mainetech

I couldn't find a forum that dealt with this specific question. So my appologies to the moderators if it is not where you want this posted.

I am starting a small computer repair business based out of my home. I will be doing on site tech work as well as bringing machines to my workspace when necessary. Mainly for Small Businesses and Home Users. With Small Businesses being the MAIN focus. My question is mostly about payment for services rendered and I figured with all these seasoned techs on here I would get some first hand answers.

How is it you assure that your going to get paid for services? I know nothing is set in stone, and no matter what your going to run into a problem every now and then. But if you go out to a job, fix their computer and they give you a check and it bounces. How do you recoup that? Or do most of you just not accept checks for that reason?

Also as far as on hand hardware. I know i'm going to want to have at a least a couple of the most used components for testing and replacement, such as hard drives, Vid Cards, Dvd Drives, Etc.. with regular rotation as prices change so often. But how many do most of you keep on hand? Or would you suggest for a small computer repair company? I have a really good online vendor for products which i'll be ordering through. But i don't dare to just order products as needed as the shipping time would cost me customers.

Also any other suggestions and advice would be much appreciated. I've been working on computers for years but this will be my first attempt at making this a business. Thanks to Everyone In Advance!

af3

This is one of the reasons I don't go into this line of work.

One way you could do it, is to bill them for parts first, and when you complete the job, bill them for labor.

This would work out real good if you had a computer hardware vender nearby. As for on-site parts, I would just start out with one of each generation part.

1 IDE HDD & 1 SATA HDD (test parts)
1 CD-ROM
1 512MB stick of each type of ram... again, just for testing.

This business is no fun. I have never done it professionally, but from my experience just helping friends, neighbors, and family, it takes a certain type of person to do this every day.

Then again, that is just me.

EDIT: If you or someone else destroys a client's computer, be prepared to replace it or fix the damage at no additional cost.

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lazareth1

Keep a log of every job you do and the prices you have charged for labour etc. (You should be doing this anywayz for tax purposes ) This way, if someone doesn't pay, then you have a record of it.

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Cellus

There is a lot you need to know about running your own business - the laws, the requirements, the taxes, etc.

I highly recommend you look into one of those "Do-It-Yourself Business" courses that teaches you all of this information required in your area.

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tgg

I also have my own onsite/mobile computer tech business been doing it for about a good 2 years. I'll kind of explain how I run it myself. First off all you have to be patient specially dealing with older folks/seniors and such which I do. When a customers computer needs parts like motherboards, harddrives, etc I always ask for the money for the part first then once the pc is ready to go back to the customer fixed then I just charge my labor/work next.

I also work at my home since I dont have a shop, I accept cash or checks. What I tend to do with customers is explain in detail steps what I have done to the pc to get it working whatever the issue was. Even though they wont retain all that technical gibberish you said to them I can tell they feel good about the work involved and money they put into the pc getting fixed. I only had one check bounce, all it took was a call to the customer informing them the check was returned to me in the mail and they offered for me go pickup cash this time, so you are rarely gonna have bounce check issues because you wont be dealing with criminals I'm sure. Unless you go to the HOOD eheheh.

Another thing is I love this job because for one computers, pc gaming etc are my hobby for like 15 years so its fun dealing with customers pc issues, thats the additude you got to display when going to customers.

Sometimes I install used parts like power supplys, ram, hardrives, etc that I get from towers that customers give me, garage sales, thrift stores, but I let the customers know ahead of time and charge the amount of the used part lower than new prices, usually half price from new.

Another thing is I have very little OverHead money going out of my pocket to run the business, and I'm doing this on purpose and I like it like that, infact the only real overhead i have is gas money. So what i can tell you is just know right now that its going to take 3-5 years to see very good results from the business, and thats if you really out there talking, delivering flyers etc etc. Dont do that phone book crap right now thats in the future when you get rolling. That'll be a overhead bill right there, what you do is go to building that have boards to put of classifieds and such, and go to neighbor hoods and business's passing out cards and flyers. Just know the way you get customers mostly is word of mouth, so do your best to the fullest when dealing with that one customer then they will like you and tell people and it builds and builds from there.

I use Microsoft Outlook Contacts to store my customers info and the work and charges I did. Like someone else said here its for tax purposes and such.


"af3" said it aint know fun for him working on family, friends computers dont take that to serously because usually when you do work like that for people you know well you probably aint gonna get paid thats why hehehe. Another thing what I love is just think you'll be your own boss running you own show you dont have to go to work at another business and deal with bosses, employess, drama, sensentivitys, all that bullshit ehehhe.

Thats all for now I'm sure theres more to tell you, I'm tired its 2:33am right now in california, good night all.........

af3

TGG, do you have certifications? Maybe this kind of work isn't so bad... Making house-calls can be discouraging, as some people have very messy houses.

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tgg

No I dont have certifications, I feel right now I dont need them because usually when you want to work for someone else then your gonna need them but this is my own business and customers are not going to ask you to show them your certificate hanging on the wall hehehhe.

I dont care how messy peoples house are my rooms and house are a mess too sometimes, but depending on the issue of computers you not going to spen alot of time at houses. If your hooking up a small network in house or hoking up broadband then yea you'll be in someones house, but dealing with reinstalling of windows, fixing windows errors, infenctions, motherboard, I always end up taking the tower with me and doing at my home on my work bench, then whaen you take it back you just hook it up really quick, turn it on and launch internet make sure everthing works, then get paid.

lazareth1

Yeah like old takeaways been there for 3 weeks and dog crap everywhere. Ewwww. Even worse, you go into a house like that and you pop open the comp case and see do crap stuck in all the fans!?!?!

"Ah a smell er, see what the problem is!"

Hope this doesn't put you off!! I'm just running away with my imagination lmao.

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ebackhus

It's important to make sure that you first understand that it is a business and not just a hobby. Many times you'll hear about some geeky friends who started a shop only to fail because they treated it as a hobby and couldn't manage the money/business aspect. I plan to start a home-based shop once I get a house. I'll do the major work while my girlfriend will run the numbers. it works well because she's not that hot with computer work but is great with numbers. I'm also good with numbers but want to keep a tighter focus on the work.

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tgg

Thats right you got to do this for the long haul, you have to do it to the fullest, be focus, and it takes patients. It takes a good 3-5 years to see some progress when starting a business. Alot of people try a particular business and give up in a year or so, you got to go into being extremly patient and try to keep your overhead low. The fails of business is alot to due with spending alot of money and overhead situations, like parts, inventory, shops/ultility bills employes, etc etc, thats all ok way later down the line when 1 person yourself cant handle all that goodness your doing on your own hehehe, then you can start to grow.

af3

If I were going to be paying you over $1,000 I would want to see your certificates...

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tgg

Thats your personal prefences of wanting someone to show you certificates, so far of all the customers I dealt with none asked for certificates, and some mostly home customers dont even want and care for reciepts. Me personally when getting work done by handymans, painters, plumbers etc etc I never ask for schooling, awards, certificates etc.

af3

Did you take any classes, or did you just pick up everything you know and learn on-the-fly as you encounter new computer problems to solve?

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You are currently using 0 MB (0%) of your 7171 MB, what's wrong with you?

tgg

To tell you the truth me personally I'am the type I learn on my own. I picked up knowlege by reading magazines, books, dealing with my personal computers issues, researching, using cbt nuggets videos and other cool videos out there like CBT nuggets. The only way I can deal with a class envoirment is if the other 20 people in the class are seroius in being there and are mature adults. Otherwise it'll be kids in there joking around, being all lovy dovy, talking about what party there going to etc etc ehhehe, I did all those youngster stuff during the late teens and early 20's i'm 31 now.

tgg

To everyone out ther thinking about there own computer related business. Certificates are a little overrated..... what I mean is if your strickly gonna look for a job all of your life with company and such then yes your gonna want probably want certificates because its a natural thing where when you submit a resume and such about yourself employers are going to pay attention to the the persons with certificates.

Ok now with getting certificates usually someone will pay 1000's of dollars or so for the classes/courses right, well that gets expensive, so if your the type that can learn on your own, there is ways to study yourself with watching videos, then doing some practice exams then looking for a local testing center to get whatever certificate your wanting. You dont have to go to a classroom to get certify.

If your starting your own computer tech business and currently dont have certificates dont worry about getting them but still use all those study materials, books, videos, etc etc to learn some things. Check out the videos from CBT nuggets.

Remember that just becasue you have that paper certificate doesnt mean your very good of that knowledge, its all about real world hands on experience you have.

lazareth1

I started off like tgg where I was self taught and found I had a real knack and an interest for this sorta thing. So off I went to college and 4 years later I have a degree with CISCO experience and going to be sitting my CCNA soon.

I agree and disagree with tgg on the fact about certs. I know plenty of ppl making money with no certs BUT if a customer was to chose between two companies, which would they choose? A company touting certifications or one that had none? Certifications in this case are more to do with advertising.