starting small business
 

hello. i am very knowledgeable in computer repair and problems relating to computers. usually when there is a problem with a person's computer in my town they call me, and usually i charge about $20 an hour. lately i've been thinking about starting this into a small business (i'm employed full time, so this would just be a little evening/weekend thing, little extra side money, you know what im saying?) anyone have any thoughts on this? any advice? thanks

Around here the going rate is $65 an hour for house calls. I tried doing this, but in my area there are to many computer shops in the strip malls to make a go of it. Good luck though.

yeah, the rate around here is $50-80...i figured i could make a little dough if i only charged $20 or $30....

Go for it. It sounds like you are not yet planning to quit your job, so what do you have to loose?

I agree with Sticky, go for it. Doesn't work out? It's still ok because you still have a job and your at least a little richer. Also, to make sure ya don't go crazy make sure to keep at least one weekend to yourself every once and awhile. =)

I feel the best way to advertise is word of mouth. Treat your customers well ( don't talk down to them because they know less ) and teach them something as well. They will tell their neighbor who will tell his family who will tell ...... yeah

Many people have computers, Almost as Many dont know much about them.

thank you for the advice. now i need an idea for a business name....

ugh. me and a friend just tried doing this in Manhattan. We made some signs and posted them all over the neighborhood. We were charging $50.
Then the next day we go to look for our signs and
1) most ripped down from old people that actually go around JUST TO RIP DOWN SIGNS cuz they think they are ugly

2) some OTHER peopel that do home repair ripped OUR signs down and put THEIR signs up! We checked out their prices, they go as high as $80!!!!

3) even after weeks of papering signs, we only got 3, yes THREE phone calls, and 2 of them we think were competitors checking us out.

So, if you already have a customer base, which it sounds like you do, go for it. If you have the time and energy, go for it too. you never know what kind of contacts you can make from going around and meeting people and repairing their PCs. (only good things!) I even read about this guy on another forum that was approached by ADRIANA SAGE to repair her pc. So he went over there and hung out with her all day, and now hes getting invited to all these porno parties and shit. no joke. I should be so lucky.

Pick up some books on the way to do taxes and get business licenses.
You really don't want the IRS coming back to bite you.
An at home business has to be handled carefully.
If you can find an accountent you trust to handle the books even better
Keep good records and don't spend money you don't have to.
Good luck

thanks for the advice everyone. are there any creative minds out there with any ideas for a name? i wanted something along the lines of technojunkie....or something of that sort, but i know technojunkie is a site on the internet..

the best name will tell them exactly what u do so there is no confusion. I used the name "nyc fast pc". some other companies used teh names "the computer guys", etc. u get the idea.

"The Computer Helper"

or

"Computer Fixer-Uper"

*No on ever accused me of being creative* =)

Don't sell your skills short - $20 is waaay too low for an on-call service (get your mind out of the gutters, guys, if you think of anything else).

Sell your service - it's the only thing you provide and sell, and thus, give your clients all the TLC you can. And bill them for it, but treat them like they are the main focus in your life.

On the other side, don't be afraid to cut loose aorund 10% of your established client base every year, and clear out the underperforming (read: annoying and cheap) clients.

If going in with others for a long-term business, spend the $300 to have an attorney draft a partnership agreement and get all the issues out of the way before problems start.

i see
i'm not intending on making this an operation to live off of.....$20/hr maybe a few jobs a week, just a little extra spending money... most computer shops in this area charge $40-50/hr

Go for it. I would love to only have to pay $20/hour for computer help/repairs.

I thought the same thing.. got a call here and there when I was priced 50% less than everyone else. Then I raised my rates to slightly above competitive... and I didn't have any spare time at all.

People are weird... sometimes they equate bargain with lack of experience/skill and low quality.

My advice... negotiate with the people take note of what kind of work you are doing as doing something that everyone can do is fair to charge US$20, but doing something that few can do.. well adjust accordingly. I would never setup a server for that price... too much work and headache for so little money.

I charge lots for businesses, variable for regular people, and sometimes barter for students.

good luck!