Starting out with computers..

[im_caius]

I don't know if this is the right section, I couldn't really find an appropriate sextion really.. feel free to move this thread if its wrong.

I'm looking for advice, I'm 14 and have recently built my first computer... its an $800 AMD X4 Based Gaming computer..
I'm trying to start building and repairing computers, I think I'm quite good at computers.
I Just wanted to know if anyone had any advice on how i can start out.
Thankyou,
Caius

 

[buwish]

Keep practicing and get your name out there. I do the same thing as a side business of sorts and I've found that I've gotten the most business via word of mouth. In other words, if you do good work, people will start recommending you more and more. By keep practicing, I mean keep perfecting your craft by playing with old hardware and staying up to date on the latest hardware.

 

[im_caius]

Thanks heaps
yeah, I enjoy learning about Hardware which is good.. someone I know is trying to get me work at a Community College maintaing their computers.. If i can get that it should be a great start

 

[pawn3d]

Your competition is not going to be too happy about you just busting into the scene, but they'll eventually get over it. You must join forces and become allies. War hurts everyone and makes the entire trade look bad. If you makes friends with your competition, they will send you more business than all your friends and family combined.
From time to time, customers will talk trash about your competitors and tell you how great you are. This is not because you are the pinnacle of awesomeness, it is because clueless customers don't understand our industry. There's probably some guy out there saying something similar about you. So make friends with your competition. (Unless their name is Geek Squad)

Don't try to undercut the market. If people are charging $150 an hr in your city, charge $150 an hr. If they're charging $50. Charge $50.
Pay your damn taxes! They will come for you and make your life hell. They know how to Google better than you and they will find you.

Customers: Take the time to explain every single thing to them. Repeat it to them and make sure they understand.

Find a specialty. Get really good at something like soldering or POS system setups.

 

[shovenose]

yeah im 15 and i fix computers too. i would recommend starting a website, etc, making some business cards (vistaprint.com can provide 250 for free. (well shipping is like $7)...i actually help the it department at my high school, and i sell them parts so i make a tidy amount of money.

if you want free help with making a free website, send me a private message.

 

[Elbereth]

My advice is read, read, read. The best way you can compete against crappy repair services is by building yourself a reputation for good service and know-how. It helps to know how the components actually work, even the physics behind them, since that makes it easier to understand what differences new products implement. Keep yourself well informed, don't believe the first thing you read (read several hardware review sites and blogs).

Build a network slowly: first through friends and relatives and then expand it by advertising and reputation or creating a web site. Friends and relatives are good and bad: they will most likely expect you to do everything for free. This is good at the very beginning, to gain experience, but you should state clearly, at an early stage, that you intend to make a business out of it. Otherwise they will exploit you forever, keep asking you for favours for their friends and demanding special treatment, which is extremely frustrating in the long term. A way to keep them happy is by doing good work and giving them small discounts.

It is good to do some voluntary work at first, since it is great practice, but once you have the chance to take things out of your first circle of friends, relatives and school it's best to move on.

And don't be put off by annoying/rude/misinformed people, because you will encounter TONS of them, and it's not worth sacrificing your effort and enthusiasm. There will always be people that appreciate your great work, and it's those you have to focus on, not the random idiot who yells at you because he/she doesn't know how to exit the screensaver and thinks it's your fault.

I find building computers gratifying, and sort of a craftmanship. I am a physicist, and knowing what's going on in each of those components is great. Each system seems to have a personality of its own, since even with identical components the behaviour is not entirely the same (this can be frustrating sometimes), and everything you build can be a work of art, even if you do it for someone else.

I think you have some great advice from the three posters above, so just my two cents here. I don't work "in the business", but do have some experience (and from a variety of other jobs too), so I hope it helps

By the way, I kind of hate software, so if you do not like it either I'd never offer services past the BIOS, firmware and basic operative system config. After that it can be an absolute NIGHTMARE!