Questions to ask customers

ohiou_grad_06

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Wow. Where to start. First off, I'll say what a ride this has been so far. Long story short, I lost my IT job a while back. So my wife and I decided maybe it was the right time to start a computer repair business. Been doing it a few months, and you have good weeks and bad weeks. Started from our house, and trying to kick start it.

So here we are a few months in, got the chance to get a store front, there is a small local office supply store right beside the post office, so location is great due to all the traffic in and out of there. The better part is that I am not going to always be able to be there, with starting a part time job, but will be able to check in. The owner is instructing his staff that they can accept equipment for us. We can repair it, bring it back, etc. Price is dirt cheap too.

Here is my trouble. I've been asked aside from my standard waiver form, to make up a list of questions that the office staff can ask customers if I'm not available, that way my assumption is that this form can be taped to the computer as a note, etc.

Of course there are the usual questions like customer's name, address, phone number, email, etc to ask. As well as asking what OS, ram, and symptoms.

However, any other ideas what I should include? Any specific questions I should be asking? I'm not a newbie by the way, been working with computers about 12 years. Just one of those things, it's like in my head when I need it to be if it makes sense. But to sit down and compile a list for someone who may not be as tech savvy as me who will be speaking to my customers is a little daunting. Any ideas folks? Thanks in advance.
 

ckmckee

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Jan 16, 2010
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1) describe the problem and when it started,
2) any recent changes made to the computer,
3) passwords,
4) is pc under warranty?
5) is there anything on the computer that needs to be saved (photos, taxes, music, documents, etc.)?
6) do they have any disks that came with the computer?
7) contact info (name, address, email address, & phone number)
 

kg4icg

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Mar 29, 2006
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2 more questions to the list. Did they have a up to date Virus and Malware program on the system in case of virus infection.
 
First, congrats on the venture, and best of luck. I'm going to stick to "administrative" questions in this post.

If someone else is acting as your "agent" in accepting dropped-off PCs, one of the most important things would be a two-part receipt so that you (actually, your agent) and the customer have an inventory of exactly what separate parts were actually received. EG, monitor, tower, mouse, keyboard, etc with some notation of the make and perhaps model.

Somewhere along the line a part will go missing, and you will need to know whether it was ever recieved by your agent.

Second, assuming your agent is not technically competent, it would be best if the drop off form has a LARGE place where the user can write (or attach) a description of the problem, especially if its a "cold call".

Finally, I'd ask for more than a contact number. I'd ask WHO to contact, HOW to contact them, and when would it be convenient for the "technician" to call in case of questions. The answer might well be "My husband, Tom, between 7PM and 10PM, at this number."
 

dEAne

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Dec 13, 2009
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In line to what was said above you need to state in the waiver that you don't do illegal stuff like installing pirated software or you will be in trouble.
 

ohiou_grad_06

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Good idea on that. Like typcially, if I install software on a customer's pc, it's like Open Office, Avast antivirus, Firefox, cd burner xp, basically stuff they can use for home usage free, and that is freeware/open source. As far as Windows or Office Apps, I use their sticker on the casing, but thanks for the tip.

Update by the way, going good. There is a shop down the road that's been in business a few years, they are already intimidated. Two of their techs came in one day while I was gone(we sublease from another local business), and picked up pricing sheets and started to ask questions about who owns the computer repair business, etc. Made the people who work in the office pretty mad. But the other shop has already cut prices. I'm not however. If someone else asks why are the other people cheaper, I'm just going to say I know my services are worth what I charge. If the other guys aren't confident they can do it, maybe that's why they have a lower price. But long story short, since I've got very little overhead, I can afford to advertise, and things are starting to pick up....hopefully it continues.