Creating New Business by Selling Computers with a Service Contract Package

The worst horror story I have encountered in the business of computer repair was an author who lost two thirds of an unpublished novel. He had not completed a data backup for several months. Most of us can recall similar stories as we are in the business of repairing computers.

Hard drive failures cause despair and frustration for those who fail to regularly backup data. The data recovery process being an expensive operation. This is an area where the computer tech can be of great help.

Why not offer a comprehensive support for business owners? Not just an on-site repair service but also a host of other benefits for those who require a high level of support.

A large percentage of small business owners conduct business over the Internet, making it crucial that computer systems perform optimally and Internet access is available. For example, people working from home may use a computer for several tasks and can’t afford to be out of action for more than a few hours.

When a computer crashes or an upgrade is needed, business owners need to be back in action, pronto! If a virus has infected their system, they need a quick fix. They can not afford to leave their PC at a computer store for several days.

Where do people in business purchase their computers? That is a good question, …but they would probably buy computers from various sources. Why not offer these people a package deal: computers with a high level of support.

This way you can exploit a market niche that is not price sensitive. It means you don’t have to compete on price with the opposition and sell computers on ridiculously low margins. You could guide your customers into buying the right computer complete with a service contract.

You could offer a range of services such as: complete setup of hardware and software, networking, Internet security, virus protection, regular cleaning, software trouble-shooting and training. For the high level of support, you could offer a monthly computer service contract which could work well for both parties.

By paying a monthly fee your customer can budget accordingly and have no problems with big unexpected accounts. Your benefits would be, having a regular income which would compensate for the slack business months. You could schedule routine repair and maintenance in the quiet months.

Quoting prices for computers can be a time consuming exercise. The recommended approach is to have all pricing sorted out in a nice tailored package. This way you can be quick off the mark and make sales with a minimum of hassle.

An important thing to keep in mind is you are usually limited to the number of hours in the day. Do not get side tracked into unproductive tasks.

How to Advertise and Market the Service

So how are you going to market this new slant in your repair business? One way to promote this new opportunity is by signage from your premises. A busy street is an enormous help. Do not despair if you live or work in a quiet environment as a clever message “out front” can work wonders.

It is amazing how word gets around if you do make the effort to promote. If you work from home, no problem, get yourself a real nice pillar type mailbox. Then add a couple of discrete signs like, “Ultimate Small Biz Computer” with a web site address for the details. If you work from a business premises a sandwich board can be an excellent low cost hook.

The message you put on the signage is what counts. As a mobile computer tech, the last thing you want to display is “Computer Repairs” as this will give the wrong message. What you want to do is give people a hook they can follow up.

The way to do this is by displaying an easy to remember URL so they can do the research and find out more about the service you offer. If virus removal is a big part of your business, why not advertise yourself as a "Computer Virus Removal Expert."

Remember the adage, “The more you tell the more you sell”. How many times do you see the “PC Fix” sign displayed with a, “No Fix No Fee” as a sub heading. Your customers want a real solution to their problems …not a trashed computer returned to them.

Selling Computers with an On-site Service Contract

Working in the computer repair industry we are all exposed to computer sales, so why not be geared up to make more sales. By using a proactive approach we can create a repair business and at the same time sell the goods instead of just doing the maintenance.

We are in a position to know the good from the bad hardware so why can’t the customer get the benefits from this knowledge. Having a tech in the district who sells and supports the goods can be of enormous benefit to the local business people.

By offering business customers a complete package, it takes away the hassle of computing.