• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

The Process of Getting a Small Scale Computer Repair Business Started

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Good point about the contract, as far as policies go, I'll stick to just telling people prior to working on the rig.

Yeah, I know what you mean bob. At that point, its really only worth the time to just reformat and be done with it, imho. Especially if they are paying by the hour.
 
Originally posted by: goobernoodles
Good point about the contract, as far as policies go, I'll stick to just telling people prior to working on the rig.

Yeah, I know what you mean bob. At that point, its really only worth the time to just reformat and be done with it, imho. Especially if they are paying by the hour.
Click to expand...

Awake already?
 
Looking at this thread reminds me how little your average person knows about their computer. I can't believe someone would pay $50-60 for reformat/reinstallation of Windows, when they could easily do it themselves, but hey, if it makes you money.........

My advice to you is to charge lower rates than normal at first (not super-low, but below the going-rate) and build up a base of customers who will come to you every time they have a problem. Word of mouth is going to be your best friend, and if people are satisfied with you they'll tell their friends, who will then come to you.
 
Originally posted by: goobernoodles
I gotta agree on charging less at first.
Click to expand...
Undercharging and then raising your price is a double-edged sword. You can't raise the rates for any previous customers. And even the referrals will expect the same lower rate as the referrer got.

You'll find that you CAN'T remove spyware from people's computers at their homes. It takes WAY too long and it'll be cheaper to just reformat their computer. Plus, unless you are REALLY, TRULY an expert, there's a good chance of leaving stuff behind. If you do, you're going to have an unhappy customer when their credit card numbers are stolen by a leftover trojan.
 
regarding rates, you need to figure out if you are going to report your income. if yo report your income all the state. feder and social security comes out, but if you don't it is all your $$. doing it the latter means you can't write off equipment you buy and won't gain points for social security in case you get disabled in the future or need to collect unemployment for some reason in the future either.
 
Just another thought. I recommend you align yourself with a small computer repair shop. I've learned all the different changes in computers and potential problems in the past 6 yrs. It keeps you up to date and if you offer your services, this will give a chance to sharpen your skills.
Hands on is always the best teacher. Good luck in your chosen profession.
 
What exactly do you mean by aligning myself with a small computer repair shop? I have a few around here, but I don't have any certifications, everything I know is what I've learned over the years of doing it myself.
 
Wheere I work we charge $65 an hour, but if we can't fix it they still have to pay $30 just for us to look at it and take our time. We always talk to the customer and see what they want first and ussually give an estimate on wether or not we can fix it and how long it will take.
good luck and I hope this works out for you.
 
I would find somebody that could help me to learn and if that means a local shop owner can take you on as a learning apprentice, go for it.
You can work for free to develop rapport with the owner. This association can help you learn how to run a business properly. If you're serious about computer repair, you should make up a business plan.
Computers change everyweek with new introductions, you can't keep up with reading books. There is so much info out there, and if you can retain a good portion of it will give you the edge you need in the computer business. Get an A+ certification as soon as possible, and get Upgrading & Repairing PCs
If you're really serious, you should email me for further info. Good hunting.
 
Make sure to have a fee in place for looking at it. You need to be able to make money for time you spend even if you don't get a bite.
 
Originally posted by: pkme2
I would find somebody that could help me to learn and if that means a local shop owner can take you on as a learning apprentice, go for it.
You can work for free to develop rapport with the owner. This association can help you learn how to run a business properly. If you're serious about computer repair, you should make up a business plan.
Computers change everyweek with new introductions, you can't keep up with reading books. There is so much info out there, and if you can retain a good portion of it will give you the edge you need in the computer business. Get an A+ certification as soon as possible, and get Upgrading & Repairing PCs
If you're really serious, you should email me for further info. Good hunting.
Click to expand...

i do agree with you that the equipment changes weekly, but i am sure that the ops customers will more than likely be running p4s or early a64 at the most, probably axps and p3s. most people that i ran into buy a new machine every 4-5yrs, not like us where we do it every 6-18mos. there were a couple companies i dealt with that used P2s, they just don't ge the time savings advantage and they really don't care that it would take word 2000 45secs to start up vs 10. again, mostly drs offices.

what is the op going to learn from that book that he couldn't learn here? just out of curiosity...
 
Yeah, also... I'm mainly looking to get some money before going off to college. I'm not really thinking about starting a full fledged business here. I'm planning on majoring in either computer or mechanical engineering at Drexel.

I'm thinking of charging a min. $25 for a visit that accomplishes nothing, then $40 per hour or something.
 
My clients usually upgrade or add to their rigs every 1 1/2 to 2 years. Scott Mueller's book is great in terms of reference and specific diagnotics.
If one would want opinions, recommendations and facts from AT, one could do no better, but in times of practicality, why should one?
Some things can't be found in the book, but one should try the book first, and when one has time, AT.
 
Originally posted by: goobernoodles
Any thoughts would be helpful.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yeah don't do it!

UNLESS you are willing to make it fulltime. You will get constant hassle, phonecalls, emails etc from your loving clients, their family, friends etc...

You do not just roll up install a whatever, take your money & ride off into the sunset as you had hoped...It was working when you left..Well guess what its 3 months later & it is not anymore..& its YOUR fault lol.. Not worth it even at $70 an hour..

Trust me on this 🙂
 
Eh, I'd rather work with something I'm interested in than making pizzas. I'll get people's e-mails so that whenever I head out to school I'll just do a mass mailing thanking them for their business and that I'm gone.
 
Originally posted by: DJJ
Yeah don't do it!

UNLESS you are willing to make it fulltime. You will get constant hassle, phonecalls, emails etc from your loving clients, their family, friends etc...

You do not just roll up install a whatever, take your money & ride off into the sunset as you had hoped...It was working when you left..Well guess what its 3 months later & it is not anymore..& its YOUR fault lol.. Not worth it even at $70 an hour..

Trust me on this 🙂
Click to expand...

this is true. you just have to stand firm and don't cave in to being a "nice guy". if you get a call back in a few months, be sure to let them know that there will be a charge for your service, again.

i got lucky when i was first getting into computers. i first learned by reading forums, asking questions & hands on stuff. then i happened into the local pc shop where i was living at the time. the owner was super cool, (only 2 other kid employees at the time) and he sorta let me hang around and BS with him and learn & give my .02 when i had ideas. it snowballed into a paying part time job while i learned and gained experience. as it turns out, the owner was a devry grad from the 80's and his knowledge was from the old school technology. i was more in-tuned to the new stuff simply from staying on top of the tech forums and building rigs for friends/family. long story short (too late i know) is we're still friends to this day. even though his shop went under, we still talk long distance about pc stuff and our families too. soooo, you might want to snoop around the local shops and see if there's any options for you there as well.
Click to expand...
 
Originally posted by: goobernoodles
Eh, I'd rather work with something I'm interested in than making pizzas. I'll get people's e-mails so that whenever I head out to school I'll just do a mass mailing thanking them for their business and that I'm gone.
Click to expand...

man, are you going to tell them this beforehand? this is kind of f*cked up. just sending them email saying too bad, i am gone? this part will be tricky. it makes it sound like you are just going to do it until the bad stuff starts to come back and then leave. people may not like this....you may want to talk to an attorney about how to word stuff on your invoices..

kind of like the construction workers that come into an area after a hurricane, get some $$$, do a little work and then are never seen again
 
What, are you kidding me?? Let me get this straight: Because people can't keep their stuff from failing, which isn't my fault, I have to stay in town and not go to college so I can fix the stuff again? Or not help out at all, ever, and work at a pizza shop for 6 months?

I don't think so.

I'm assuming a lot of this is going to be reformatting. I'll let them know what they could have done to have prevented the problem, and make sure they are set up correctly to avoid future problems. You sound like I'm going into this with the intent of making people's computers screw up a month after I fix em.
 
If you're straight with them, I don't think your leaving for college has any negativity connected with that. Just recommend someone else who's known to be reliable and leave it at that. Your clients will make up their minds. You don't have to read any thing that may happen if you're not there to service their computers.
 
Update on everything: I've put up about 30 or so flyers all around shadyside here in Pittsburgh, and have noticed a few tabs being torn off here and there, I'm getting a stapler, and I've printed out about 60 more copies, so I'm going to hit other neighborhoods soon.

No calls or emails yet, but its only been a few days, and not many flyers are up yet. Any other ideas for advertisement would be helpful.

As far as rates go, I'm still not entirely sure what I'm going to charge, I'm thinking something along the lines of, $25 base fee just for my time, even if nothing is done. From there on, $25 an hour for reformats, and 40 for more intensive work like video capture and editing. Also: if the problem is not solved, my hours will go uncharged.

I'm thinking of asking each customer to put up a flyer at his/her place of work, and that if they refer a friend both the friend and they will get 25% off their next bill from me.

What do you guys think?
 
Originally posted by: goobernoodles
What, are you kidding me?? Let me get this straight: Because people can't keep their stuff from failing, which isn't my fault, I have to stay in town and not go to college so I can fix the stuff again? Or not help out at all, ever, and work at a pizza shop for 6 months?

I don't think so.

I'm assuming a lot of this is going to be reformatting. I'll let them know what they could have done to have prevented the problem, and make sure they are set up correctly to avoid future problems. You sound like I'm going into this with the intent of making people's computers screw up a month after I fix em.
Click to expand...

what i was responding to was your post, which didn't sound too honest. i don't know you so don't take it personal, it just didn't come off to good to my eyes.

but honestly, for 6mos i would just make pizza or work in a computer shop. businesses don't even get off the ground in 6 mos and that won't be enough time for word of mouth. if you want to deal with computers for the next 6mos, get a job a compusa or bestbuy instead of trying to start your own biz considering the time contraint
 
I think what you are doing is a great idea, and I plan on doing something similar in my area soon. Keep your pizza job and continue towards building up a customer base until it can support you.

If the whole thing fails, you will have a first entrepreneurial experience and learn something in the process. Its also something that you can put on your resume to show initiative and drive.

I would look into setting up a limited liability corporation, or something along those lines, although I'm not sure which type. If you go into a user's home and they claim that no only did you lose their "priceless" data, but you broke their monitor and exploded their furniture, you will only be liable (assuming you were working on what you were supposed to) for what your company is worth. If you are just starting out, that means your company will go down in a blaze of $40 instead of having your own personal fortune/family liable.

If you keep it as a sole proprietor, everything you own is liable in order to cover the damages.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top