In-home computer repair
I’ve been thinking a lot about what people’s expectations of the computer repair industry since watching a recent CBC “undercover investigation.” The premise was a TV new producer had 10 different technicians from various chains come to a private home to diagnose and hopefully repair a broken computer and the visit of each tech was filmed. Of course, the computer had been expertly sabotaged by some “highly respected” computer professionals and professors at the local university who proceeded to claim that the problem would cost $25 to fix. Now the actions of one of the techs was outright deplorable, the other nine techs seemed to preform reasonable troubleshooting techniques. While the reporter and her band of pros back at the university find fault in the performance of the 7 of the 10 techs, the majority of their critiques are based on their unrealistic expectations.
What you need to know before calling for in-home repair
- What is it going to cost? Does the provider charge a flat-fee or is it hourly? Is there a charge for travel? In the CBC investigation, the “customer” is continually shocked when presented with the bill. The charges were between $60-$120 for labor which is well within the norm for this type of service. Ask about the charges BEFORE you schedule the service!
- If your technician works for a company that sells hardware or software, they will most likely attempt to “up sell” a hardware or software upgrade. This is how they make money.
- At the same time, it may very well be cheaper to replace a computer than to pay an hourly fee + parts to repair your 6 year old PC. I have made this recommendation several times with an clear conscience. I’d rather a customer spend $500-600 dollars replacing an old machine than pay me for 2-3 hours (at $125/hr) to get another six months of use out of a machine. In the long run it will be cheaper to replace than repair.
- Think about why in-home repair costs what it does. While most PC techs enjoy what they do, this is not charity and the businesses have to make money or they would not exist. With travel time between sites and other overhead, from my experience it is difficult to have more than 3-4 visits in a single day. Plus, when scheduling appointments, you have to give a cushion in case a job runs longer than anticipated. How much would car mechanic charge for servicing your car in your garage?
Most of the folks that are in the computer repair business are not out to gouge you but you need to have realistic expectations and ask questions before getting started!