PC Repair Business - Hints and tips

mcgee

Hi All

I have recently thought about starting a PC repair business on the side.

I have designed and distributed a number of flyers around the local area (through letter boxes at the moment)

I have also thought about placing some in newsagents windows etc.

I have spoken to a couple of people who have helped me decide on a pricing structure which is far below the local PC shops/PC world etc.

Does anyone have any top tips on how to further generate business? As yet I haven't had a single bite.

Anything that anyone can suggest will be a great help.

Thanks
James

mustafa_say_ving

Definately an ad in your free local paper ........and at this stage you may find paying for an ad in a more widely distributed "local" paper worthwhile to generate those first customers .

I think it's a great business to get into and one that will only grow with time.

While this is an "on the side business" at this time,it would still be wise to see an accountant (or a few....remember some offer your first "consultation" free.).

Good Luck

The_JinJ

Would agree that a local area newspaper usually generates more hits than a flyer drop - worked quite well for me, try all the local freebie papers too to see which gives the most responses. Should be between £10-£20 for a small ad in the classifieds. From there word of mouth is good.
Other ideas:
Get some cards printed up to hand to customers.
Talk to local pc stores to see if you can put flyers in their shop, or have a fler handed out with every sale (for a fee probably)
Card in newsagent, supermarket board
Car sticker (vinyl lettering type?)
Press release in local rag - they are always looking for filler - write an article on pc security or something - free advertising
Around xmas (ok a bit late ) offer PC setup
Free PC audit - check for viruses/spyware etc - charge to clean
PC building/repair course at your local night school

One other that I had thought of before - target the older community if you can get your hands on some cheap PCs. Setup and basic lessons for over 60's, email etc
I reckon theres a gold (or silver!)mine with older folk wanting to get into computing but don't know where to start.


Plenty other good and bad ideas......

mustafa_say_ving

The_JinJ wrote: »

Would agree that a local area newspaper usually generates more hits than a flyer drop - worked quite well for me, try all the local freebie papers too to see which gives the most responses. Should be between £10-£20 for a small ad in the classifieds. From there word of mouth is good.
Other ideas:
Get some cards printed up to hand to customers.
Talk to local pc stores to see if you can put flyers in their shop, or have a fler handed out with every sale (for a fee probably)
Card in newsagent, supermarket board
Car sticker (vinyl lettering type?)
Press release in local rag - they are always looking for filler - write an article on pc security or something - free advertising
Around xmas (ok a bit late ) offer PC setup
Free PC audit - check for viruses/spyware etc - charge to clean
PC building/repair course at your local night school

One other that I had thought of before - target the older community if you can get your hands on some cheap PCs. Setup and basic lessons for over 60's, email etc
I reckon theres a gold (or silver!)mine with older folk wanting to get into computing but don't know where to start.


Plenty other good and bad ideas......

Some great ideas ......Love the "over 60s" idea.

braken2000

I have just started doing this too ...

Was on job last night. The only thing I am having problems with is pricing!

I dont want to charge too much like PC World etc, but not undervalue myself either!

Any suggestions ...

Horsham

I don't want to put you off but it can be quite difficult to make money out of this business when you consider the amount of time you have to put in.

Most people. older people included, have a colleague, friend or relative that 'knows' PCs. Usually they will call on these people before paying somebody else. This means the market may not be as large as you think it may be.

You will also have to be prepared for a lot of 'awkward' customers. For example you may diagnose that their slow PC needs more RAM. You fit more RAM and then a few weeks later the client has an unrelated problem that slows the PC, but not understanding this he calls you expecting you to look at it for free as part of the guarantee you gave home for the new RAM.

Like I say I am not trying to put you off but I have know several people that have tried to make an income out of this but have given up in frustration due to problems like I described above.

Good luck with this. If you can find the right customers AND have very clear terms and conditions you may be able to make it work.

braken2000

I only work word of mouth at the moment. So I appear to be that person who "knows pc's" so to speak.

I didnt think of the Slowing down problem before. Not sure how I would get round that.

motorguy

I did this for over a year and heres my findings...

(a) people will have you come out, fix their machines - say you fix broadband - then they will ring a fortnight later saying - "two weeks ago you fixed my computer, and now Word isnt working and its your fault". Be specific, write out an invoice of exactly what you fixed, have them sign to confirm you fixed it and that they are happy with it.

(b) Try to draw a line at one visit, £30 for an hours work is decent, not so decent if you end up going back twice for something fiddly, suddenly its three trips for £10 a trip.

(c) Buy a cheap pay as you go mobile. Use that number and that number only when advertising. I still have people ringing me over a year later, OR as happened recently TURNING UP ON MY DOORSTEP AT TEN OCLOCK ON A SATURDAY NIGHT!!! If it doesnt work out, you simply switch the phone off and forget about it. Also handy to be able to switch it off at weekends.

(d) Consider a one liner in your local paper - probably costs £6 a week. Offer free collection & return too.

(e) if you are taking any of their hardware off site, have a receipt book, note down what you've taken and have them sign it. That laptop you take away to repair will suddenly have been a laptop & power supply and you need proof of what you took.

(f) Wireless broadband installs & problems. Take a wireless laptop with you. That way you will be able to tell whether its their laptop or the router, also handy to download drivers. If you're booked out for a broadband install, make sure they have their username & password ready BEFORE you get there. Also, invest in a couple of wireless routers, wireless usb sticks, wireless PCI cards. That way you can swap out their wireless hardware on the spot if faulty

(g) You will be able to spot the numpties and trouble makers at 20 paces. Install logmein or similar (www.logmein.com) so that you can remotely access their computer if they have a problem.

(h) Tell people up front what your rate is, so if its £40 callout, then £20 per hour or part hour thereafter, then let them know, so they dont be surprised. Peoples lives now revolve more around the internet and computer use, yet they expect computer people to work all evening for a tenner, yet a washing machine engineer theyll happily pay £50 an hour.

(i) Charge a flat rate for windows reinstalls, add an extra £10 if they dont have the drivers disks.

(j) If you're doing hardware too, carry a small stock of Power supplies, RAM, hard disks, keyboards, mice. These can be bought for buttons on ebuyer etc, and you can double your money on them plus fitting.

(k) Tuition of senior citizens is fine, but i found it hard to get a reasonable hourly rate out of it. By the time you drive to them etc, it might not be that viable.

(l) GOOD LUCK - i started out naively thinking i was offering a people a local alternative to having to go to the likes of PCWorld, but so many people expect something for nothing, it just wore me down in the end.

motorguy

braken2000 wrote: »

I only work word of mouth at the moment. So I appear to be that person who "knows pc's" so to speak.

I didnt think of the Slowing down problem before. Not sure how I would get round that.

Its not that hard to get round, but i agree you WILL get people chancing their arm. If a machine is running slowly, XP - upgrade to 1GB, Vista - upgrade to 2GB. Remove all the crap from their machines that doesnt need to be there, run AVG free, run antispyware, antispamware, remove Norton & McAfee if they are there. Use www.filehippo.com for free stuff. Download 'autoruns' from there or similar and remove the crud that isnt needed at startup. If all that doesnt make it dance nothing will. Confirm they are happy with the speed increase before you leave. Demonstrate repeatedly how quick it now is. If it subsequently runs slowly again - remind them how it was running like a dream, also you should be able to find what they've done and let them know - i had one guy who had been accessing loads of !!!!!! and got viruses from the sites - that was easy picked up. Stick logmein on it, offer a free remote checkup in a fortnights time - particularly reassuring for them if they've maybe spent £50 on a callout and £50 on RAM.

motorguy

Horsham wrote: »

I don't want to put you off but it can be quite difficult to make money out of this business when you consider the amount of time you have to put in.

Most people. older people included, have a colleague, friend or relative that 'knows' PCs. Usually they will call on these people before paying somebody else. This means the market may not be as large as you think it may be.

You will also have to be prepared for a lot of 'awkward' customers. For example you may diagnose that their slow PC needs more RAM. You fit more RAM and then a few weeks later the client has an unrelated problem that slows the PC, but not understanding this he calls you expecting you to look at it for free as part of the guarantee you gave home for the new RAM.

Like I say I am not trying to put you off but I have know several people that have tried to make an income out of this but have given up in frustration due to problems like I described above.

Good luck with this. If you can find the right customers AND have very clear terms and conditions you may be able to make it work.

Yes, totally agree. Another one i had was that i sold computers and laptops too. People will cheerfully take a PC World computer back, queue up like sheep, leave it there for a fortnight while some 16yo YTP fumbles with it, then drive back there to collect it. BUT when you sell them a better computer for less, they THEN expect a 24x7 on site warranty and 24hr telephone support from you!!! :mad:

motorguy

Not that experience has left me bitter and twisted or anything.

I'd say a couple more months of therapy and i'll be over the worst of it.