I started a small computer repair service in my area and well as I was looking through my competitors cost on how much they charge to fix your PC it is like $85/hour and $25 just to tell what it is wrong with it. This is crazy or am I?

I am charging over here $35 just to fix it and if I can't fix it they do not pay, so far my group has fixed over 50 PCs and took us all together 2 days and our computer repair line has gone crazy...

Think our prices is too cheap? Or are we good enough?

I would charge $50 since everyone else is charging $85 and people are paying. If you charge $50 you are still the lowest and can make the extra buck.

Just try to find 35 people willing to pay $85
instead of dealing with 85 people paying $35

... err, that is, keep in mind that there are considerable expenses other than the time it takes to look at the systems.

I still find that too expensive for the customer...

I forgot to mention I mean $35 as in just fixing it, no hourly fee.

These people charge $85!!!! and hour....

Ok this is getting a little wack for me, I mean we take about 15-2 hours to fix any PC sometimes we can come in the house fix it in about 3 min and we tell the customer it was too easy there will be no charge, but still some are willing to pay us.

Originally posted by Shiekron
sometimes we can come in the house fix it in about 3 min and we tell the customer it was too easy there will be no charge, but still some are willing to pay us.

Ummmm i dont see this as being a business that will make it.

How do you guys advertise to have gotten so many customers just starting out?

Originally posted by MarcD


Ummmm i dont see this as being a business that will make it.

On the other hand, it may be a business that is more concerned about long-term customer loyalty than short-term financial gain.


a different example -- I use a certain plumber for all the things I need done in the world of plumbing. A couple of weeks ago I called him up and asked him to check out an odd noise the furnace was making. He stops by, makes a couple of adjustments on the furnace, and leaves. He did not charge me because it was "an easy fix."

But he knows that, in a couple of years when I need a new furnace, he will be the one I call.

Originally posted by Mike the newbie
But he knows that, in a couple of years when I need a new furnace, he will be the one I call.

Yes, but is the original poster going to be selling these people new computers in a couple years time? If he described himself as as a computer retailer, I'd agree with you, but he refers to "a small computer repair service", which suggests that he can't use a different venture to capitalize upon the goodwill he gains here.

Originally posted by cperciva


Yes, but is the original poster going to be selling these people new computers in a couple years time? If he described himself as as a computer retailer, I'd agree with you, but he refers to "a small computer repair service", which suggests that he can't use a different venture to capitalize upon the goodwill he gains here. He may not be selling new computers to his current customers in a couple years.
But, he'll be repairing their computers. Along with their friends' and anyone else that asks where to get a computer fixed.
I owned and operated a repair facility for several years using the same principals as the original poster.
Although I never liked the fact that I was so busy that I had to hire people; the big plus was that I never advertised. ;)

Goodwill = Good Advertisement + A Loyal customer base.

Originally posted by cperciva


Yes, but is the original poster going to be selling these people new computers in a couple years time? ...


No, because that is not his business. But he may get future repair business that is worth charging for, and he may build a good word-of-mouth reputation.

And he may also be able to start up some chargeable services, like doing weekly onsite backups for his customers, etc.

Originally posted by Mike the newbie
he may [...] he may [...]. And he may also [...]

Dot-com business plan:
1. Provide a service for free.
2. [magic happens here]
3. Make lots of money!

Personally I'm a bit dubious about founding a business on things which *may* happen.

We dabbled in pc repair for a while and while we still offer it, we do not advertise or even show it anywhere, if asked we will. There are many things involved in it
insurance being a big thing that was $$$$$$$$$$$

i agree a easy fix with no charge will do great for customer loyalty but remember that they will tell others he did it for free and also be hoping each time they call its for free or no money at all

Id try a minum charge make it small like $10.00 dollars or something covers your gas and mileage getting there as well as hourly wages if you are paying someone

Just my thoughts

one thing we did that worked great was bought about 100 64 mb sticks of ram back when it was almost all pc for about 3 bucks a stick got a great deal =)

And offered free ram upgrade with every repair service now that is something that got a lot of jobs not 100 still have a couple sticks laying around but try different advertising methods to try and get business

need to also relize that charging the right price needs to cover bills. For those who charge 85.00 an hour pay rent , salaries and i`m many other things.

$65.00 is the lowest I would go, because you can charge in 1/2 hour increments.


33$ 1/2 hour to install a hardrive is fair, or ram.

If they don`t like it, they can do it themselves.

Originally posted by cperciva
Personally I'm a bit dubious about founding a business on things which *may* happen.


As well you should be.

There is obviously more to a successful business plan than I care to discuss here. But key to any successful business plan is having loyal, long-term customers. And I was commenting upon one tactic for making the strategy a success.

I am sure that you are willing to post many others. :D

But you gotta be careful there. If you drive too far and charge no $ to a total stranger, they might think that you're just naive and become conditioned upon the fact that you give things out for free. Next time they call you they're gonna expect a similar kind of a deal.

Now, if you knew that person at least from past business, then yeah go for it. But not with a total stranger, unless he lives only a block away and the problem was really really easy to fix.

Originally posted by Skeptical
How do you guys advertise to have gotten so many customers just starting out?

Big huge ads in streets, and our favorable H-59 here in Houston with 3 signs on it.
We have a student in HS that passes ads outs to his classmates.

HEB, Kroger, Wal-Mart, K-Mart etc ads about our services.

We only have a team of 7 that does this.