Need your feedback

[N2CHX]

OK, I've come through a pretty depressing time, mostly because of my job situation. I've given serious thought to starting a business. For those of you who don't know, I've owned an internet cafe and computer store in the past and did OK for the most part. A crappy business partner pretty much killed it. I also invented a broadcast industry product that won an NAB award.

So I'm very, very good at troubleshooting pretty much anything and everything and figuring out how to make things work and learning how things work. It's an ability most don't have, so I've come to find out. I've helped more people with simple things for their phones that they had no clue what to do, right in this store, which is what has given me the idea......

So I've thought about starting a "geek squad" type business where I will come to your home or business and fix whatever problem you have with pretty much anything. I will charge a fee to come out and for the first hour. If I don't have the problem resolved within the first hour I will act as a consultant, recommending a solution, either by me spending more time on it or recommending another service to come in and complete it if it's outside of my expertise.

Thoughts on this? I did a similar thing before when I started my computer business. I used to make house calls. People loved me. I had a lot of repeat customers and referrals.

[NQ6U]

Kelli, I had a consulting business concentrating on Macintosh support through the late Nineties that I operated under pretty much the same parameters. I did well for a while but a combination of the Dot-Com Bust and Apple switching to OS X (fewer problems) put me under. I think that if you stick to Windows you could do all right. Be sure that you inform the potential client that you have a one-hour minimum fee--that is, if you come out and fix the problem in fifteen minutes, they still pay for the full hour--and you have no obligation to sit around and work on all the other stuff they dream up while you're there to just to keep you around until that hour is up. That can really screw you up if you have other clients to see that day.

[N2CHX]

Kelli, I had a consulting business concentrating on Macintosh support through the late Nineties that I operated under pretty much the same parameters. I did well for a while but a combination of the Dot-Com Bust and Apple switching to OS X (fewer problems) put me under. I think that if you stick to Windows you could do all right. Be sure that you inform the potential client that you have a one-hour minimum fee--that is, if you come out and fix the problem in fifteen minutes, they still pay for the full hour--and you have no obligation to sit around and work on all the other stuff they dream up while you're there to just to keep you around until that hour is up. That can really screw you up if you have other clients to see that day.

Thanks for the response. Yep, that's what I would do, all of it. Pretty much it would cater to people with a little money to burn -- we have a lot of people like that where I live -- I would charge only for my time and would pick up whatever parts are needed and charge them cost. People who are busy making money don't have time to run around finding a replacement DVD-ROM drive, installing it and whatever, and they probably don't want their computer to be in a shop for days on end. I would solve both of those problems.

[NQ6U]

I would charge only for my time and would pick up whatever parts are needed and charge them cost. People who are busy making money don't have time to run around finding a replacement DVD-ROM drive, installing it and whatever, and they probably don't want their computer to be in a shop for days on end. I would solve both of those problems.

What I did was charge for 30 minutes at my hourly rate for the time spent rounding up parts, then sell those parts at whatever I paid for them. It usually worked out fairly and sometimes I even came out ahead. That way I didn't have to deal with sales taxes, a resale license or any of that BS. The ironically-titled California State Board of Equalization is an entity one does not wish to deal with if it can be avoided.

[N2CHX]

What I did was charge for 30 minutes at my hourly rate for the time spent rounding up parts, then sell those parts at whatever I paid for them. It usually worked out fairly and sometimes I even came out ahead. That way I didn't have to deal with sales taxes, a resale license or any of that BS. The ironically-titled California State Board of Equalization is an entity one does not wish to deal with if it can be avoided.

LOL, you and I are on the same page. That is EXACTLY why I figure I'd just charge the parts at cost. NY is a bitch when it comes to sales tax and until such time as I get big enough to really worry about it, I'd rather avoid the quarterly tax nightmare and everything that comes with it.

[ka8ncr]

If I was starving, I'd consider going to people's homes and working on their computers. But otherwise, I would consider that an absolute last resort.

Doing the same for businesses is a different matter entirely. And given the state of the economy, I think there's a lot of opportunity to get a dozen clients that could provide a decent basis for a business.

What was your broadcast product? If you can come up with things to reduce bodies in broadcasting, there's a huge business opportunity there.

[N2CHX]

If I was starving, I'd consider going to people's homes and working on their computers. But otherwise, I would consider that an absolute last resort.

Doing the same for businesses is a different matter entirely. And given the state of the economy, I think there's a lot of opportunity to get a dozen clients that could provide a decent basis for a business.

What was your broadcast product? If you can come up with things to reduce bodies in broadcasting, there's a huge business opportunity there.

Well, it's damn close to that. I don't mind doing housecalls. I've done it before. Of course that was years ago and things have .... changed since then but still...

My product was a silence sensor/alarm/monitoring and music on hold system that could accommodate up to an 8 station market cluster.

[N8YX]

The Geek Squad already has that end of the computer support landscape pretty much sewn up.

Now identify something they don't offer but is within your skill set...

[N2CHX]

The Geek Squad already has that end of the computer support landscape pretty much sewn up.

Now identify something they don't offer but is within your skill set...

Not around here they don't. People around here are big on supporting local businesses. Where I live we have a pretty good size population and no decent computer shops or people who work on them. Geek Squad exists here too but you rarely see them. I think they have two whole vehicles for the entire city of Buffalo.

[N2CHX]

One thing I will do that others won't though is offer my expertise with something other than computers. Anything electronic, basically.

[N8YX]

One thing I will do that others won't though is offer my expertise with something other than computers. Anything electronic, basically.
Set hard-and-fast rules about service and parts costs up-front. I would look into establishing minimum valuation thresholds for rendered tech services. No one is going to pay you $50 to fix a $25 digital clock...or so they'll say AFTER you have completed the repairs and paid for the parts. :wall:

[N2CHX]

Set hard-and-fast rules about service and parts costs up-front. I would look into establishing minimum valuation thresholds for rendered tech services. No one is going to pay you $50 to fix a $25 digital clock...or so they'll say AFTER you have completed the repairs and paid for the parts. :wall:

Good advice. I don't know if I'm going to be fixing digital clocks. Educating people, yes. People often buy things or get as gifts things they have no clue how to install or use. If you want to learn how to use such and such or want something hooked up and working correctly, I will do that. I probably won't be fixing digital clocks. But yeah, all costs are stated up-front.

[W5GA]

A quesion to ask yourself about component level repairs of consumer electronics....why do you think there are no more TV repair shops?

[N2CHX]

A quesion to ask yourself about component level repairs of consumer electronics....why do you think there are no more TV repair shops?

I wasn't planning on doing component level repair of consumer devices. This would be closer to consulting and tutoring than anything else. And as an aside, there are two TV repair shops in Buffalo. D's father owned one for over twenty years (I now own all of his old test gear and parts) and my MIL's brother works for both of the ones that are left. He actually repairs TV's. Yes, still.

[ka8ncr]

A quesion to ask yourself about component level repairs of consumer electronics....why do you think there are no more TV repair shops?

That's exactly why in four months, I'll have earned another degree in a field that is far removed from any component level repair. Over the past 10 years, become pretty much a glorified board swapper and receiving clerk. You don't need to pay a lot of money for that!

[ka8ncr]

Well, it's damn close to that. I don't mind doing housecalls. I've done it before. Of course that was years ago and things have .... changed since then but still...

My product was a silence sensor/alarm/monitoring and music on hold system that could accommodate up to an 8 station market cluster.

You're no longer wrangling RF in the 550 to 1700 KHz range? I thought you loved that sort of stuff.

[N2CHX]

You're no longer wrangling RF in the 550 to 1700 KHz range? I thought you loved that sort of stuff.

I do, but my (former) boss was a dickhead and I finally got out. That was February. No more 11PM drunken phone calls from my boss about stupid shit, and no more remote controls calling me at all hours.

[N5RLR]

Write a book.

No, I'm not being facetious, here. Something on basic computer repair, upgrades or maintenance; maybe something radio-related; perhaps something along the lines of your other interests.

Self-publishing [click] (http://www.google.com/search?q=%22self-publishing%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) may be the ticket. :)

[KC2UGV]

You seem like you've got an idea. A firm I worked for pretty much fixed anything to do with computers (Akin to what you are proposing). Don't quit the day job first, though. Build clients, then quit.

Also, hustling websites for small businesses. Seems to work well enough for me, to fill the lulls in between consulting work.

Or, start an Absinthe Bar... :)

[ab3lw]

There is a need for things like teaching elderly folks how to operate a fios remote. Hit the wrong button and most ppl get lost.(overcomplicated). In one case i programmed a basic remote to only have CH +/-, VOL +/- and power. Most of them only want simplicity.
And then theres all the things that can be repaired by replacing the wall-warts. Most of the time these are the culprit.
Many times the problem is operator error, All some ppl need is a good teacher.