How to Pick Out a Reliable Computer Repair Provider or Technician

January 1st, 2011 fireballtechamr 0 Comments

Are you concerned about whether you are finding a trustworthy computer repair service company?

Have you ever stressed about wasting your hard-earned money on inexperienced technicians and unnecessary parts and equipment purchases?

Do you want to hire a technician that will actually try to fix your computer instead of selling you a new one?

You probably recognize how important it is to select your computer support company wisely and to have an experienced technician providing service to you so you can get your computer repaired promptly and properly and at a fair price.

Unfortunately, sometimes people end up going through a few service providers and expend a lot of money before they find a computer repair service provider that they are comfortable with.

Commonly, after a person goes through a few bad experiences, they realize that the one they eventually were comfortable with is the supplier that has had the most experience in computer repair service.

Hi, I’m Bill Arnoldi, founder and proprietor of FireBall Tech computer repair in Tucson, AZ.

I want to share with you some info to assist you in picking the proper company and technician to supply you with your computer support Here is why.

During my 16 year plus career in the computer technology industry, I learned that when I employed new employees, I would always get the best 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 candidates 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 ranking I.T. managers to solve even the most elementary of troubles.

So shy did this occur? The employees’ lacked knowledge of the fundamental processes and relationships active in computer technology that enable a person to draw educated decisions 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 unquestionably the special gems that hung in so hard to figure out a problem, never giving up, exploring, making repeated tries, and ultimately resolving the problem whilst gleaming that knowledge they required along the way. But in general, the optimal results we ever measured came from those with a lot of hands-on and subject 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 service, you are hiring them just as you would an employee for yourself. And with that in mind, you want to make sure you hire someone with experience to get the job done right and at a fair price.

Something that I have experienced over the numerous years I have been in the technology industry is the vendor or supplier, and sometimes the employee that routinely races to the decision that the only solution to the technical trouble is to upgrade or 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 doing so should be beneficial both technically and financially. To quickly 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 questionable of a recommendation to expend money on new equipment, as should any wise individual.

This is similar to some of the experiences that my own customers have conveyed to me where they also have had a service provider rush to advocate that they buy new or upgraded equipment. Sometimes, it was found out, and too frequently, that the service provider had an stake in selling the new equipment or service either through some commission arrangement or revenue sharing arrangement. In effect, this motivated the service provider to sell rather than fix equipment, and oftentimes when it was not needed.

Try to find a service provider that practices frugality and works to avoid unneeded costs and waste. Sometimes all a company can afford is barely what they require to get by on. The repair company you pick out should work with you and your economical requirements.

The personality of the technician you choose is significant as well.. A company’s service personnel should be very personable and sincere and present professional and responsible conduct. If you have ever dealt with some companies, particularly the big chain ones, then you may have experienced a tech that made you feel uneducated or ignorant, or was frustrating to you. Thats regrettable. Technicians are there to provide you with great service, not to inflate their own self-worth by demonstrating some kind of superiority complex about their accomplished expertise. Search for experienced and knowledgeable technicians doing their best to help you out and explain things in everyday terminology to help you understand what’s going on. Stuff occurs to computers, its simply a fact of life. It even happens to the greatest 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 great way to feel assured that they won’t risk paying money for a failed tech call, and for the company, it is a great marketing tool, but truth be stated, if it were executed at face value, it could mean economic self-destruction for the company. Why are those guarantees even provided? Read the fine print in the service agreement. In there it will spell out exactly how the guarantee applies. Generally speaking, such a guarantee means that the customer must accept any solution extended, regardless of the cost, to fix the problem. This may include full replacement of the equipment. If the customer rejects the solution offered, then the guarantee may not apply. That is the loophole for the “fix”. The guarantee looks great on the surface, but it is an unrealistic outlook for the client and of the technician. Let’s get real here. The company cannot afford to run the risk of lost revenues, particularly in a market where competition is high and profits are minimum. If a tech comes out on-site or provides any sort of service at all, expect to pay something, no matter what the outcome. It just shouldn’t be an excessive amount.

Not all technical issues are repaired as easily as we expect. After all, a tech never really knows how bad the trouble is or what the reason is until he can actually get his hands on the equipment and diagnose it. Once he figures out the problem, it may not be worth the expense to fix it. And, it will normally cost to have a tech arrive at that conclusion. A diagnostic and/or troubleshooting fee is standard in these situations.. After all, you were still rendered with service to ensure what is needed to be done to repair the trouble. When choosing a company, make sure to know the fee schedule in these situations. Numerous companies will even credit a portion or all of the diagnostic charges towards future business or the purchase of new equipment from them if so determined by the client. If they do not provide any sort of fee credit, then the fee should be nominal, commonly an amount of money sufficient to address the company’s expense of sending a tech out to the client.

There are almost invariably mileage or travel fees for on-site services..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 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 communicate to you, that you should select a company or technician that will empower you with the ability to help keep the problem from taking place once more. If the cause can be found, the technician should explain what steps, if any, that can be taken to possibly prevent recurrence. Sure, they could take your money for another on-site visit for the identical problem at a subsequent date when it recurs, and do that over and over, but that would be unethical and downright reprobate in my opinion. Search for a company or technician happy 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 knowledge? Google them on the Internet. Look up the names of the principles of the company. Get testimonials from friends or associates. However you do it, just do it before deciding on whom to hire.

In conclusion, I hope you found this information usable in helping you to choose an authentic computer repair company or technician. You can also find other related useful computer technology tips at our website at FireBallTech.com. Thanks for reading, Bill Arnoldi

Find out more on Bill Arnoldi of Fireball Tech Tucson Computer Repair and Core Business Strategies Search Engine Marketing, an IT guru with over 18 years of experience in system design, networking and Online marketing including SEO, SEM, WSO.