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Thread ID: 60485	2005-08-03 07:50:00	Where to from here....	Myth (110)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
377841	2005-08-03 11:57:00	Nobody's asked what would be my first question. Where do you live? (Small town/big town/city? "In the Naki" tells me nothing from here in Otago) And what competition's already there in the computer field? People want to talk to someone face to face about their computer if they can. So if you were in Auckland, they've already got heaps of choice. But if you're somewhere with few options, you've got a good start - and then stand or fall by your service. So how many people offer computer services in your area - and can you beat them with your skills or with your charm or both? Unless you believe that, no point in trying.	Laura (43)
377842	2005-08-03 12:19:00	I wouldn't worry about how much competition is in town, you will sink or swim based on your abilites.While its obviously easier to crack an untapped market you can still get a clientle if you bring something worth having to the market, it will just take longer to hit cruising speed in a well serviced market. Wanganui is saturated in them, I just made sure I had an angle ,for me this consisted of the name and marketing and getting a proffesional looking website online,No one else in Wanganui has a site like mine... My other thing is no bull****ting the customers, Nothing used to get up my goat more then clueless or just arrogant salesman talking utter crap because they think your ignorant. The other thing is don't put your prices too low, there will always be someone cheaper( I know of a couple that charge no call out fee and $10 an hour.....Good for them,they can have that market)...I also know of shops that charge $220 for a format and reload,Good on them as well,their clients come see me the next time...., If what you can do is worth paying for then people will pay for it. This applies to retail as well, in a small market like the Naki your wasting your time trying to match pricespy, the few sales you pick up will earn you nothing and the custiomers will simply go to the cheapest in NZ the next time they make a purchase.(I put $18 on the price of a 200Gb HD the other day and was told I was too expensive,lmao) err....fire me off an email if you want to have a chat....	Metla (12)
377843	2005-08-03 21:29:00	Ok... Thanks Jen :) Pctek - you say most suppliers want a commercial reference... where does a new business get these from? Its like applying for a job lol, a company says we need you to have work experience, yet won't give you any. Any chance I can just find an online supplier and stick with them? Or do they require references as well? Money at this stage is a large problem, however my partner used to help other companys set up by finding them funds, so shes says that problem can be alleviated (hopefully). This money will mainly be used for setting up a credit with a supplier. As far as home life, the partner is prepared and eager to get back out in the job market (means while the business is getting a foothold I also have to be a house Dad :D). Laura - In the Naki .. Naki is short for Taranaki. I live about 20 mins south of New Plymouth, and am intending to be somewhat mobile as well. My intended range is likely to be around Mt Taranaki, stretching no further south than Manaia (family down there). Im sure Hawera is well provded for, and I know Wanganui definately is (besides it getting too far away). The partner has been doing her research on who is operating, what are there areas of 'expertise' (i.e teaching, or retailing, or repair etc), as well as a lot of other things I have no understanding of. She wants it to be sucessful and has put many many hours of research etc in to make sure the idea is viable. Metla - like you I have no intention of bulls**ting the customers, as I see other techs who do it, and get caught out. Another thing I hear is those who have no idea of what they are talking about (example I recently sold my Mandrake to a local (who does a lot of digital image manipulation as his job) over TradeMe. We got to talking, and a company name came up, whose boss [this guy reckoned] doesn't know what the heck he is talking about. One of the current techs there knows her (this guy said) but he wont go back coz of the boss. I am now hearing things like that, as well as seeing for myself (through work experience) what goes on in some places. Work experience also gives you an ear in the pipeline (you hear what so an so tech did to a customer e.g. a former tech pulled out a grafix card with a pair of pliers while the machine was still going). I also remember my days as a computer customer, how daunting it is getting all these tech words thrown at you and you jus t standing there going uh huh (like you knew what they were saying NOT!!) I did a job for one of my customers, they like me because of the fast turnaround and friendly service I gave them. I still ask occassionally if alll is okay with the comp, any probs, you need any advice etc. They say the last time they had the comp fixed, it was away for 3 weeks, for a minor job. I had it back to them in 3 days (would have been sooner but I spent ages trying to find a driver that would work on a particular device for their old mobo). Thanks all for the advice, if you have any more, keep it coming....	Myth (110)
377844	2005-08-03 23:20:00	[QUOTE=Tazz]Ok . . . >> Pctek - you say most suppliers want a commercial reference . . . where does a new business get these from? Yeah, exactly . Well you could start with one, less fussy and then apply to the others one by one using the first ones as a reference . Zcom is easy . . . . However I only buy certain things from them, their Seagates, and used to be modems and NICs although their stocks aren't so great now . Some of the stuff they sell is crap in my opinion . Still Jimmy is always open to suggestions, haha . >>This money will mainly be used for setting up a credit with a supplier . They won't give you a credit account to begin with . Its cash until you've been around for a bit - how long depends on each supplier . You can understand their point - several businesses left suppliers out of pocket when they went under . . . But get some capital behind you and its not a big deal . After all you'll mainly being getting stuff for repairs rather than stocking a shop . . .	pctek (84)
377845	2005-08-03 23:29:00	Nobody's asked what would be my first question. Where do you live? I did actually.	pctek (84)
377846	2005-08-03 23:53:00	hokay . . . . . . . interesting and I wish you luck i've done the same here in cambridge . . . . now there are several pc shops here but I do 'house calls' and travel so I'm in the exact business you will be hopin to break into . commercial suppliers . . . . dont bother initially anyway as someone said it's hard to have all the stock you *may* need on hand I just buy retail from hamilton shops mostly and their markup must be pretty minimal, I do shop around and dont put a lot of markup either on stuff maybe 20% roughly . you said I am also considering starting up a small home-based business doing comp repair, virus removal etc Money at this stage is a large problem, am intending to be somewhat mobile as well[b/] and then someone commented [b]ADVERTISE . Majorly . Which can add up and be quite an initial expense Expect to make stuff all for a while at first And make sure you have plenty of money to keep paying for the business while you make nothing . If you can do that for a decent amount of time, you will eventually get there but it can be difficult if you need income menawhile . Unless partner will support the household? all VERY relevant it'll take you a couple of years most likely to build up enough of a business to be able to pay all the bills and save your partners income . I turned over about $38k last year and probably made just under $20k net . That's not huge at all . I spent $4680 on advertising last year for example, (two papers per week 4cmx2 column advt and small yellow pages advt and local phone book advt) so that adds up . . . you got to put aside your tax money or you'll be in the crap . Then you got to run/maintain a car this all costs quite a bit and at the same time you got to have enuf coming in from your business to pay for the ads/car running costs/parts etc etc . . . . . . . . you'll need quite a few parts just to start off . . . . . . . . dont go charging $10 per hour you'll die in short order you'll need to charge about $40 and maybe a little extra for travelling . parts and tools: you'll need a damn good collection of software including all the windows operating systems . I also carry round a fairly reasonable pc, (amd semperon 2200 384mb ram 40gtb hdd) as my 'work' pc so that I can use it to slave other systems when they need it etc . I'd suggest the following, mostly new, parts: harddrive 80gb sdram 256mb pc133 sdram 64mb or thereabouts pc100 ddr400 ram 256 some dimm modules cdrw drive pci modem pci sound card pci network card pc 4 port usb2 . 0 card isa cards of various types 40pin ide cables 43 pin floppy ide cables 350 watt psu floppy drive jetstream modem double phone adaptor phone extension cord std jack to rj11 cord std network cable crossover network cable parralel cable usb 2 . 0 cable 2m sata cables external modem socket A cpu P3 or celeron cpu older P1 etc cpu slot1 P2 cpu spare monitor multi tester plier set screwdrivers lots of spare screws etc/paperclips ! (yes useful) soldering iron hot glue gun cdr's usb data key software: win95 a/b/c win 98/se winME win2k winXP home/pro hard drive apps/seagate/maxtor etc etc partitioning tools lots of drivers/driver utilities/diagnostic progs plenty of antivirus/spyware tools recovery tools registry tools windoze updates etc on cd audio apps cd apps drive imaging progs . . . . . . . . . . . . PHEW !!! most likely i've not listed some important thingy but that's a pretty good starter for you . . . . . . . . . . . . after all that I can say it's a very satisfyin job travelliin to folks to fix their pcs . . . . . . however it's also a bit different to workin in the backroom of a shop you need REALLY good customer skills and you need to be a pretty reasonable tech too because the customer is usually right there with you so you cant 'muck around' and you need to show you are competant . . . . . . GOOD LUCK . . . . . . . . . well I *think* that's most of it	drcspy (146)
377847	2005-08-04 00:38:00	oh yep and a selection of: case/cpu fans/heatsinks optical mouse keyboards both AT and ATX various adaptors: usb/ps2, usb/parrelel/ also some money in the bank to buy parts you may need for jobs and this can cost quite a bit for example you may need to buy a new cpu, (up to several hundred dollars) or motherboard, I dont 'carry' those items cause you just cant predict what you'll need, and then of course having bought them you'll most likely be paid by cheque so you'll need MORE money 'cleared' and ready to use for the next purchase while you wait for that cheque to clear, a fairly common example i have is that i quite often replace harddrives for various reasons, so you use the one you have on hand then you must buy another one immediately so that you always have one on hand there goes $100 from your account immediately....lol.. ..... the list I"ve typed in above should pretty much cover *most* situations however.	drcspy (146)
377848	2005-08-04 01:53:00	I read with amusement about these people finding a market that has few persons offering the same services as they . . . . . . . . but I feel that's the wrong approach . I worked for a man for 13 years who had a couple of mottos about his very successfull businesses: 1) If my prices aren't the highest in town, please tell me so I can raise them . 2) Let me get a store right next to the largest, flashiest and most cutting-edge business that does the same thing I do; I will get rich on their disastisfied customers and rejects . 3) If you need to shop for services and the things I do, keep on looking; I will not compete with the person who sells his work for less as he surely knows what he is worth . 4) The sweet taste of cheap prices is very soon offset by the bitter taste of poor quality . He passed away a multi-millionaire several times over, and if he were still alive, I'd still be working for him . We seldom had a "slow" day and never wanted for work or money . He treated everyone fair, but not cheaply . He charged for the things he actualy did, not what he didn't do . Returns and come-backs were the first priority . Never fear competition or low prices; you have a responsibility to be in business as long as things you serviced are under warrantee .	SurferJoe46 (51)
377849	2005-08-04 02:19:00	>>commercial suppliers . . . . dont bother initially I just buy retail from hamilton shops mostly Yeah but then you have to depend on them and if there is a fault go through THEIR returns process . parts and tools: you'll need a damn good collection of software including all the windows operating systems . I also carry round a fairly reasonable pc, (amd semperon 2200 384mb ram 40gtb hdd) as my 'work' pc so that I can use it to slave other systems when they need it etc . Bit much carrying an entire PC with you? Major surgery I do at my workshop not at their house . I will if they insist but it will cost them more - cause theres the hassle factor plus time consuming things I'd be stuck twiddling my thimbs while waiting . At the workshop I can be getting on with other work at the same time . I have various spare parts for testing purposes, but not CPUs or MBs - too many variations for that . I don't take the lot with me usually though - you can get a decent idea first from asking about symptoms and take what you think you'll need rather than the lot . My own PC has been known to help out in the testing arena too . Although I hate that so, hence spare parts . . . hot glue gun What?! I don't like that idea - PC Company used to do that . Smacks of cheating . Screw things in tight and tell them not to bounce the PC around in the car . . . Most extremely useful is my USB to IDE drive (with largish HDD) . All my software tools on it, and also can be used to store users data if a format is going to be done . (I take the driver with me for older O/S systems) Oh and a collection of O/S CDs can be handy . Amazing how many people don't keep or lose their CDs - however, I check they have a legit COA or whatever first - I will not assist them with piracy .	pctek (84)
377850	2005-08-04 02:22:00	Hi drcspy.... a full and interesting advice. Five or so years ago I watched my local one-man service agency run himself in to the ground by doing favours, undercharging and so on. There were always two or three moochers hanging around talking to him in the back of the shop. He tried running an internet cafe while he worked. After one of his cheques bounced, (got held up, he said) the Christchurch firm he purchased his supplies from killed his credit. He ran for a while by asking for cash up front, which he then used for the ordered bits and pieces. It all eventually collapsed like a pack of cards. A nice guy, but gone now.	Scouse (83)
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