I have pretty much has all the high-tech phones that have every come out. The problem with that is i’ve never used half of the functions that are available on any phone.

Well now that I have the iPhone I decided to change that. Have a good friend who kept telling me to download podcast on my iPhone and listen while i’m driving (spend alot of time on the road). So I finally did it and went to a site called Podnutz . Now apparently the owner has been podcasting for sometime and then took a break but now he is back.

It’s actually pretty enjoyable driving and listening to the podast at the same time as compared to a sports station (my favorite) or someting else. And who knows maybe just maybe i’ll learn something while i’m doing it.

Well thks iPhone for making it easy enough to use, and thanks Podnutz for having a podcast that I find enjoyable.

Dan
Computer Repair Business Lessons Learned

Well I waited and waited and finally got the Dell Mini. Having looked at all the different versions of Mini’s out there it was not that easy of a decision. But, for the purposes I will be using it the Dell fits the bill.

It has the 160 gig hd and also 1 gig of memory, with xp home pre-installed. So far only thing I have done is add a folder with some tech tools and also installed Ubuntu on it. So now it will dual-boot to either XP or Ubuntu.

I really like being able to take it to a customers especially a business when I go to do maintenance as compared to the laptop I use to carry with me. This makes it so much easier.

Hopefully down the road I will find more things to add to the Mini along with more ways to utilize it in the business. But, for the price it was a very good investment and I am pleased.

Dan
Computer Repair Business Lessons Learned

Featured Business
Business: The Computer Guy
Website: http://www.thecomputerguy.bz/
Owner: Patrick Palmer

Patrick Palmer

Family: Married to my wife Becky of 3 years and we have 2 cats, Hershey and Pumpkin.

First Job: The first full time job I had was working as a morning announcer/program director at a local radio station. At the time, it was a pretty neat job, but as time wore on, it got to be a grind. It was tough pretending that I enjoyed the work, so after 17 years and 4 different radio stations, I gave it up and did something else.

What did you want to be when you grew up: I wanted to be a pitcher for the New York Yankees, but looking back, if I would have thought more about it, I would think that being a funeral director would have been a job that I feel I could have done pretty good at.

How did you end up owning your own business: When I was at the radio station in 1995, the owner suggested that I give myself a name and start doing some work for people on the side, since I was doing some of that already. I knocked on a lady’s door and the daughter hollared, “Mom, The Computer Guy’s here.” — so that kind of stuck. After working on commission selling cellphones for 6 years, I decided to go full time and have never looked back.

What is the biggest decision you are wrestling with now: I just opened my storefront on 7/1/09 — lots of people seem to have their hand out. I need to really take a step back around the end of the month and figure out what is really needed as far as advertising, promotions, etc. Right now with the new store, many decisions are being made.

What is one thing you would change about your job: Being local and from here all of my life, I think that a few people in the downtown business community really don’t respect me or what I do. I’d like a bit more respect from a few people in town that lets them know that our town NEEDS this business. A few people need to understand that I don’t HAVE to be in Hampton, I could have located in several other communities but I believe in Hampton and want to be here. Lots of small-town politics, but overall, I really wouldn’t change much.

What do you like most about your job now: I really love helping people and feel that the business will grow because of it. I have a good tech at the store, which gives me the confidence to go on the road for 5 hours a day knowing that everything is handled back there.

What motivates you: I like to think of new ways to promote the business, new things to do with the business. The challenge of the new day motivates me.

What do you do for fun: a big fan of the 3-day weekend. I’m not the kind who leaves on vacation and can be gone for a week at a time. With the new storefront, I think that there will be more time to spend with my wife doing things her — I certainly owe her for the time and patience that she has given me over the past six months through my new venture. Lately, for me, spending a peaceful night at home is fun — without a house full of computers staring me in the face is enjoyable right now.

What do you consider your greatest achievement so far: Last year my business was name “The Best Of The Best” by a North Iowa newspaper, based on votes and other public opinion. That was a big feather in my cap, as I beat out the Geek Squad who had held the title for the past 3 years before that. On a personal level, becoming an Eagle Scout when I was 14 years old and being able to help other scouts achieve the same success that I have had.

The second best advice given to me was by the person who was teaching a small business class at the community college that I was taking. He said, “The fastest way out of business is to cheat the government.” That was probably pretty good advice as well.

**Patrick Palmer is the owner of The Computer Guy in North Central Iowa

I enjoy browsing around Craigslist not only to post our services which i’ve covered in another post but also to read the ads about “services” wanted.

What amazes me is when I see things like this:

“This position is non-paying from the start with the opportunity to grow and gain experience”

So non-paying and???? I get to learn while I grow….Hmmm not very enticing..

“A Web Design firm needs to outsource several graphic design projects.  Looking to pay between 50 and 100 for each”

So you are an actual “Web Design” firm that probably charges $500-$1,000 for a design and you are willing to pay me $50-$100…hmmm don’t see this happening.

“Easy fix needed - Autofeeder top is slightly dislodged and looks like it needs to be slid into the hinge. I’m not willing to pay $125 for this easy repair. Should be an easy $50″

Well is this is an “easy fix” then I assume you are very knowledgeable when it comes to fixing things…Should be no problem I recommend keeping the $50 and doing it yourself.

“Should know Windows XP Pro and Windows 2003 Server. Knowledge of networking, firewalls, Routers and switches is a plus. $20.00 per hour”

XP Pro, Server 2003, Networking, Firewalls, Routers, Switches….For a blazing $20 an hour…Maybe it really was suppose to say $20 per hour for each one that you know.

I recommend to people posting ads to be a bit realistic on your ad. DO NOT run a business and then try to be cheap and embarrass yourself with the postings you are putting. Or better yet, continue to put “cheap” ads for work and then when you are not satisfied with the work  don’t complain.

Here is an example:

Foolish Ad:

“New business needing website. We want flash, sql database, first page of search engines and all the bells and whistles. We acknowledge that this site will generate us thousands upon thousands of dollars over time and that is why we are willing let you learn and use this site for future reference”
Pay: not alot of money

Same Ad But Realistic:

“New business needing website. We want flash, sql database, first page of search engines and all the bells and whistles. We acknowledge that this site will generate us thousands upon thousands of dollars over time and that is why we are willing to pay whatever your rate is in order to obtain our goals.
Pay: $750$100 per hour or flat rate for project

National Association of Computer Repair Business Owners

The National Association of Computer Repair Business Owners is a trade association of Computer Repair Business owners, dedicated to the advancement of the Computer Repair Business through the building of trust and professionalism of its members. Every association member pledges to adhere to the Code’s standards as a condition of admission and continuing membership in the Association.

Membership benefits include partnerned vendors with discounts for their services/products and more. If you own a computer repair business then you owe it to yourself to join the National Association of Computer Repair Business Owners.

www.nacrbo.com

I was recently in the Best Buy in Fredericskburg, VA. What a treat it was seeing the young man in the computer department sell a computer and monitor to an older lady. I would title it “the ultimate upsell”…This guy did not just have one upsell but he had 4 in all.

I found the best one was this:

Best Buy Employee: “Do you know how when you get a new computer it has all those program on it you don’t want?”
Customer: “Yes, I know what you mean”
Best Buy Employee: “Well, we have a service and we will remove all those programs from the computer”
Customer:  “Can’t I just remove them myself?”
Best Buy Employee: “No, that is where people get confused. If you try to go in and just “remove” the program it really
is still there and it will come back”
Customer: “Wow, I did not know that.”
Best Buy Employee: “Of course you didn’t, that is why we have a service to do that for you that way we make sure the
programs are removed completely”
Customer: “How much is that”
Best Buy Employee: “Not all that much, but let me tell you about another service we offer”…..

I stopped listening there. I was amazed that after all these years in the field I have removed probably thousands of programs from computers for customers and not once did they ever call me back and say “Hey the program came back”. I researched this last nite
and can’t find anywhere that explains this dilemma to me.

I’d almost have to give the Best Buy employee an “A” for effort on the up-sell…Unfortunetely I have a problem with selling
things to customers that they don’t need.

As most of you have read about my blogging of “IT Service Profits “mailing”…This is a follow up to that post.

After putting the post I received a few e-mails from Bob Britton the owner of IT Service Profits & Computer Service Profits. Needless to say he was not all to pleased with my perception of his mailing.

After a few e-mails went back and forth we actually talked on the phone about my post and why I posted what I did. I will reiterate that my original post was not “bashing” the product, but the amusement I found in the post card. To me the post card was a form of “MLM” marketing. If you don’t know what that is well….google it.

Next thing I knew I received the “entire” ComputerServiceProfits kit in the mail so I could actually do a legitimate review of the materials and see what I really thought of it. I will tell you now once I received it I did tell Mr. Britton “If I don’t like it, I am going to post again exactly that”…and to my dismay he was fine with that.

So now I have had a chance to “fully” review the entire kit and also talked to Mr. Britton again on a few occasions (first to go over my 20 questions) and then just in general. My newfound look on this product is it’s a “keeper”.

There are a lot of other kits from other companies out there (I’ve seen them) and I know what they consist of. Typically they consist of taking your money and you are done with them. But with the ComputerServiceProfits you are actually getting a well documented, professional kit that is going to only help your business grow.

Being in business for years I am hesitant to believe anyone with their “kits” and the “all-in-one” savior type packages. But, with this package you are getting years of marketing experience wrapped into a package that you can easily implement into your business model and continue to grow.

On top of that you are getting someone like Bob Britton who is genuinely interested/concerned in seeing you be successful (not common in this day and age). Mr. Britton was telling me of other things they plan on doing in the future with the package and what that tells me is they are in this for the long haul. This is not just a get rich quick scheme.

Now here is my “disclaimer” on the ComputerServiceProfits package. If you buy this package and you set it on your shelf and do not implement these ideas it will not work….If you read a section and think to yourself “that can’t work” and then you don’t do it….again…it will not work. But, if you actually take the time and do exactly what is in the package your will have no choice but to see results.

Bottom line…If you want to be successful, if you want to continue to be successful, then get the ComputerServiceProfits package.  It is well worth checking into here

Now I know alot of people will be turned off by this due to their thought process on Craigslist.

I advertise on Craigslist…I’ll say it again…I advertise on Craigslist….

There i’ve said it…And we get jobs off Craigslist. We get network install off Cragislist, we get Contracts off Craigslist.

Craigslist advertising to me is great for a few reasons and the first and foremost reason is it’s “free”…Craigslist get’s millions of visitors a month so I can’t justify not doing advertising on it.

Some say “it’s all cheap advertising”, “people are looking for bargins”, “people won’t pay your rates”…Well I don’t change our rates for Craigslist advertising, it’s the same as any other advertising means we do.

What I bank on is out of the millions of people searching on Craigslist for work to be done that they are actually going to go with a company that is well established, looks professional, and has an establised presence.

So to all those that say “nay to Craigslist”, I say “great…more for me”

Don’t sleep on Craigslist advertising…

Sometimes you have to sit back and think if it’s actually worth the time or money to repair a computer. Alot of things come into play such as the make/model of the computer, how good is it, what is it used for, and finally what’s it worth.

We have alot of computers we work on that have serious issues and it basically comes down to doing the right thing. Do you tell the customer to put “x” amount of dollars into repairing it or are they just better off replacing it.

Really need to get a feel for this and direct the customer in the right direction. Nothing worse then doing a massive repair and shortley thereafter the customer having another problem that is going to entail them putting more money into the computer.

Sometimes it is just better to let the customer know their choices and then lead them in the direction that is best for the customer.

Dan
Computer Repair Business Learned

Added Note: When reading this also read the “new” post about IT Service Profits

Received a postcard in the mail today from a Bob Britton….One of those sending to everyone type of cards. Big letters on the front saying “Give me just 15 mintues….” you know the type.

Found it amusing especially the parts about:

“Do you get pissed off becasue sometimes your emplyees make more than you do….”

and also:

“Now I live the life most dream about”

Very compelling statements that peaked my interest. I’m thinking to myself “wow, living the dream”…how nice…..

So I go to the site get the guarantee I won’t get spammed and that I can download the “free” report. So I bite and I do it. The report comes and it’s about 20+ pages of marketing hype. Then you get to the bottom and it’s actaully offering you a “package” for running your business, it has all the things you will get and their “actual” cost then how much you can save in this massive package.

So all together there are 2 packages and the prices are respectfully $797 or $997…WOW I can save “4,615 on one package and $9,014 on the other package.

To me this sounds too good to be true….So with that mindset I think i’ll pass on this golden opportunity. But if you have nothing to do and want to see how someone is “living the life most dream about” here is the link:
www.itserviceprofits.com

Next week I am going to do my own postcard mailing and my attention
getting is going to be in big letters across the top:

“How to work your A** off in the Computer Repair Industry”

Dan
Computer Repair Business Lessons Learned