When Will You Be Finished With My Computer?

In today’s day and age, people are relying on computers more and more to complete their day to day tasks. In just the last 5 years I have noticed a change in how 30 to 60 year olds use their computers. They used to just use them for light internet browsing and basic email, but now days many of them have stepped up into using them for internet banking, paying bills, running a business and made it so that their lives depend on it.

This is great for computer technicians as it increases our potential client base but adds more pressure for a faster turn around since they rely on their computers so much. While you should always try to get a computer fixed as soon as you can, sometimes its just not possible because you are waiting on a certain part or are battling a tough problem. These clients can start to get anxious while they wait so here is how to deal with them.

Always Keep Them In The Loop

If you are working on a particularly tricky computer problem and cannot give the client an exact date when it will be finished, keep the client “in the loop”. You should call them every day or two and let them know where you are at. I had to do this a month or so ago when I had a computer in my workshop was locking up randomly for no obvious reason (no error log, no heat issues, no ram issues, voltages were good, drivers were up to date etc..) so it took me a few days to hunt down the problem.

You see, clients can build up a situation in their head that makes them anxious when they don’t know what is happening with their computer. In fact, its not always about how long you take, just as long as you don’t keep them wondering.

Is There Something They Specifically Need?

If you are going to take some time with the computer and the client has access to another machine, ask them if there are any files they need in order to go about their business. This was the case with the job I mentioned above so I ended up emailing a certain file to the client. Once they had what they needed they weren’t as stressed about how long the repair took.

You Computer Will Be Ready In..

A huge part of keeping your clients happy while you have their computer is to manage their expectations correctly. If you said that the computer will be ready in 1 day and it has taken 4, obviously they are going to be upset. Your best bet to avoid this is not to quote the “best case scenario” time. If you expect the job to be fairly tricky either add a day or two to the turnaround time or don’t give one at all until you know for certain – “Ill give you a call when I have a better idea of the damage”.

The Loaner

I personally don’t do this but I know many computer technicians who loan a computer to clients while their computer is being repaired. The loaner PC is typically an old laptop with very little resale value. The technicians keep a clean image of the hard drive and reload it every time the computer comes back to clear off any junk the last client may have accumulated. Obviously, if the client has a computer to use while you fix theirs, they be less anxious about the turnaround time.

As I mentioned before, your goal as a computer technician is to always get their computer back to the client as soon as possible. However, by following these tips it will help keep your client happy if you end up having their computer for any extended period.