Anyone know about EasyTech Staples pricing?

[kagman]

WOW and I thought Compusa was bad. lol... Then again I feel that Compusa started all this price war crap lol..... Former CompUSA tech here. Big chain stores only care about one thing, how much money they are making. When you care only about the bottom line, then your customers are only a dollar figure.

 

[RegEdit]

Best bet to counter-act the free tune up, is to offer a free, or much lower diagnostic than 69.99... this way when they bring their pc in for what they think is a free tune up, but it really needs a full diagnostic, maybe they'll realize they can get that elsewhere for free or cheap

I offer free tuneup instructions on my web site (defrag, error check, hard drive full?, disc cleanup, virus scan). It saves me time by having THEM do it. Then if their computer is still acting up I tell them that they have more of a problem and probably need to have it worked on. I never could bring myself to charge people for a simple "tune up".

 

[vdub12]

I offer free tuneup instructions on my web site (defrag, error check, hard drive full?, disc cleanup, virus scan). It saves me time by having THEM do it. Then if their computer is still acting up I tell them that they have more of a problem and probably need to have it worked on. I never could bring myself to charge people for a simple "tune up".

When I do a tune up I charge. My tune ups include removing startup items, updates, etc.

My goal in a tune up is to make the computer visibly faster.

 

[Alan22]

I never could bring myself to charge people for a simple "tune up".

I do it all the time.

I've given people instruction on how to do it, even created a "Run Once a Month" folder on their desktop with written instructions and shortcuts to all programs. Mostly it's a complete waste of effort on my part. People still call for the "tune up" and I'm certainly not scheduling service for free. To us it's a simple & easy thing to do, but for some others it can be very intimidating.

 

[NeutronTech]

I also guarantee that I won't try to sell them office products, ink, toner or paper when I do a tune up.

I had to laugh at this. But ya know, this is actually a good selling point. I hate people trying to sell me stuff that I didn't go to the store to buy.

 

[RegEdit]

Yeah I also provide online instructions for removing programs and going into msconfig if they want to go that far.

All too often when I used to do "tune ups" they would have deeper problems like a virus or irreparable registry damage. I hate changing the price on people and I last encountered a customer who wanted to cut corners and do a "tune up" for cheap and he was a pain in the ass. So since then I said ***k this tune up s***! Now I charge a flat $120 to fix any computer basically. I've found that this weeds out the customers who are a pain in the butt.

 

[Xander]

Originally Posted by geeky_jason
I also guarantee that I won't try to sell them office products, ink, toner or paper when I do a tune up.
I had to laugh at this. But ya know, this is actually a good selling point. I hate people trying to sell me stuff that I didn't go to the store to buy.

Which is one thing customers like about me. I decided 9 years ago not to do any sales. This way, if I'm telling the customer they need to replace something, they know I'm not out to make a quick buck.

I've since revised it to no hardware sales but....

 

[vdub12]

Which is one thing customers like about me. I decided 9 years ago not to do any sales. This way, if I'm telling the customer they need to replace something, they know I'm not out to make a quick buck.

I've since revised it to no hardware sales but....

I sell hardware but my customers know that I only charge cost. I don't mark my hardware up. All my money is made in service.

 

[Xander]

Then, Vdub, I hope you're emphasizing that in the store 'cause it's a real selling point.

 

[vdub12]

Then, Vdub, I hope you're emphasizing that in the store 'cause it's a real selling point.

I don't have a store. I am mobile when I need a part I just order it and charge the customer cost.

 

[robb7346]

Well the tune ups go to "billable hours" while the customer isn't charged it show up on the weekly tech sales report @ $29.95. Each store had a goal of 20 tune ups per week. The idea of a free tune up is it gets people in and allows you to scan their computer. Most people are not going to drag in a desktop for a tune up uless they think they are having a problem crashing, freezing, running slow, pop ups etc.. They know they have an issue while they hope the free tune up fixes it usually they either have Malware, running an OS with minnimum req of RAM, jacked up registry, No anti-virus... but they all know they have something wrong. It is a great tool to get customers in for them. Like the cheap oil change at the service center it gets the computer in on the techs bench.

 

[robb7346]

I Talked to my former assistant tech who is now the lead tech for a Staples. Thye now must do all instore virus removals online. So i stopped by to see what the deal was. Essentially the customer gets charged $129 the machine is hooked up to the internet (duh) and a 3rd party runs a bunch of freeware tools such as Mbam, autoruns, hijack this, etc... Takes about 5-7 hours most of the time the 3rd party says there is something wrong with the machine hard drive has bad sectors or not enough ram etc.. if that happens they are told to sell an upgrade to the Backup and System Restore service which is $199.

 

[hardtoremember]

Takes about 5-7 hours most of the time the 3rd party says there is something wrong with the machine hard drive has bad sectors or not enough ram etc.. if that happens they are told to sell an upgrade to the Backup and System Restore service which is $199.

That is absolutely incredible! So the tech's don't actually have to lie now? Just doing what they were told to do... That is straight out theft in my opinion!

 

[kats22]

That is absolutely incredible! So the tech's don't actually have to lie now? Just doing what they were told to do... That is straight out theft in my opinion!

Geek Squad does the same thing. It's called AJU (Agent Jonny Utah). They connect pc's up and use LOGMEIN and a tech from one of the remote repair centers does all the repairs. It does NOT work well most of the time. I was a part of the group that originally tested out this option, and it sucked big time. Too many disconnects, inept technicians, sometimes it would take days for them to finish a simple virus removal.

Adam

 

[ScottM]

Easy Tech Pricing

I used to be the residnt tech at stor 1741 in toms river nj and it was rediculous how we did pricing. If we thought we could charge someone for everything without major complaint then that was the policy. Bob Mullen who is the GM said that we are there to take as much money for as little work as we can. If i didnt see any pop ups from the virus then it was a diagnostic. then i would charge 129 for the removal, then if i had to do a restore i would have to have the customer bring in the disks that come with the ocmputer or have them pay to get it from the manufacturer and then charge then 99 for the restore and if they wanted to save any information it was an additional 99

PS the best part about it was that they had us using Malwarebytes that they got a keygen for off the internet.

 

[NeutronTech]

It just amazes me that they charge so much money for such little service. What is even more amazing is that people actually pay for it. For that kind of money I would expect the world's best tech and a repair while you wait policy. I just don't understand how it can be so hard for small shops to get customers and the big boxes get em in droves and screw them all over. I know it's marketing, but come'on people... research prices and value before hiring a tech company.

 

[Hercomputers]

I had a client here at my full-time job who took his desktop to Staples in East Brunswick, NJ and they wound up charging him for a system restore since his machine was blue screening. Charged him $99 and guess what? They didn't restore anything! I told him to let me check out his machine and the paperwork and they ripped this guy off. When I looked at it, it was still blue screening! (I think I might have shared this on another post when I first joined TN.)

So much for the system restore and Staples! It's crazy that they get away with this BUT most people don't know any better so they take their computers to places like this and instead of getting their issues taken care of, they get ripped off. Money is always first with them.

 

[ScottM]

Absolutely rediculous they have to be breaking some kind of law and if not some kind of safety should be put into place

 

[tech0007]

Staples ?

Thats a red flag right there. Any tech that recommends Norton doesn't know what there doing. Norton is worse then most viruses.

You would be surprised at how much time I spend removing Norton for customers. Even though these same costumers paid for the software they are happy once its gone.

i love this quote i could not agree more.

tech0007

 

[atlanticjim]

I can't understand not charging for a service or teaching someone how to do a service that I charge for.

My car is in the shop today, for a tuneup and an oil change. I have done many tuneups and oil changes in my time but today I don't want to get my hands dirty. I do not expect to get an instruction sheet from the mechanic on how to do my own tune up next time.

I do a fair number of tuneups, I take them in with the caveat that sometimes it may be a virus that is causing the slowdown. No virus = tuneup charge. Virus= tuneup is included in the price.

I often find that machines can HONESTLY benefit from RAM upgrade and suggest that.

I can't understand not charging a markup on hardware.
It is an honest way to do business. Last week I did a wireless router replacement. The original router was ok but they wanted it upgraded. I can get X router for $99 and it lists for $120. I charge $120 plus the installation charge of one hour at my listed rate. I don't care that the client could find out that the router is available for $99 down the street. I have NEVER had a client come back to me with that complaint, and if they did I would just tell them that next time they can purchase it and install it themselves.