Encouraging Your Clients to Use an Experienced Computer Technician

“I can just call my cousin/nephew/aunt’s boyfriend, he’s good with computers. Why do I need an experienced computer technician to work on my computer? Maybe I’ll just have Uncle Mike look at it…”

If you’re an experienced computer technician, you’ve probably heard something similar one too many times. Maybe their cousin/nephew/aunt’s boyfriend is good with computers, but how much experience do they have? In this digital age, many of us find that computers are essential parts of our daily lives. They’re our international communications tool, our tax preparing tool, our business management tool, not to mention vaults of personal memories stored in digital format. Losing your computer or the data on it is a huge loss, considering all the above factors.

Most don’t realize it until it’s too late, and their cousin/nephew/aunt’s boyfriend has irretrevably destroyed their personal data by accidentally reinstalling the operating system or damaging either the hardware or software components of the machine. How can you convince your customers to make use of the services of a qualified experienced computer technician?

Beware of the Shady Craigslist Ads

Craigslist has gotten a lot of negative publicity lately due to the amount of scammers that abound on it. Yes, it’s useful for some things, and there are reputable computer technicians who have found it a good advertising medium. However, there are disreputable individuals who make use of Craigslist to take advantage of people. Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that wherever free advertising is found, you’ll find those scammers in abundance. This is something you should point out to your potential customers.

Use an Illustration

If your client or potential customer mentions they’ll just find someone on Craigslist, or a relative who is ‘good with computers’, ask them where they would take their new car when it has issues. Would they take it to someone they’ve never met before, or someone who has obvious experience with car repair? Uncle Mike who hasn’t worked seriously on anything later than his old ’83 truck? Yes, there may be a huge difference in cost between the car and the computer, but the point is that if you value something, you’re not likely to let just anyone tinker around with it. If you’re not likely to let just anyone tinker around with your new car and the complex inner workings, why would you let just anyone tinker around with your new computer, which is just as complex and more easily damaged?

The Risk Involved

When advising your clients on choices of computer technicians, keep in mind their circumstances. If it’s a residential user, their computer is most likely their vault of precious memories in the form of pictures, videos, scrawlings, and other art. I still find that many residential users still don’t regularly back up their data, leaving it vulnerable to total loss. Is that something they’re willing to just hand over to anyone without any real experience?

If the client is a business owner, the risk in terms of profit and uptime are even more prominent. Business owners can’t afford to have their machines down for any length of time, and loss of business data and software programs isn’t something to treat lightly. Their customer records and billing information may also be on those machines. Is that something they just want to hand over to just anyone? Once an individual has physical access to a machine, there isn’t much that can’t be accessed, no matter how strong those passwords are. It’s more likely that if they truly understand the risks involved, they’ll opt for the experienced, trusted technician.

It’s Their Decision in the End

They may decide to go ahead and use their cousin/nephew/aunt’s boyfriend anyway. To be blunt, it’s their decision in the end, and you may be the one picking up the pieces later. Perhaps they’ve used this individual before, and while everything went fine last time, it may have just been a simple fix that anyone could have done. The next time, it could be a serious registry problem, or a failing hard drive, and misdiagnosed, and with a failed repair attempt, it could cost them more than the computer was worth in time and money spent on repairs, than if they had actually used the services of the experienced technician in the first place.

Make sure they understand that whatever they choose to do, you’re always just a phone call away if they change their mind at the last minute, or if they suddenly think that the individual they’ve chosen isn’t quite up to the task. If they do, the “I told you so” recrimination should be avoided. There’s no reason to rehash what you told them before. In a worst case scenario, if something did go horribly wrong, they’re already in a bad spot, so don’t rub it in. Everybody learns the hard way sometimes.

The Benefits of Using a Qualified, Experienced Computer Technician

When discussing the decision with your clients, make sure you’re focusing on their benefits, not yours. The main issue at stake is their assets, their memories, their business data, or their livelihood. You would want to avoid statements that make it sound like your only reason for recommending an experienced technician is because you are that experienced technician. Hopefully, they make a wise decision, but you can do your best to inform them of the risks and benefits of using a qualified, experienced computer technician.

Do you have any tips on the topic? Have you had similar experiences? Drop a comment below!