Responsbility & Pride in the Computer Business

If you started working with computers doing jobs for a family friends and then eventually turned it into a fully fledged computer business one big thing will change; you are the end of the road when something goes wrong. Back when you were working on family friends computers and you came across a problem that you didn’t know how to fix then it should be no big deal, they were probably very pleased that you took the time to attempt it anyway. If you are doing a repair for a business who are paying for your time to bet there, then you are “on the hook”.

When you start your own business and you make a mistake, you cant call the boss to come in and fix it like a McDonalds employee. Its your responsibility and you need to do something about it.
When I go onsite to a job and find the problem is something I don’t know how to fix I simply say to my client “I am not sure how to fix it. Ive tried the standard procedures of this, this and this and had no success”. I recommend someone who would be better at fixing it such as a network technician for networking problems and tell them how to find them. I then leave the location and don’t charge them for anything.
Its nothing to be ashamed about if there is something you cant fix, after nearly 6 years of working in this business it happens to me every now and then.

If I have a computer in my workshop then I can handle such a problem a little better. If it is a hardware problem I tell the client “this computer is having hardware issues that I don’t currently have the answer to. However I can find out and get it back to you in about 24 hours”. I then forward it to a local computer store who specialize in hardware who have been in this business for about 20 years and have seen it all. If the hardware problem is something that I caused or should have known then I eat their costs out of my own profits, if its something weird and I couldn’t have anticipated it then I inform my client that it will cost $XX more to get it fixed. This arrangement works out ideal for me because the computer store never get to know who my client is (so there is no threat of them stealing them from me), and my client is usually happy because their computer was fixed.

For those beginners out there, don’t be discouraged because you couldn’t fix something, it happens. However, eat your pride and either leave it and don’t charge, or find someone who can fix it. If it does end up getting fixed, hopefully they will call you again with something you know how to fix.