So, you want the best deal on computer help or computer repair? Let's get started.



So where should you look? Look in the newspaper. There should be some ads there. Look in your local trade newspapers. One that we have around here is the Trading Post. Look on message boards for fliers or business cards. You are looking for people who may be working out of their home. Why? Well, because these guys don't have rent on an expensive building to pay for. They don't have the same overhead as some of the other shops. That's not to say that all shops are going to be overly expensive, and all people who work out of their homes will be priced right. But, the guy who runs their computer shop from their house could more easily pass the savings in overhead onto you.

Now, some of these guys you will call are top notch and some of them aren't. This is where you have to be prepared. Learn something about a computer before you take your computer to a shop. Know something about the problem you are calling about before you call, or take it to someone. That way you don't get ripped off by someone with a skilled tongue. And you won't be fooled by someone who doesn't know what they are doing. Listen to them. Do they sound like they know what they are talking about? Are they just nervous or do they really understand what they are talking about? Ask some questions to help clarify their qualifications. You aren't necessarily looking for the cheapest, you want good work done at a fair price. The person might do cheap work, but maybe his workmanship is cheap too.

There are some companies out there that are charging very large fees for services that don't need to cost as much as they do. Is it really worth $100 to do 30 minutes of work? I have heard of bills of over $80 to do about 15 minutes worth of work. It's not wrong to make a lot of money, but there is a wrong and there is a right way to make money. You don't need to rip off the customer to make money. As a computer help guy, my goal is to charge roughly $25 an hour for my work. I guess it depends on location. $25 an hour is good money in this area.

So, I recommend, if you want a good deal, don't take your computer to a Big Name company. There are skilled guys out there, maybe in your own neighborhood, who would love to do work for you. You get a good deal and they make a good profit.

When this person gets to your house, or you go to theirs.... Does the person know what he is doing? Does he act like he knows what he is doing? Is he nervously poking around the computer in a way that makes you think he doesn't have a clue? This isn't always a sure indicator. Maybe the person just hasn't dealt with people that much because he/she just started this line of work. You could leave them to their work if they seem nervous and come back, then see what progress has been done. Ask the person if they need you to be there during the repair.

Lastly, be prepared to pay a fair price for the work. This isn't a contradiction to the purpose of this article. This is computer repair, this isn't the kid down the street mowing your lawn. If you feel the price is unfair, get an explanation. If it still seems unfair, there is nothing wrong with trying to talk the price down some. But remember, we, as computer help guys do want to make a good living at this, so please try to be fair with us. Computers are something that not everyone is comfortable with. It is a specialized field that requires a good bit of study and practice. And, be courteous, if the person has obviously done too much work for the price he is asking, do them a favor and give them some more money. Feel free to tell them if you don't think they charge enough.