If you are in the IT industry but are considering a change, whether you are fed up of working for someone else for very little reward, fancy being your own boss or just want a slower pace of life, then why not consider opening a computer repair shop.

In this day and age opening a computer repair shop can be very profitable as more and more people are coming to rely on their laptops and PC’s as an everyday part of life tool and cannot be without them when they break down or get problems.

Where To Start.

Before you opening a computer repair shop you need to make sure that you are confident in both computer hardware and computer software, as you really need to be able to offer both services. That’s not to say that you have to have knowledge of every single type of software out there, but be confident with adding, removing and repairing software.

If you don’t think you have the skills in both areas why not consider opening a computer repair shop with a friend or colleague who has these skills, as you will definitely need to be able to deal with hardware, such as laptops and desktop type computers, but it really wont be as profitable if you are not able to offer something in the form of software support and advice, as many problems will be caused by software.

Opening a computer repair shop will present you with several new challenges, not least of which is how to attract customers to the shop. Word of mouth is always good, so why not start by telling friends and family ‘Hey I have opened a computer repair shop’, the other thing to do is make sure that you have competitive computer repair shop prices.

It is best to consider charging ahead of actually opening a computer repair shop, as this needs to be weighed up against the costs involved in running a shop, you will have to pay for heating, lighting, rates, water and should you choose to have any staff, you will need to pay wages.

One way to lessen some of these costs is to consider opening a computer repair shop in your own home, especially if you have a garage or workshop. These will mean you need to make sure you have got suitable insurance as you will have lots of computer equipment belonging to other people in your home, and should it get stolen or damaged you will obviously be responsible.

The world runs on technology and it is inevitable that you will need a computer repair service. You will sooner or later need repairs, upgrades, installations and maintenance services for your computers. This is even more important when you have a business. For any business, finding reputable business computer repair services is essential. You must be able to trust the computer repair service that you choose, so it is important that you check their credentials and get some customer testimonials.

Make doubly sure that the computer repair service is registered and that all their technicians are certified. You can look for proof of certification on their website, but if it is not on display, pertinently ask for it. Another important factor, especially for business purposes, is to find out if the computer repair service has the option for remote connection for fixing problems online.

Of course, this is not possible with all types of repairs, but it is the viable option for the majority of routine problem fixing. Remote access is important for running a business, as your downtime is minimized greatly. It saves time and money if you do not have to take the computer into the computer repair service physically to be repaired.

Reliability Is A Must

It does not have to be hugely problematic to find a reputable computer repair service that you can rely on at all times. If your computer or computers are brand name computers, you can find a computer repair service very fast. Simply do an internet search with your computer brand name and model as the search criteria. When you are looking for the best computer repair service to suit your needs, it helps to have a general list ready of services you will require.

This will sharply eliminate all those computer repair services that are inadequate. Look for a company that does not only offer general repairs, but also have specialist services on offer. Your computers are not just a tool for business and fun, it is pivotal for all you business, shopping, entertainment and information needs. This means that any prolonged downtime can mean loss of income, loss of information and many other things.

That is why it is essential to deal with a computer repair service that will give you excellent and fast service at competitive prices. You need a company that has an excellent reputation, experience in the industry and technicians that are highly qualified.

There are two main factors that make a computer repair technician career a desirable one. Firstly is the fact that with the increasing application of computers system in new areas, the demand for people to maintain and repair them will continue to grow. Secondly, even in time of recession, when other jobs may be on the line, the computer repair technician will always be in demand because with no money to buy new systems, the older systems will continue to be used and will need even more care and repair. Even today many employers complain about the difficulty in finding qualified computer repair technicians.

At the start a person has to decide if their computer repair technician career is going to be specialized to hardware, in which case he or she becomes a computer hardware repair technician, or software. Either way deciding on a computer repair technician career is a good choice.

What You Need To Qualify For A Computer Repair Technician Career

The first essential to a computer repair technician career is the willingness to work hands on with the computer that is giving problems, and if it is a hardware problem, being willing to get your hands dirty going inside the machine. You cannot be in computer repair and sit at your desk without moving.

The tough part of a computer repair technician career is always being on call. If you work for a company that functions 24/7, you could be called upon at any time of the day or night to fix a problem. You must be prepared for this as well as for travelling frequently, if your employer has computers at different locations across the country.

If you take up a computer repair technician career, committing yourself to long term social plans is difficult. Even with the best of care and maintenance, no one knows when a computer will break down and when the technician’s services will be needed.

If all this sounds negative, the plus points of a computer repair technician career more than make up for it.

Long Term Prospects In A Computer Repair Technician Career

When you join a company, the employer will provide you with training on the computer system you will be maintaining and repairing. You may even be sponsored for external training programs. In the beginning of a computer repair technician’s career he or she will probably work of simple PCs or peripherals and as the experience and expertise grows, progression to more advanced computer systems will occur.

With the constant application of new technologies and the development of new software and applications, the computer repair technician career is one of continual learning. This will involve attending external training workshops and refresher programs. This up to date knowledge will ensure that the technician’s services are always in demand.

A computer repair technician’s career need not be limited to computer repair. Because of their knowledge of the systems and the hands on experience they acquire, many technicians move over to sales and marketing positions, either at the supervisory level or even as managers. And many choose to use their experience to become self employed. Many set up their own businesses or become consultants.

If you run a business from home or simply reply heavily on your home computer, then it is definitely worth getting to know your local computer repair shop as they could prove to be invaluable in a crisis, and get you back on your feet in no time.

You will find may large high street computer stores also offer an in-house repair service but you will more than likely pay through the nose for this service as you are also paying a high street premium for your service, a local computer repair shop will almost certainly cost you less.

How To Find A Good Technician.

In the computer world the people who repair your computer are known as technicians, and are usually qualified, but with such a range of qualifications and technology changing so quickly there are many people who repair computers especially in local computer repair shops because they are self taught and are actually incredibly good at what they do.

Some technicians will be ex-industry professionals who got disillusioned with the daily grind and chose to quit their office role and open a computer repair shop of their own, and again you will find that they are very knowledgeable and will provide a good service, however they may not be able to afford to keep going and getting the latest qualifications, and in lots of cases that is fine, as they already know the most important bits.

Be prepared in advance so that you know what you are going to do and which local computer repair shop you are going to use, so that if the worst does happen and your computer stops working you are not in a panic and rushing into the nearest local computer repair shop which you know nothing about.

Have a look on the Internet at local computer repair shops in your area as many will have a small website telling you about their services and how they work out their charges, as this too is obviously very important as you do not suddenly want to get stung with a massive bill.

Ask around amongst friends and family and see if they have any experiences of the local computer repair shops, in particular whether there are any with horror stories of places you should avoid. If there is any that come highly recommended why not pop in one day and have a chat – they will be more than happy to meet perspective clients and should be friendly and welcoming.

Computer Repair Shop Prices –Explaining Them To Customers

One of the most important factors in determining the success of a computer repair business is the computer repair shop price – what the customer will have to pay. While every shop owner, in any kind of business, wants to maximize his profits, the way a computer repair shop prices itself requires some special consideration. Keep in mind that computer repair shop prices are for a mixture of goods and services. This is why it is unlike a music store for example. In a music store the customer sees what he likes, buys the CD or DVD if the price is acceptable, and that is it. In the case of a computer repair shop price, the customer is paying for something he cannot see – the service, and parts he probably does not know about. That is why the most critical part of computer repair shop pricing is being able to explain everything to the customer. A customer who feels that a computer repair shop price is not justified is a dissatisfied customer and one who is unlikely to return. Being able to explain the elements of your pricing, if asked, can go a long way in keeping customers happy.

Explaining Your Computer Repair Shop Price To A Customer

A common statement from customers is that another repair shop charges less. Explain that a computer repair shop price is location dependant and that a shop in the city will need to charge more than one in the suburbs simply because the overheads in a city are higher.

Some of your prices may be on a job rate and some by the hour and the job rates may seem high in comparison. Explain that while the hourly rate seems cheaper, in case unforeseen complications are found once the job has begun, extending the completion time, the set rate may be cheaper for the customer.

If you offer onsite service, these charges will be substantially higher than your carry in computer repair shop price. If asked about this, explain that is not just fuel cost of going to the site that adds to the price but also the time taken in travelling that has to be compensated.

Even for small jobs where you may not be asked for an estimate, tell the customer that the final cost may be higher than anticipated – you cannot guarantee the actual computer repair shop price until you are sure that the small problem has not been caused by a major part failure or something similar which could increase the cost of repair dramatically, as will the need to use expensive and specialized computer repair shop tools.

Be ready to explain that your computer repair shop prices are determined also by the type of service required. For example, networking is a very specialized area, so your rates for network service may be higher than for a standard service call.

What is important in keeping your customers happy is not so much how high or low your computer repair shop price is, but how well you can explain and justify it to the customer’s satisfaction.

The layman will normally have a completely misinformed idea of what computer repair shop tools are required to run a successful computer repair business. People usually picture their defective PC going into a workshop full of banks of computers, flashing lights and esoteric equipment. Or they may conceive of it as being like an antiseptic spotless medical laboratory. The truth is far from these extremes.

Computer problems are divided into two categories – hardware and software and the computer repair shop tools needed to fix these problems are also of two types.

The Two Types Of Computer Repair Shop Tools

When most people talk of tools, they are thinking of hammers, saws, wrenches and so on. You will need some of these but computer repair shop tools of this type are surprisingly few in number ad quite simple in type. You need no expensive torque wrenches or powered screwdrivers or drills. In fact you need no costly power tools at all. The hardware tools are surprisingly simple and few in number – you need a few screwdrivers of different types, a few pliers of various sizes, some compressed air cans and a few other basic hand tools you find in any home handyman’s tool box. In a physical sense computers are quite simple – there is little to be fixed. The computer repair shop tools of this type are really needed for removing defective parts and replacing them. The amount of actual repairing to be done is very limited.

The other type of computer repair shop tool is more complex and more expensive. These are the software computer repair shop tools that are needed to diagnose and repair software problems. These will consist of anti virus, adware and malware utilities. These will have to be the best available – everyone has some basic anti virus installed and if you try to fix a virus problem with middle of the road software of the type that users have, you will never succeed. You will also need hardware diagnostics software, disc formatting software and a range of these software computer repair shop tools to deal with software problems which are usually more complex that the hardware ones.

If you decide to specialize in a limited area, you may need variations on the computer repair shop tools noted above. This does not mean you need to spend more – but you may have to replace some general tools with a few specialized ones. For example, look at notebook repair or network service. While the same general tools will suffice, you will need a few extra ones to cope with the very small parts size you will be dealing with in laptops or tools to detect wiring faults in networks. You will also need special network software.

You can set up the best computer repair shop without spending a fortune on computer repair shop tools. Since a novice should not go into business for himself, let your experience by your guide and remember it is better to start with just the basic computer repair shop tools and keep adding to the as you need them. That will prevent you from filling your workshop with tools that you never use.

No one starting out in any business wants to be mediocre at it. So when you decide to go into computer repairs, you will want to have the best computer repair shop that there is. That’s a natural desire and while not all computer repair services are equal, with the proper planning and execution, you can make yours the best computer repair shop that you can run. Before you set out on this road, there are two important things to keep in mind – it is not going to be easy and it is not going to happen overnight. The best computer repair shops do not just spring up out of nowhere.

The Four Steps Of Setting Up The Best Computer Repair Shop

Do not expect to be the best from day one. Do your best, but accept that you will make mistakes. During this learning phase, keep your charges low and focus on the simpler repairs. Once you are confident of your abilities, you can move on to higher paying work. Becoming the best computer repair shop is a stage wise progression and you will have to go stage by stage to reach the top. Do not try and jump to top level work after moving up just one stage. The higher profile you are, the more your customers expect and the more bad publicity even one mistake can get for you. In the beginning stick to private computer owners as your clients.
Once you have been through the learning start, looking to small businesses to build up your volumes. Focus on this market and work on it until you are the best computer repair shop for small businesses. You are now working on a targeted market, so if the increase in work and the need to maintain quality standards means letting some of your original customers go, so be it. But direct them to a good alternative repair service.
Having reached the stage of being the best computer repair shop for small businesses, you need to make a decision. It this where you want to be – there’s nothing wrong in being at the top of a small market, or do you want to go higher? If so you now need to look at specialization. Do you want to be the best computer repair shop for networked computers, for big corporations, for notebooks, for routers and peripherals or what ever it is that attracts you? If so you need to repeat step two again, only this time letting the small businesses go as you get the specialized customers you want. And can you do it on your own or do you need a specialist computer repair technician to support you?
When you complete step three and have a stable of happy customers, you can consider yourself to have reached the stage of being the best computer repair shop. But you cannot afford the rest on our laurels. Other new repair shops will be gunning for your place. Becoming the best computer repair shop may have been tough, but staying in that position is no easier. You will have to continually look at how and where you can improve your service.