under service contract with Advance and there are repeated problems, we will work with you to resolve all problems to your satisfaction – including replacing the equipment, if necessary.

For most organizations, the manual filing, storage and retrieval of paper documents is an overwhelming endeavor. The answer-an electronic document management system. Whether you have considered document management before or are just looking to learn more about today’s leading edge office technology, here’s a little document management 101 to get you started:

While there can be many different flavors of document management systems, the term document management refers to a computerized environment that permits the creation, capture, organization, storage, retrieval, manipulation, and controlled circulation of documents in an electronic format.

1) Scanning hardware (desktop scanner or multifunctional)
2) Document management software
3) Dedicated server for electronic document storage

The basic steps of document management include:
1) Preparing the document
2) Scanning the document
3) Applying index information
4) Storing the electronic document and data

Once a document is electronic, there are three basic types of document management systems to choose from:

FOLDER / FILENAME BASED ORGANIZATION
Scanned files are stored in a Windows based folder structure by file name.

ARCHIVE MANAGEMENT
Software is used to organize files using “index data” that allows the files to be retrieved using one or more “index values”. Files are typically stored in PDF or TIFF and are not intended to be modified.

WORKFLOW / PROCESS MANAGEMENT
Software is used to organize files in the same way as archive management but it also allows the document to be tracked as it moves through an electronic workflow process. A workflow process is essentially an electronic simulation of a task that a person would normally do manually. In addition, files can be stored in native format allowing collaboration and editing.

While there are many advantages of an electronic document management system, the main benefits include:

• Eliminate file cabinets and paper storage
• Quickly locate files when needed
• Allow multiple users to access the same file
• Version control with preservation of document originals
• Automated backup and disaster recovery
• Eliminate labor intensive duplication procedures
• Preparation for audits and regulatory compliance

An electronic document can be almost anything. PDF, Word, Excel, JPG, and TIFF are just some of the commonly known documents. But did you know that email, MP3 files and text messages are files that can be stored as well? If you can view it electronically, it can be stored, archived, and retrieved electronically.