I do a repair service but only get jobs through word of mouth. If they want me to fix there pc etc, they bring it to my house. I would never advise to do home visits (more pressure and nothing worse than having someone over your shoulder asking questions every 2 minutes). I could advertise and I know ill get the work. I would rather just keep it as is I reckon my prices are fair, generally 30 for a pc or laptop, same for an iphone screen or ipod screen.
What got to me was the total ineptitude of people to understand even the simplest concepts about looking after their computers, taking time to find how the OS works, about making the best use of software by setting it up properly, about being careful on the net, about taking things slowly at first and learning step by step, and keeping notes, doing backups.
The amount of totally unnecessary fixes I was having to do which were completely avoidable if only a modicum of common sense had been applied. When I was listening to someone relating how the problem came about, and I'm thinking, 'this person is an idiot'. Then I'm forced to be polite and smile, nod my head and say don't worry, soon have it fixed. It wears you down after a while.
There was one old guy who kept on having problem after problem, sometimes the same problem over and over, all really basic errors, and I couldn't figure out how he was able to create the problems in the first place. His way of thinking was just completely alien to me.
The status bar was one example. He'd managed to grab the bar and move it to the side, then he couldn't remember how he'd done it. It took me a short while before I could understand what he was talking about when he phoned, 'cause he didn't know the status bar was the status bar, and he didn't even know that it could be moved. I tried to explain over the phone, but got nowhere, so went round and put it back, and showed him what had happened.
A couple of weeks later and he phones me and says he's got this big box covering half the screen and he can't click on his desktop icons and it's nothing he's done, it was just like that when it came on. I go round and it's the status bar again, except this time he's managed to drag the bar half way up the screen so it's obliterating some of his desktop icons. I say to him that he must have done it and show him, and he totally denies it and gets cross with me and says I don't know what I'm talking about.
Well I won't ramble on or I'll be here all night, OP. If you have the patience and the skill, then it's a good idea to do what max99 said and test your knowledge and problem solving techniques for friends and family, working on your own. You'll need plenty of diplomacy as well, and getting used to that unnerving feeling of your every move being watched and scrutinised. And you better get used to all the daft questions you'll be asked and the blank looks, and the excuses and lies.
Bit harsh if you ask me. And "status bar"? And it's the users who are describing things to you incorrectly?
I will clean someone's PC for a custard cream or two. But I mean in the sense of wiping it down with a dishcloth rather than the scan it/reinstall sense.
I did this sort of thing as a student and it can be difficult if the client is not technical enough to offer any useful details on what the problem is so you end up going there with no idea if you can fix it. What I did was offer a 20 minute diagnostic to figure out the problem, and then suggest taking it back to my 'workshop' if it was a real laborious issue (like mass viruses).
Me: There are lots of toolbars here that weren't on the last time I sorted your PC out, have you been installing anything and are you being careful what you click.
Them: Err no, wasn't me guv.
Me: Oh sheeet. Put the kettle on will ya, I'll need a couple of custard creams.
Comments
Bit harsh if you ask me. And "status bar"? And it's the users who are describing things to you incorrectly?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taskbar#Microsoft_Windows
Them: Err no, wasn't me guv.
Me: Oh sheeet. Put the kettle on will ya, I'll need a couple of custard creams.