Ok, so your PC is either dead or half way there

Strider590

Where do people look to find services for repairing their PC's and laptop's?

I'll be honest, I do this sort of work as a small part-time business, im not trying to become some sort of millionare I just want to keep my house.
So far, I work via word of mouth, people ive done work for pass on my details to friends.

I know that most people who would be interested don't even know what a forum is let alone be on here looking for help, but maybe people here have some idea of where most people look when things start to go wrong?
Yeah there is the "oh i'll call xyz he's just got his 16th edition" crowd, but when the newly qualified sparky butchers their laptop, then where do they look?

Tried flyers, found things like letterboxes taped up and people shouting abuse like "*** off, we don't want it". Perhaps a little naive but I didn't realise just how rude and ignorant the general public can be. If it wasn't for the flyers I get through my door I wouldn't know about half the services on offer from local businesses.

It's really cheeky of me to ask this here, i know!

Marty_J

I would call either the Apple Store in Belfast, or the only other Apple authorised service provider in Northern Ireland, and then they would think of a suitably high quote and then double it.

Cornering a niche market can really pay off big time.

Strider590

Currently considering the implications of standing outside <big name PC retailer> looking for disgruntled customers, of which there are normally plenty.

Tigsteroonie

A5 posters in local shop & newsagent windows? That's where I look for local traders ...

hotkee

I think most people ask their mates or the 5 year old kids of their mates as the 5 year old usually knows the system inside out. :-)

Strider590

hotkee wrote: »

I think most people ask their mates or the 5 year old kids of their mates as the 5 year old usually knows the system inside out. :-)

It does happen..... but show me a 5yr old or even a (non IT proffesional) mate who knows how to manually remove a virus, extract corrupt data from the system registry, fix a damage boot sector or correctly diagnose a faulty powersupply.

A PC contains more than 50'000 software components, thats twice as many components as your average family car.... Would you let a 5 year old change your cambelt? I think not.

I know alot of people just do a full reinstall, as an easy fix, but 90% of the time it's unnecessary and causes a whole host of other problems like having to reinstall everything and setup things like email (hope you didnt forget your password or pop3 server settings, or no email for you).
Many, many people waste money on buying new PC's thinking they need one because the other is too slow, I have 4 year old machines that will out perform almost any new home/office PC. Hell my own 4 yr old IBM thinkpad is faster than any customers laptop ive seen so far (even the brand new one's), mainly because it's well maintained.

If people knew what the retailers try to hide from them, they would save hundreds maybe thousands of pounds.