PC Repair Colorado Springs and the Struggles

March 15, 2024|Computer repair businesses

PC repair is a popular service in Colorado Springs; however, it isn’t without problems. Anywhere from competent computer shops to outrageous computer diagnostic fees, there are struggles in the field. As a computer technician, I am often disappointed by the ethics and honor that my fellow computer geeks exhibit. I have compiled a list of struggles within our community and how to overcome them.

PC Repair Colorado Springs and Competent Computer Repair Shops

There is nothing worse than walking into a computer repair shop that has no idea how to fix your computer. This refers mostly to small independent shops that are not fully trained or educated in the field. It is very rare for larger shops to exhibit this kind of incompetence. Larger computer shops will struggle more with computer technician mistakes on a job, not training. I have spoken to a few smaller computer shops in the hopes that they might shed some light on the matter. Several computer technicians mentioned that they take in a difficult job in the hopes that YouTube videos can help them resolve it. If this doesn’t work, then they will often outsource the work to a larger computer repair shop. This is simply how smaller computer repair shops survive. Unfortunately, YouTube videos can often be wrong or miss crucial steps, causing the computer technician to make a detrimental mistake on a client’s computer.

PC Repair Colorado Springs: “Mom and Pop” Shops

Although this happens frequently, I don’t want to discourage people from doing business with small “mom and pop” shops. Many smaller shops are completely competent and have the necessary skills for computer repairs. In addition, it’s best if you research your computer repair shop and ask questions about repairs. For example, read bad reviews and see if any of them talk about competence. You can also ask questions when you leave a computer at a computer shop. In fact, doing these 2 things can greatly diminish your chances of dealing with incompetence.

PC Repair Colorado Springs and Certified Computer Technicians

Although incompetent computer repair shops exist, there are far more computer technicians who lack training. Computer technicians need to take a test called the A+ Certification. In this test they are questioned about common components of a computer. As a matter of fact, passing this test usually paves the road to becoming a fantastic computer tech. How does this affect you? PC repair by an A+ certified technician usually means that your PC technician is competent and knows the components of a computer. However, if they don’t have the necessary experience to perform a PC repair without help, you may want to reconsider. How can you protect yourself? Make sure that you ask how much experience your computer technician has. A minimum of a year’s experience is needed to fix computers competently. As a matter of fact, I typically ask for the most experienced computer technician. The certifications don’t matter as much because having certifications does not mean that they are good at repairing computers.

PC Repair Colorado Springs and Hourly Fees

Most computer repair shops charge hourly fees for PC repairs. I would not recommend calling around and finding out who has the cheapest hourly fees. Usually cheaper hourly fees can be indicative of “quantity over quality”. This means that they want to do double jobs, rush through them and get paid half the price. This leaves room for dozens of mistakes on a PC repair. It is best to get a computer repair shop who charges reasonably, takes their time and get the job right the first time. Fortunately, there are also PC repair shops that charge by level of difficulty, such as DML Computer Repair. At DML Computer Repair the fees are flat rates, regardless of how long it takes the computer technician to complete. This means that you are not charged extra if a computer tech is very slow on the repair.

PC Repair Colorado Springs and Computer Repair Time Frames

I had a client come into my shop the other day, asking me how many weeks it would take me to diagnose their computer. When I told them that it would only take me 24 hours, they were stunned, since other shops were 2-3 weeks out. I’m not sure why other computer repair shops are taking weeks to diagnose computers. However, I do know why my computer diagnostics are quick. I repair computers in the order they come into the shop. I also diagnose several computers at the same time. Since we do not charge an hourly rate, I am able to do this easily. My methods at my shop are extremely organized and meticulous. DML Computer Repair can service up to 50 jobs in a single day. With most shops only getting 10-20 clients per day, this should not be difficult. Fortunately, you can call computer repair stores and ask about their PC repairs time frame.

PC Repair Colorado Springs and Illegal Activity

It’s a sad reality in our industry that illegal activity still exists in the computer repair business. This can range anywhere from purchasing stolen computers to hacked software. There is no sure way of knowing that a computer shop is engaging in this type of activity but it’s always best to be cautious. If you feel that something is wrong, then it probably is. You should avoid doing business with the PC repair shop immediately.

PC Repair Colorado Springs and Computer Diagnostic Fees

In my opinion, one of the most outrageous things that a PC repair shop can do is charge a diagnostic fee. Most computer stores do this to prevent abuse of free diagnostics. For example, someone will build a computer and make many mistakes. That same person will take their computer for a free diagnosis, which takes 4 hours, and then fix it themselves. I understand that in scenarios such as this one, it’s bad business to constantly give out free diagnostics. What these computer repair companies refuse to see is that services will eventually balance themselves. For every 5 people that get a free diagnosis, 3 of those people will be paying customers. Therefore, it’s not worth charging a diagnostic fee and risking that the client is able to pay for PC repairs.

PC Repair Colorado Springs and How To Protect Yourself

It’s important to protect yourself against all these areas in which computer repair businesses struggle. As mentioned before, you can read negative reviews, ask questions during PC repairs, and ask for the most experienced computer tech. In addition, you can ask about hourly rates and diagnosis fees ahead of time. You should know what kind of company you are dealing with; stand up and speak.