subject: How To Choose A Trustworthy Computer Service Provider Or Technician [print this page] Have you ever wondered how you can recognize youre picking the right computer support company?
Have you ever worried about wasting your hard-earned money on inexperienced technicians and unnecessary parts and equipment purchases?
Have you ever had a tech ever come out to fix your computer only to promptly advise you should purchase a new computer.... from them?!
You probably recognize how essential it is to choose your computer support company wisely and to have an knowledgeable technician supplying service to you so you can get your computer repaired promptly and properly and at a fair price.
Unfortunately, it usually it takes a couple of distasteful experiences with computer support companies and technicians before a person realizes they have been spending more on getting their computer problems resolved than they need to.
Usually, after a person goes through a few uncomfortable experiences, they recognize that the one they ultimately were comfortable with is the supplier that has had the most experience in computer repair service.
I am Bill Arnoldi, owner of FireBall Tech computer support services in Aliso Viejo, California and a past Chief Technology Officer of over 16 years.
Here is some valued info you should know when picking out a tech support service provider. In the next several paragraphs, you will see why.
Early on in my experience, in my 16 years as C.T.O. of a multi-million dollar tech company and as an owner and co-owner of several I.T. companies, I learned that when I hired new employees, I would always get the better employees from those prospects that had a resume of long-term hands-on experience in the tech skill for which I was recruiting. All too often, and nearly without fail, after hiring prospects that were newly or recently out of school with all their certificates and academic degrees, the employees would come either to myself or one of the senior I.T. managers to solve even the most elementary of problems.
The reason this occurred? The employees' lacked knowledge of the fundamental processes and relationships active in computer engineering that enable a person to draw educated conclusions to solve problems. Put plainly, they did not understand how things work. And how could they? They had plenty of book and lab knowledge, plenty of theory, but no real-world practical knowledge. This knowledge can only come from years of experience.
It should be noted that this was not the rule, but was the case in the majority of circumstances. There were definitely the rare gems that persevered so hard to resolve a problem, never giving up, researching, making continual tries, and eventually resolving the problem whilst gleaming that knowledge they needed on the way. But in general, the greatest results we ever measured came from those with a lot of hands-on and field experience.
You might be saying: "Sure, Bill, that's all great, but how does that help me choose a good computer support company or technician for my needs?"
Well, in effect, when you, the consumer, choose a company to supply you with computer support help, you are hiring them just as you would an employee for yourself. And with that in mind, you want to make sure you engage someone with experience to get the job done properly and at a fair price.
One of the most irritating things that I have experienced over my many years in the industry is when the supplier, employee or vendor rapidly decides that the only answer to my problem is to buy new equipment. That's a red flag to me. Not only does that lead me to believe that this person has little or no competence in their technical field, but also that they have an agenda, and that is to get me to purchase stuff from them, to part with my hard-earned money, and what is more, that they do not have my best interest in mind... financially speaking. Sure, sometimes it does make sense to invest in new equipment, but I want to know that doing so is necessary and/or beneficial to me in some way. To speedily form such a decision that cannot by and large be arrived at without first putting forth an effort to properly diagnose and troubleshoot the trouble is trigger-happy. When that attempt is not apparent to me, I am highly suspect of a recommendation to drop money on new equipment, as should any wise person.
This is similar to numerous of the experiences that my own customers have conveyed to me where they likewise have had a service provider race to recommend that they buy new or upgraded equipment. Sometimes, it was discovered, and too often, that the service provider had an interest in selling the new equipment or service either through some commission agreement or revenue sharing agreement. In effect, this motivated the service provider to sell rather than repair equipment, and oftentimes when it was not required.
Try to find a service provider that practices frugalness and works to avoid unneeded expense and waste. Often all an individual can afford is just what they require to get by on. The repair company you select should work with you and your financial needs.
Personality is really crucial as well. After all, in my company, we desire our clients to have a positive experience with our service. Most of our patronage comes from word of mouth recommendation, and we desire that to remain. A company's technicians should be very personable and genuine and demonstrate professional and dependable conduct. If you have ever had an encounter with some companies, especially the big chain ones, then you may have been exposed to a tech that made you feel ignorant or unknowledgeable, or was intimidating to you. Thats unfortunate. Service people are there to provide you with great service, not to pump up their own self-worth by manifesting some form of superiority complex about their accomplished expertise. Look for seasoned and knowledgeable technicians doing their best to help you out and explain things in familiar terminology to help you understand what's going on. Stuff occurs to computers, its just a fact of life. It even occurs to the best technicians in the business and even to me personally. So don't feel bad when it does, and avoid those self-important ego-driven tech people.
Beware of guarantees that in effect say, "If we can't fix it, you don't pay." Here is why. From the consumer's stand point, this sounds like a good way to feel assured that they won't risk paying money for a failed tech call, and for the company, it is a great selling tool, but truth be told, if it were executed at face value, it could mean economic self-destruction for the company. Why do companies make such guarantees if it is going to cost them money? You will most likely need to sign a service agreement. Read the fine print about the gurantee. In general practice, these guarantees require the client to accept any solution that the technician proposes to resolve the trouble, even up to and including requiring them to purchase totally new equipment. And therein lies their "fix", as in the phrase, "If we can't fix it... Get it? Then, if the client declines the fix, the guarantee does not apply. These guarantees look great up front, but is really not even logical to expect it. A company is not going to gamble and risk losing money. Realistically, a person should expect to pay something when a tech comes out or they take a computer in for repair, irrespective of the result. It just should not cost an arm and a leg.
Not every trouble can be fixed as anticipated. The technician really never knows what the extent of the problem is until they are able to get into the equipment and look into the problem. Sometimes the cost of a repair can be more than it is worth to the client. And sometimes, it costs to arrive at that determination. Anticipate to pay a diagnostic or troubleshooting fee in these cases. After all, you were still rendered with service to ensure what needs to be completed to rectify the problem. When choosing a computer repair service provider, make certain to know their fee schedule in these situations. Many support companies will even credit a share or all of the diagnostic charges towards future business or the purchase of new equipment from them if so decided by the client. If they do not provide any sort of fee credit, then the fee should be minimal, usually an amount enough to cover the company's expense of sending a tech out to the client.
Mileage charges are common for on-site computer support..To put it bluntly, time is money and the company needs to collect for not only fuel and vehicle wear and tear, but for the time that the technician is sitting around in traffic. Whether they are being productive or not, in general a company still has to pay their techs based on time. Thus, there are travel or mileage fees. Factor in the mileage or travel fees into the other fees to see what kind of deal you are getting.
Finally, I want to express to you, that you should pick out a company or technician that will empower you with the ability to help keep the problem from occurring once more. If the reason can be learned, the technician should explain what measures, if any, that can be taken to possibly prevent recurrence. Sure, they could take your money for another on-site call for the identical problem at a subsequent date when it repeats, and do that over and over, but that would be unethical and downright reprobate in my judgment. Search for a company or technician willing to help you with an ounce of prevention through some hints so you can save the pound of cure in expense later.
The bottom line is this. When picking out a computer repair company or technician, do a little inquiry. Ask them questions, how long have they been around? What is their background? Google them on the Internet. Look up the names of the principles of the company. Get testimonials from acquaintances or associates. However you do it, just do it before determining on whom to engage.
In conclusion, I hope you heard this information usable in helping you to select a reliable computer repair company or technician. You can likewise find other associated useable computer technology tips at our website at FireBallTech.com. Thanks for reading, Bill Arnoldi
