Any End-User Computer Servicing Techs here?

[elzmaddy]

I'm interested in doing this and I've been reading the threads about starting businesses servicing peoples computers, especially the horror stories. Many people say it's not worht it. However, some people have good experiences and have a successful business.

I'm trying to imagine what it would be like, and I recently serviced my friends computer for some practice, now I got a taste of that. It involves:

* People calling at all hours of the day/night for any computer related problem; doesn't matter if it is related to the work you performed or not.
* People trying to slide in ten different things to help them with "while you are here" -- especially if you don't charge by hour.
* Being responsible for the hardware not functioning later on because you worked on the system last, and you have no way to prove you didn't do the damage.
* having to make trips to the customers home for tiny issues that they caused
* basically customers trying to get as much as they can while paying you as little as they can.


Now what I would like to know are some tips on how to minimize time with customers while maximizing your profits. It should be possible to be make decent money from this, how does Comp USA do it? I have a few ideas on how to do this:

1) Install VNC or enable Remote Assistance on the customers computer and keep a record of the IP address & admin account/password. This will minimize trips to the customer's home.
2) Make a "QUICK RESTORE" disc. This could be the most important one. There should be a way to make an image of the customers hard disk in a 100% functioning state, burn it to let's say DVD-R discs, and tell the customer to pop the disc in when something goes wrong. After all, I shouldn't be responsible for the user messing up his/her system later on. This is what the OEMs do.
3) Develop a good business model that will support repeat support to customers (ie: charge a lot)
4) Develop a strategy of dealing with customers. Limit time spent on the phone, convince customers that your time is valuable and aren't entitled to it for free while still maintaining a good relationsihp. Also learn to deal with those who try to freeload and waste your time and become otherwise unreasonable.

I would so much appreciate it if people coudl contribute to the list, or post any related experiences or advice!

 

[nater]

Might have been profitable 5 years ago. Not now

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: nater
Might have been profitable 5 years ago. Not now

Agreed. Computers are so cheap when ever I use to do some repairs on the side more than half the time my answer was "Through this POS dell away and buy something else."

 

[elzmaddy]

Well, I didn't mention that the scope of my business, if it ever gets started, would go further than computer servicing. For example, my aunt told me she has a friend who needs help with photo editing. I am going to visit a relative of a friend of mine this weekend to set her up with software (freeware ) to allow her to copy DVDs to SVCDs. Computers are much easier to use now, but there are still tons of little things people need help with. So what's really different now than five years ago?

 

[Muck]

Yeah, it's rough nowdays. Better to just do sidework for cash.

Just remember, you're going to run into problems no matter what. And it's gonna suck when you do. Stick to sidework for a while and see how it goes.

 

[mcveigh]

I do a few end users, but they suck and use up a lot of time, my money comes from supporting small businesses.
and my end users are very rich. poor people don't pay the bills

 

[Muck]

Exactly. I got paid $40 to install Adobe Reader the other night (AOL user). My end users have money too. They think something's wrong if they don't pay top dollar.

 

[elzmaddy]

Exactly. I got paid $40 to install Adobe Reader the other night (AOL user). My end users have money too. They think something's wrong if they don't pay top dollar.

Awesome. That's the target audience I'm looking for.

 

[elzmaddy]

Anybody else?

 

[MegaloManiaK]

Originally posted by: elzmaddy
Anybody else?

I took over a single account for a friend who moved away.


I refer to myself as the question biotch. It doesn't matter what im doing, i still get phone calls about stuipid stuff. "how do i make notes in outlook" "Does my virus software check my emails?"

As for helping you out alot, I liked the above reference of working for small business people, that sounds like the best deal. Sorry i can't provide alot of help, but the bump is free.

 

[mcveigh]

Originally posted by: elzmaddy

Exactly. I got paid $40 to install Adobe Reader the other night (AOL user). My end users have money too. They think something's wrong if they don't pay top dollar.

Awesome. That's the target audience I'm looking for.

remember that $40 probaly cost an hour of drive time at least plus 30 minutes there.
(unless you have a store front they brought it to)

while $40.00 here and there can add up. at the end of the month it doesn't amount to that much.
when I deal with business and networks I might be there all day. and thats when it adds up.

FYI I charge $75.00/hour generally, sometimes more, sometimes less.
some places charge a higher rate the first hour, like a telecom place I know does 90 the first hour plus 60 each additional hour.