With computers now an integral and commonplace equipment in both businesses and homes, computer repair is one of the fastest growing industries today. Add to that the fact that there are a lot of individuals and even businesses who don’t have the skills, manpower, time or desire to repair or install upgrades in their own computers.
Some of the common services you may want to offer in your computer repair business include:
- Spyware and malware removal
- Virus removal and cleanup
- Windows installation
- Recovering a unbootable computer
- Setting up of hardware and support
- Upgrading and replacing broken hardware
- Repairing Macs (huge demand especially in the residential market)
- Networking, including printer sharing
- Setting up and troubleshooting software
- Training and consulting
Most of those who start a computer repair business start tinkering with computers as a hobby, and find that fixing computers are a challenge that is worth taking. However, in starting this business, you need to consider three important factors:
- willingness to dedicate time and effort to succeed in the business
- capital to jumpstart and run the business
- tools to use for the business
Just like any business, you need to define your target market and determine how to effectively reach them. Some possible target markets include:
- Small business owners, who more often than not do not have a dedicated employee for computer repair needs. Most of small businesses also would rather outsource the repair and maintenance of their computers rather than spend too much time away from their core business to do the repairs needed.
- Home business owners and one person businesses whose computers are extremely essential to the operation of their business
- Retired baby boomers are another important possible target market for this business. Most of the old folks will not drive to town to get their computer fixed. Plus, many of them are not willing or do not have the technical know-how to do even simple fixes or installs.
Some ways to market the business and reach your target market include (for more marketing and advertising ideas, visit PowerHomeBiz.com Marketing and Promoting a Small Business section):
- Direct mail campaign (e.g, check with your local county the list of new businesses)
- Flyers and postcards, including door hangers
- Advertising in print media such as local papers, regional papers, national papers, business and trade magazine
- Advertising in talk radio, including guesting spots talking about computers
- Networking in organizations such as local chamber of commerce, board of trade, associations, community groups, etc.;
- Online presence including creating a presentation website and listing in local online directories and yellow pages
- PR such as writing of press releases announcing your new business
- Establishing yourself as an expert by writing articles for a newspaper/magazine
- Participation, even sponsoring special community events
- Trade shows, association events, meetings, and free seminars.
Part of the process involves knowing your competitors and understanding what will set your business apart from the competition. And you’ll be up against the likes of Geek Squad and Geeks On Call Geek Squad, both of which have reasonably competent technicians and reasonable rates, backed by strong marketing campaigns. It might be useful to consider employment wit such companies first before venturing with your own computer repair business to understand and learn the demands of the business, the systems needed to run the business, get the know how as to who really needs the service and what types of services are most needed.
For additional information, read the following books:
- Computer Repair Business Lessons Learned by Daniel Hand
- How to start and run your own computer repair business by Joe A. Wisinski
- Start Your Own Computer Business: Building a Successful PC Repair and Service Business by Supporting Customers and Managing Money by Morris Rosenthal and Reva Rubenstein
For more business ideas, visit PowerHomeBiz.com Business Ideas for Your Small & Home Business http://www.powerhomebiz.com/BizIdeas/bizideas.htm
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You have shared very informative content for the people who are interested in starting up computer repair business. One of the main service a computer repair business owner to use, computer repair shop POS software, to compete in the fast-paced repair market. It automates all sets of business operations, provides more control over data management, manages inventory, makes a smarter decision and much more. So, it is very helpful for the repair business to grow rapidly.
Your blog is really nice and informative. All tips are very helpful to start a business of computer repairing
Regards
As the people are getting more attracted towards cyber world..computer repair business is setting a new high.Thank you for sharing such useful books for computer repair.
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How to start the business in computer repair please give me good suggestion ?
Looking forward for your reply.
Thanks.
Great article. Great advice.
Your blog is really nice and informative. All tips are very helpful to start a business of computer repairing for those people who are interested in it.
Computer business in repair is easy to start but difficult to carry on,we should have the basic knowledge of all the requirement to know how to deal with all the responsibilities and better servicing required to focas on the future threats of market and all the backbone necessory to support our business.
Great Article. Although marketing a computer repair business is a little bit tricky. And also, there are several other options such as: Should I do computer repair only or computer repair and prevention services?
HELLO,
This post will be help them really to all.wonderful tips.
Really good useful post – thanks.
David.
Great Post – Please Keep It Up!!!
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Wonderful tips! Thanks for dropping by.
Hi Isabel,
Excellent post. Glad I found it, and I believe it’s as relevant today as when you first posted it.
My advice if someone is looking to start their computer repair business by supporting residential customers would be…
Land your first couple of customers by making sure EVERYONE you know knows that you’re open for business and looking for customers to support during the off-hours. Take it seriously and go at it full force. Get 100 quality business cards printed (vistaprint is cheap, easy and makes a quality product) and give them to everyone you can. Don’t post them on bulletin boards or leave them on the bus. Hand two or three of them to each of your friends, family, co-workers (assuming it won’t get you into trouble with your 9-5 if you’re starting out part-time), your neighbors, your mailman, etc., etc.
Let them know about your Computer Support Business (you’re starting a business – give it a name) and if they know anyone that can use some computer help, would they mind passing your card along?
EVERYONE has computer problems at some point and they almost never know who to call. Make sure your business card gets to them and they will know exactly who to call.
Then comes the most important part. After you do a fantastic job for your first couple of customers, make sure to leave them four or five of your cards. Then make them an offer that if they would be so kind to refer you to one of their friends that might need some help, you’ll be glad to give your customer an hour of free service if the referral becomes a paying customer.
Assuming you’ve done a good job for your customer, you’ll be amazed at how fast the calls from new business will start rolling in.
The key is to take this seriously. You’re starting a business… not a hobby. If you take a half-hearted attempt at making it work, you’ll find you’ll get far less than half-hearted results. And that always results in giving up on your dreams.
If you’re serious about this, then get serious about it and make sure everyone knows that you’re the best Computer Consultant in town and that your open for business.
That said…
I’ve been doing computer support for small businesses in New York City for almost 15 years and I would NEVER recommend doing home-user computer repair as a career or primary business. I honestly don’t believe it’s possible to make a sustainable, full-time business doing computer repair exclusively for home users. There’s not nearly enough stability in the workload, you’ll need far too many customers to sustain a full-time salary, there’s too many opportunities for unprofitable work, and the systems you’ll be forced to work on will not be following any standardized formats, upgrades or security procedures.
Plus (and I’m not looking to start a debate on this, but it’s my personal opinion), computers won’t need repair for too much longer. They’re consistently moving towards getting cheaper, more all-inclusive (think ipad), storage is moving to the cloud, storage devices are moving towards solid-state, backup is moving to the cloud, apps are moving to the cloud.
I honestly believe that the days of the pc as we know it are numbered, and their replacements won’t be needing repair nearly often enough to sustain the number of computer repair businesses out there.
I do however, wholeheartedly and sincerely believe that ANYONE with the basic skill-set to be a network administrator for a small business network can easily be successful as an Independent Computer Consultant. If you have these skills and are looking to make a career change, I definitely think you should consider making a go of it.
Despite what the actual desktop might look like, the companies themselves will still need regular maintenance and support to ensure the security and performance of their systems and data. Management of backups, firewalls, anti-virus, anti-spam, communications, installations, upgrades, replacements, repairs, etc. will all continue to exist in the business environment far into the future.
If you follow the basic model of managed support, where you charge business customers a flat-fee for proactive monitoring and remote support, and charge a supplemental fee for occasional on-site work, I firmly believe you could make a full time salary working far fewer than full time hours.
If you offer a maintenance plan where you charge a flat-fee of $149 per server and $49 per workstation per month, plus $125/hr for on-site work (these are the rates I charge in NY – scale your pricing appropriately), you’re looking at a monthly income of about $1389 for each 10-workstation client.
For each client of this size, you should expect to dedicate about 3 hours work per week. That’s about 1.5 hours on-site and an average of 15 min. per day remote work.
Get yourself 4 clients, and you’re looking at a salary of over $66K working around 10 hours a week.
This is the business model I follow, and I highly recommend to anyone I know that has network admin skills.
For someone who’s able to maintain a small business network, I don’t think a better career exists than to be an Independent Computer Consultant. If you’re considering a career change, I think you should consider becoming your own boss. It’s incredibly rewarding, provides a level of job security you can’t get working for someone else, and the earning potential is limitless.
Good luck to anyone looking to give it a go.
-Rob
At Brickyard PC Care, we are dedicated to quick service and fair prices. Our technicians aim to maintain a helpful, polite attitude to ensure that you are satisfied when the job is done. If you live in the Oklahoma City and surrounding areas, we will visit you and solve your computer problems!
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This post will be help them really to all.
Excellent intro. I agree that most should consider "working for others before yourself."
I would add PPC to the suggested advertising methods. Geek Squad might charge "reasonable rates" to some, but it's generally easier to undercut $300 for an on-site diagnostic & repair.