Going Into Business As A PC Repairman

[Admiral Huddy]

if there isn't an easy answer theres always a reinstall

Thats a good question actually, how far do you guys go to disinfect when you have the bulk standard virus ridden junk machine that I seem to see from relatives all the time. How long does it take before you cut your losses and do a reinstall? (obviously post data backup and key finding)

Once that decision has been made how much of the re installing of the users software etc will you perform (I'd guess it was dependant on what they asked for?)

Tough one to call.. If it's been infected badly, then the PC will come back to my workshop anyway so I can keep running unattended scans. I only charge for actual time spent on their PCs.

If it's not clean after 3 scans then I'll call the customer asking them what they would like to do, reminding them of course that if they want data their data saved then backups is extra. Like I said, it's about keeping the customer informed and being honest.

Basically, depending on the problem, if i know i can't fix a PC on-site within the hour, then the PC comes back to the workshop. With the PC in the workshop, you can do more than one thing at a time, like when a scan is running or windows is being installed making efficient use of your time..

 

[edscdk]

I doubt most technicians would know the answer to all faults.

however its fairly easy to know the solution to most faults on a home PC...

 

[StevieP]

Might sound boring and a cost you dont need at start up but make sure you have got the right sort of insurance!!

Standard public liability will cover you incase you accidentally stab someone in the eye with a stick of RAM but you might find you need professional indemnity cover too!!

StevieP

 

[Locky]

When I worked at ocuk I have spoken to "I am an IT tech" I know it all kind of people all the time, allot of people who think they know allot in fact know naff all

 

[geekyEd]

When I worked at ocuk I have spoken to "I am an IT tech" I know it all kind of people all the time, allot of people who think they know allot in fact know naff all

Jesus.jpg

Yes there are plenty of muppets out there doing this job, this is a well known fact.

 

[Duke]

Basically, depending on the problem, if i know i can't fix a PC on-site within the hour, then the PC comes back to the workshop. With the PC in the workshop, you can do more than one thing at a time, like when a scan is running or windows is being installed making efficient use of your time..

Same here, its normally obvious after 15-20mins whether it can be fixed quickly or if it needs to come back for repair. I'm just up front about everything rather than getting nailed down to costs and things before you've even had a decent look at it. Give the customer the options and let them choose.

 

[geekyEd]

Hi again guys, Ive set my website up recently and gotten advertising up around town e.t.c, no phone calls as of yet. So I was wondering if anyone could kindly take a look at the website and give some constructive criticism, I would be extremely grateful.

The website itself has been done in iweb as I'm currently too lazy to be bothered with writing my own HTML, although I have done before.

The link is http://www.witneypcrepair.co.uk

To add any parts supplied will more than likely be coming from OCUK, so I hope this isn't perceived as a competitor link.

 

[Duke]

A couple of things

£15 for first half our is a bit cheap. Do you really want to be running around for that (or do you charge to go out on top?).

Is it a company? I couldn't see any company registration numbers on the site.

 

[janesssssy]

Hey guys,

I'm shortly going to setup a business as a sole trader. My services will be repairing PCs, upgrading, setting up networks (something I need to brush up on!) etc.

Am aiming to be up and running by the end of the year. Just need to pass my driving test and complete a Comptia A+ course in the meantime.

I am guessing that there are quite a few people doing similar sorts of jobs at these forums. Was hoping I might be able to get some tips - anything could help really!

You need to brush up on networking!?!? dont rely on the A+ / N+ they are very lame! they dont mean you know everything.
Gets some M$ certs under your belt and put the logos on your web site.

My honest opinion, Im guessing your young... going by the driving test etc - My advice would be - GET A PROPER JOB! get some experiance of working and communication etc. then if you decide to go in alone then by all means your chioce and good luck to you.

The services provided are all carried out by an engineer with over 5 years experience in computer repairs

Who's this? you? im guessing not as you DONT HAVE 5 years of experiance.
And dont for gods sake put your water cooling on the site!!! its not a hobby its a business. if you give the impression that its a hobby then you have lost all credibility.

Plus you cant wait for phone calls - Get out there and talk to people! sorry if i sound harsh but every man and his dog is doing this atm. I only know one person who has recently done / doing this and its slowly working.
Good luck to you.

 

[geekyEd]

You need to brush up on networking!?!? dont rely on the A+ / N+ they are very lame! they dont mean you know everything.
Gets some M$ certs under your belt and put the logos on your web site.

My honest opinion, Im guessing your young... going by the driving test etc - My advice would be - GET A PROPER JOB! get some experiance of working and communication etc. then if you decide to go in alone then by all means your chioce and good luck to you.



Who's this? you? im guessing not as you DONT HAVE 5 years of experiance.
And dont for gods sake put your water cooling on the site!!! its not a hobby its a business. if you give the impression that its a hobby then you have lost all credibility.

Plus you cant wait for phone calls - Get out there and talk to people! sorry if i sound harsh but every man and his dog is doing this atm. I only know one person who has recently done / doing this and its slowing working.
Good luck to you.

With regards to the 5 years what is written is true, I have been repairing computers for over 5 years. Your being presumptions to assume you know me better then I do. I haven't been running this business for 5 years or repairing computers as a business for 5 years but it doens't state that.

The water cooling pics are just filler images for the blog that went up today, they make it look pretty but point taken Ill remove them.

Why do you assume that I'm just sat at home waiting for phone calls? Im not

A couple of things

£15 for first half our is a bit cheap. Do you really want to be running around for that (or do you charge to go out on top?).

Is it a company? I couldn't see any company registration numbers on the site.

Well £15 is for half an hour not a lot is going to take just 30 minutes to complete if it does and I'm away in half an hour then I don't see that as an issue.

http://www.startups.co.uk/6678842909349483663/registering-as-a-sole-trader.html

inform the authorities:
You must register as self-employed with the HMRC within three months of starting up or face a £100 fine. The three month limit starts from the last day of your first month of trading.

As Ive yet to take £1 I havent started trading yet, then I have 3 months in which to register.

Thanks everyone for having a look.

 

[philjohn]

As Ive yet to take £1 I havent started trading yet, then I have 3 months in which to register.

Thanks everyone for having a look.

I'm sure Mr Taxman would disagree and all it will cost you is £3 odd a week for your class 2 NIC's. You are actively soliciting for work and as such I would imagine you are classed as trading (even if not making any money yet).

As others have said, that £15 for the first half hour is far too low and you're going to be running around for very little pay (a lot of problems can probably be fixed quite quickly).

Lastly, pick either "us" or "me", your first page uses the plural, making you sound bigger, but then you have "please call me" on the contact us page - a bit confusing.

I'd come clean that you are one-man-band, many people may like having the personal touch.

 

[Pestilence]

The only major issue I saw with the website was the blog. Get rid of it, seriously. Remove the entire section - it's simply not professional. Unless you can sign up to a legitimate tech industry press mailing list and use that as your blogging material, forget about it.

Throughout the website you mention both "we" and "I". Which is it? If the company consists of merely you, then be honest and use "I" throughout the site. It's a no bull approach which customers will respect more and make you appear more confident in your abilities as an individual rather than hiding behind the company "we".

 

[geekyEd]

Yes I agree I do need to sort that, its just most of the websites Ive seen by individuals seem to read a lot better as we as opposed to I, it just seems more professional. I have been worried abut this and appreciate you pointing it out as it sort of confirms what I already suspected.

With regards to the Blog, it more something Ive read that I should do to help with SEO and google in general, but I haven't the faintest what to put in it that is interesting to someone who would want a PC fixed. You are probably right, it does need to go.

With regards to the £15 for the first half an hour, I'm guessing you are commenting from experience, is most of the work you find your self doing less than 30 minutes?

Its just its a pretty competitive market where I am at the moment so I really want to get customers through the door and the best sort of advertising working for me as a local business and that's word of mouth, then possibly review whats happening after a few jobs.

Keep the feedback coming by the way this is great!

Edit: updated with amendments, if i missed any rogue "we's" please point them out

 

[Hamster]

I don't need disks as I have a collection of my own. All i need is their key.

If they don't have that, I'll use a linux disk to try and recover it from the registry..

If i still can't get it then it back to the customer to tell them that they need a new license.. Back in their court.

Huddy, would you mind listing all the operating systems and versions you would recommend carrying with you please? I'm not sure whether you would need each OS variant without SPs, with SP1, SP2 as separate discs if you get my meaning! Also i am guessing that it's OK to acquire these versions from sources such as newsgroups if the license you will be using is going to be legit.

Thanks

 

[Retromatic]

I say go for it - an old friend of mine has been doing this for years, he started and failed a couple of times but now he is VERY sucessfull, doing stupidly payed jobs for companies and has a big regular customer base.

I'd love to do something like this as an extra income, but not sure where to start really. Are those CompuTIA courses all you would need? (I.E Networking and A+)?

 

[philjohn]

With regards to the Blog, it more something Ive read that I should do to help with SEO and google in general, but I haven't the faintest what to put in it that is interesting to someone who would want a PC fixed. You are probably right, it does need to go.

Rather than having a blog write some articles on some self-help things that users can do to improve their computer - how to defragment (and what that means), buying and hooking up an external disk to backup important photos/documents etc.

 

[Admiral Huddy]

Huddy, would you mind listing all the operating systems and versions you would recommend carrying with you please? I'm not sure whether you would need each OS variant without SPs, with SP1, SP2 as separate discs if you get my meaning! Also i am guessing that it's OK to acquire these versions from sources such as newsgroups if the license you will be using is going to be legit.

Thanks

Personally, I wouldn't trust any downloaded version regardless of it's source. You don't want to be installing tampered versions of Windows on to customer PCs.

To be honest, the collection I have are just disks I've acquired along the way then slipstreamed as SPs are released. I keep a library of common drivers and utilities. All of which are synchronised to USB stick.

It's also a good idea to keep the following CDs handy too:

UBCD
PE Builder
Memtest+ (this is on UBCD)
Hard drive diagnostic disk for each manufacturer; Seagate, Samsung, WD and so on.. Again, some of these are on the UBCD but best to grab the up to date version.

 

[Hamster]

Thanks Huddy

Just so that i get a better idea, if someone has for example XP Home with SP2 and you wish to do a reinstall, would you need a disc that has XP Home with SP2 slipstreamed/already on or would you be able to use an XP Home SP1 disc or would you need to slipstream SP2 on it for their product key to work?

Thanks for the tips on other software as well

 

[BF-Bert]

With regards to the insurance, how much per year is a reasonable amount, I have one quote of £70 so far.

Just setting my self up in my local area as I'm fed up with temping whilst looking for a permanent role.

I already have most of the equipment needed and have drawn up receipts with conditions of service etc on them as well as some advertising, but want this sorted before I do anything.

Little point having a receipt with your conditions on them, you need your customer to agree to them before you do the work.

 

[Admiral Huddy]

Thanks Huddy

Just so that i get a better idea, if someone has for example XP Home with SP2 and you wish to do a reinstall, would you need a disc that has XP Home with SP2 slipstreamed/already on or would you be able to use an XP Home SP1 disc or would you need to slipstream SP2 on it for their product key to work?

Thanks for the tips on other software as well

It will work either way because the install isn't tied to the disk you are using. You need obviously an XP home key for an XP home disk. Vista, and most likely Win7, is different as the install disk are same for all versions. They key activates the version.

It's worth bearing in mind too that some license keys, such as Dell and HP are quite happy for you to use OEM disk but normally require telephone activation I've found. It's very straight forward but allow 15 minutes.

Remember however, time is money and you'll want to do as much "unattended" installation as possible. You don't want to be installing XP then have to install SP3 afterwards, for example. So slipstreaming is best practise.