As a technician, it can be a little tricky to step away from the technical details of IT infrastructure and think on a higher level where service to end users is the prime target. Cloud computing is not new, as we know. However, its implementation has been improved over the years. Some people compare this to distributed computing and those who are familiar with network diagrams will compare it to the Internet cloud. Others who have worked with Windows Virtual Servers will consider the cloud age as virtualization.

SaaS

Cloud computing with service in mind brought about SaaS which stands for “Software as a Service” or “Storage as a Service”. In the first scenario, a company will pay a subscription or a monthly or yearly fee to get access to software. This access is either available through a web browser using the https protocol or using a dedicated port through a VPN connection. This software on demand is appealing to those who do not want to deal with getting a server room, purchasing the hardware (servers, cables, cooling, etc.) and ensuring daily backups of their data. The ease of use and eliminating the hassle of the initial setup through cloud computing SaaS is one of the reasons why this offer appeals to many.

An example of this is web hosting. The same principle applies to “Storage as a Service”. It is like buying an external disk drive that is located in a data center and can be access through high speed internet connection. In some companies, the data is stored locally and later synchronized at various intervals during the day or at the end of every business day. The appeal of this approach is that you have a data center that has a backup of your data in case of emergency. A prime example of SaaS is Google Apps, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Window Azure.

Implementing Cloud Computing on an Existing Infrastructure

Depending on your client’s future direction, you can begin to simplify their current infrastructure and move slowly to a more integrated PaaS. If you have ever worked with VMware or Windows Virtual Server, you know how implementation and management can be time consuming. You also know how things can quickly go wrong when the hosting server shuts down and all depending virtual machines grind to a halt. That is one of the reasons why many who want to better manage cost and choose to go down the PaaS (Platform as a Service) route. Most technicians will see this as a mixed blessing.

It might be easy to convince a management team that they can save between 35% and 50% of actual hardware and operating system cost by paying a monthly fee that can be increased depending on the current needs of the company. On the other hand, your client might wonder what will be your role if the bulk of the work is being performed through PaaS cloud. If your current applications are running on major operating systems like Unix, Linux and Windows, you will either have to get the cloud service provider to help with data migration or you can do it yourself depending on your technical skills. Some vendors will offer you Integration as a Service if you lack the skills or the time to do it yourself. Also, depending on your proficiency, don’t forget the consulting route!

With regards to SaaS (Software as a Service), CRM and other Collaboration software are offered to those who want to move away from managing applications and software internally. Google Apps for example has an API (Application Programming Interface) that will allow companies to extend the functionalities of the applications on offer by Google to meet their needs. Some companies who want to move from hosting their own email service use Google’s API to make it easier to port their current email system to the hosted Gmail service. Depending on the programming language you are familiar with, you can access the API through Java, Python or .NET. This provides your company 24/7 access to their email from any location through a web browser. This type of cloud SaaS is also available through Hotmail.

API’s and Cloud Computing Revenue

If you want to make some money by starting your own SaaS offering, there are many ways to achieve that. What most users need is a way to interact with the cloud service they are interested in. Those who are into programming plugins or client interface to solve a problem tend to do well. They are providing as service that others require to make their cloud computing integration seamless. For example, those using the Amazon S3 fox client might want an alternative that is better adapted to their needs. There are Cloudberry and s3Hub but those might not meet the needs of everyone, hence a programmer who can help in that arena can generate a tidy revenue instead of trying to compete with the big guys like IBM, RackSpace, Amazon EC2, Joyent and Salesforce.

Training for Technicians

You may need to upgrade your skills set in order to be able to successfully deal with moving your client’s infrastructure to the cloud. If you are only familiar with Windows Servers and Operating Systems, you will need to learn about virtual machines and Vmware implementations. Some Network Administrators and System Administrators will also have to learn a bit of scripting or programming in order to interact with third party APIs that are needed to get the best out of SaaS providers like Amazon Web Service and Google Apps or Google AppsEngine. There is no need to fret because most of what you already know can be applied. You will only need to know how the cloud provider implements his service.

Also be sure to check out CompTIA’s new “Cloud Essentials” certification as it aims to cover not only technical skills but business strategies, implementation plans, and enterprise adoption.

Cloud Computing – Separating the Hype from Reality

There is an element of hype linked to the marketing surrounding cloud computing (shocking!!). You never hear about failed implementations and how some companies never trust their data in the hands of third parties. What will happen if the provider network goes down and you cannot access your data? Something similar happened a while back with Amazon and it did make a lot of people anxious. Putting all your eggs in one basket can make management easier but it is not the best when things go wrong.

There is no full failure proof cloud system. What some companies do is to start out by putting part of their infrastructure on cloud and see how well it works for them. Cloud computing is obviously not new and it appears to have matured enough for even the doubters to take note. There is money to be made for small tech companies who are astute and attentive to the business needs of their customers.

Further reading on Small Businesses and the Cloud.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. Integrating Cloud Computing in Your Business Model

Personal Learning Networks are more commonly (and formally) referred to in the realm of education. Teachers and instructors have been blogging for years about how to expand their own networking circles through these “ingenious” concoctions known as PLNs, but the concept as a whole is nothing that revolutionary.

A PLN (Personal Learning Network) is a collection of anything you want it to be, really. In the most formal sense, you structure a PLN to build ties with outlets or individuals that can provide information & insight for topics you want to learn more about. Computer repair technicians may go about this in one form or another, but likely have never thought of their outreach as being the framework for a PLN.

In my own adventure to become a better technician and ultimately to make my company FireLogic as great as it can be, I’ve been reaching out to various people and online venues to solidify myself in the computer repair field. Blogs, podcasts, websites, email listserves, social networking circles, newsletters, and much more. A PLN to me may be entirely different for what a PLN may mean to you. Whatever the case, take a moment to evaluate how and where you reach out for assistance. With a few pointers, you could cut your hunt for information down by half or more.

Here’s my best advice when it comes to building your own computer repair PLN:

• Bookmark trustworthy forums that have a strong community following.
  It should go without further saying that one of the best communities to join and participate in is our very own Technibble forums. With over 61,000 members and 31,000 threads being talked about, it’s a melting pot of great information. Any good forum will not only allow you to post your own questions, but will also give you the chance to search through its vast archive of previously answered items.

  The Technibble forums have a vast wealth of such information which is commonly re-answered by subsequent posts because people did not merely search for the content they were looking for. Other great forums for computer repair technicians are the Microsoft MSDN forums and the HardForum.

• Use Google Reader to subscribe to useful RSS feeds of sites you already follow.
  If you haven’t become familiar with Google Reader, it’s probably a good idea to check it out. For the 90%+ of you that already have some form of a Google account, you can piggy back into this free service from Google that subscribes you to the RSS feeds that most professional websites today offer. The concept is simple: congregate all of the important websites you would otherwise check separately every day into one common interface.

  This not only increases your ability to skim for daily information which pertains most to you, but it will also give you the chance to inspect a greater depth of information every day. Because so much time is wasted by trying to visit each site individually, you can instead use this precious time to pick through articles which interest you and can help you become a better technician. Technibble provides its own RSS feed, as well as a number of other sites pertaining to computer repair. My other personal favorites include PCMech, Neowin, Winbeta, and Ars Technica.

• Search out quality podcasts related to computer repair.
  Podcasting isn’t some niche outcast hobby anymore. Plenty of quality, trusted broadcasters are providing insightful content for fellow technicians on a weekly basis. The greatest part is that you can choose to subscribe to these shows directly via iTunes or within Google Reader (which is what I do). This ensures that you will get the latest shows populated in your viewer of choice with ease. The variety of podcasts available cover every kind of topic which technicians may be interested in. I personally recommend the Podnutz series of shows which come out on a near weekly basis.

  The most interesting show they offer is called Podnutz Daily which brings on a different guest (read: computer tech or business owner) every show to discuss recent repair jobs and provide insight on work they are doing. Mike Tech Show is another computer repair podcast which is very informative but geared towards a crowd that is merely interested in the point-A-to-point-B of computer repair. Spot on accurate but a bit dry at times. The list goes on, but you get my point. Radio shows don’t have to be boring anymore.

• Build direct relationships with fellow industry professionals over social networks.
  Google+ and Facebook have more worth than just acting as an outlet to view your friends’ recent favorite meals. They can be extremely powerful means for connecting to fellow technicians. There is no single, concise list of technicians to connect with which makes this part of your PLN likely the most time intensive of them all. But the flipside is just that: the time you spend building out a quality PLN will lead to a direct, positive outlet for which to ask questions and find out solid information on the things you are interested in.

  This may not ring true for everyone, but I am finding Google+ to be a much better venue for PLN building. Perhaps the kind of people I am running into, and the items they are posting, are more conducive towards professional growth. Take your own try at reaching out to fellow techs on each service and see what works for you. Google+ is nice because you can even create a circle for the “technicians” you communicate with, and both view their streams when necessary or post questions to them as a whole when needed. The choices are endless!

While the above avenues are my favorite aspects of a strong PLN, your personal choices don’t have to stop there. Perhaps YouTube channels provide you with quality content. Or the Tumblr pages of some trusted computer techs. Maybe even a few listserves which you dug up on Google. Make use of the best, and get rid of the rest. Use the above simple guidelines for building out your PLN and see what difference it can make in your own experiences in becoming a better computer repair technician and/or business owner.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. How to Build a Computer Repair Personal Learning Network

Here is a typical logfile created by Farbar Service Scanner:

Farbar Service Scanner Version: 18-01-2012 01
Ran by TN(administrator) on 01-02-2012 at 22:49:44
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Service Pack 1 (X64)
Boot Mode: Normal
****************************************************************

File Check:
========
C:\Windows\System32\nsisvc.dll => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\nsiproxy.sys => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\dhcpcore.dll => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\afd.sys => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\tdx.sys => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\tcpip.sys => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\dnsrslvr.dll => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\mpssvc.dll => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\bfe.dll => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mpsdrv.sys => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\SDRSVC.dll => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\vssvc.exe => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\wscsvc.dll => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\wbem\WMIsvc.dll => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\wuaueng.dll => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\qmgr.dll => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\es.dll => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\cryptsvc.dll => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe => MD5 is legit
C:\Windows\System32\rpcss.dll => MD5 is legit
**** End of log ****

Screenshot

Downloads:

Download from BleepingComputer.com – 328kb

Special thanks to forum member dk99 for recommending this one.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. Fabar Service Scanner (FSS.exe) – Identify Internet Connectivity Problems

I have to hang my head though, the cause of this problem was undoubtedly my fault, I made the mistake of not setting boundaries and I needed to get the issue under control. This issue with Client A and other clients have led to the birth of a new phone/email support service for which I now introduce a charge.

Ok, Client A is of course a repeat customer so some of these offenses can be forgiven to a certain extent, but the reality is that accumulated time eventually started amounting to accumulated hours … unbilled hours. Up to this point I never really had any need to charge for phone or email support, so I originally took no action when planning out my business services. It was my thought that introducing charges for phone and email based questions would only serve to put people off (my original goal), but in fact the reality was the complete opposite.

There really was a strong market out there for this sort of service (even for a small business) and having done some market research with my existing client base, most fully intend to make use of it in the future, around 90% of them in fact. The idea that they can contact their tech support guy for the smaller issues as well as the larger type failures seems to be a very appealing thought. “Continued peace of mind.” was one such comment. On deciding that this service needed adding I gave thought to the various ways this could be done.

Phone/Email Support – Basic Business Models

Introducing phone and email support can shift your business model slightly and opens up a couple of approaches.

• Casual Approach
  This is me, I very much take the casual approach to this service and overall do not focus on it as a core offering, more of an additional service to my existing client base. At the end of the day I’m not sat around waiting for the calls and emails to flood in, I’m mostly doing the day job, consulting, and doing call outs at evenings and weekends. Between these I’ll catch up when I’m next at my desk. I receive several items a week and now have the peace of mind that the time is being billed accordingly. I’ve probably lost a couple of clients due to the inclusion of a charge but the trade-off was financially worth it.
• Primary Approach
  Some businesses take the phone and email support as their primary core service by talking the issues through and perhaps moving to full remote session support billing hourly from the moment the call begins. The model can be very profitable and customers benefit from an almost instant support service provided that the caller to technician ratio is kept in check. If there is an onsite requirement then a third party may be called out to service the computer relieving the business of the hands on work.
• Mixed Model
  The mixed model takes on both of the above approaches by introducing a fully manned desk working alongside onsite support techs to provide the full support experience. That way your internal support desk can deal with the small phone/email issues remotely, leaving you or your other support techs to deal with issues needing up close attention. Again we have the issue of needing to staff this model correctly but it offers the most complete support service and is often the goal of many computer support businesses.

Charging for phone and email support

Deciding your rate is your first job and then making the decision on how to implement that rate. This will often depend on the above models as well as your own experiences providing over the phone/email support. Given my Casual Approach and only offering the service to existing clients makes this very easy. I already have a good relationship with the client and I only tend to bill them once they’ve accumulated at least an hours’ worth of phone and email support, then that’s at my normal hourly rate.

• Premium Rate Numbers
  You can of course choose to purchase a premium rate number to avoid having to bill your client directly. Setup and rental costs can often be quite high for small businesses and probably not really an option unless taking the Primary business model approach above. Callers are often unsure about calling premium rate numbers given that unless they have a stop watch, they have absolutely no idea how much they’ve just spent getting help creating that pesky shortcut.
• Prepay Schedule
  Another option which could easily be applied to Primary and Mixed models is the inclusion of a prepay schedule. A way of arranging payment up front, prior to commencing the support service. This was also brought up by Thomas Mulkey in response to my recent Late Fees article as a way of avoiding the use of late fees altogether. Not something that you could easily include in the Casual approach, having paid upfront your client may be expecting a quick response to their query, just something to keep in mind.

Keeping Track on Time Spent

Another important factor is keeping tabs on the time you spend responding to calls and emails. “Easy!” I hear you cry, pen and paper, excel, OneNote, Evernote are great tools for noting down and things like Excel provide a means to work out the charges etc. I did this for a week and got so confused with the stacks of notes I accumulated (throughout several locations) that I decided to look for something specific.

• ZOHO
  For me personally I’m now using Zoho for the Time Tracking service which you can put against my individual customer records, with a handy built in stop watch it allows me to bill the time I spend exactly and invoice it when I’m ready at a click of a button.
• TOGGL
  It started small but Toggl has expanded into a comprehensive set of tools to help you manage, track your time and bill accordingly for projects of any size. Insanely flexible with an extensive array of reporting tools. Time tracking projects can be done via the site, a desktop widget and smart phone apps. Pretty cheap at $5 per month and will integrate with Freshbook, Quickbooks and others.
• GTime
  Another interesting one for those using Google Docs is the GTime tracking tool, a desktop app that records all the data back into a Google Doc Spreadsheet. Simple and east to use, take a look here and see if it works for you.
• Smartphone Apps
  Searching your respective app store will quickly reveal a wealth of tools dedicated to this purpose, having at least one of these tools handy on your iphone, wp7 or android will undoubtedly prove useful when you’re not stuck in front of the PC. If you happen to be on your mobile then your call records will at least provide you with call times for detailed recording at a later date.

So there you have it, charging for phone and email support is really quite easy and you may find that clients love you for it! Just be sure to communicate it well and manage their expectations of the service accordingly, you don’t want to take the casual approach only to be hounded night and day over the phone. On the flip side if you decide to use it as your core support service then be sure you can handle the incoming calls, hold music isn’t a great look for any business. Of course there are plenty of methods and a variety of tools out there to smooth the process over. Zoho is my personal choice but certainly not the only option so please share your tools and ideas with your fellow Technibblers in the comments below.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. Make More Money By Charging For Phone & Email Support

However, adding workers behind your name and expanding a mobile workforce can be difficult without some sort of centralized phone system to handle call routing. The question remained: how do I take advantage of features that only in-house complex phone systems generally provide? I had a shoestring budget, didn’t want to install any complex hardware, and I had a soft-spot for cloud software. To my surprise, Google Voice saved the day.

Pre-planned phone ring schedules

One of the most powerful features that Voice offers mobile computer repair companies is ring schedules for the phones of all your workers. Mind you, this is even useful for a sole tech that doesn’t wish to be bugged with client calls at 1am in the morning. The setup for Voice in this regard is very simple: merely add in all of your techs’ phone numbers that should accept calls from the company number, and then set a custom schedule for each tech depending on when he is supposed to be “on call.”

It works tremendously well and gives you the power to route calls like a traditional company in a non-traditional way. Customers don’t know the different as they believe they are hitting the main company line each time they call, and your techs can be out in the field making money instead of sitting around a stagnant office. A win-win for both sides of the equation.

Unlimited texting to & from client cell phones

If there is one thing customers consistently compliment me on, it is that I am one of the only companies in my area to offer texting to customers. Why is this such a big deal? Think about how our client base is rapidly changing: even soccer moms are texting day in and day out.

Why shouldn’t computer repair companies be forced to keep up with the trends? I think it’s a natural evolution of how we do business, and the post-2010 era has introduced a clear need for offering customers the ability to text in requests. A traditional phone system cannot match this feature in comparison to Google Voice. While I choose not to do so, you can even have all of your techs receiving and sending texts from clients. There is no lack of liability in terms of historical records, as Voice stores all text message history indefinitely in your account.

Contact grouping for call management & routing

Have you ever wanted existing clients to get a different voicemail message from the long, drawn out one your new callers may hear? Google Voice proudly offers this functionality along with a bevy of other options related to contact grouping.

Calling Groups are extremely powerful in Voice as a way to create distinctive routing rules, separate voicemail messages, and also control if particular groups need to have their calls screened before they are answered. This may be useful if, perhaps, you want to tell Voice to allow all known current customers directly through to techs’ phones but new “unknown” callers have to get screened by announcing their name first before the call is answered. It’s a useful way to keep out abusive users that try to hide behind masked telephone numbers.

Voicemails-as-text in your inbox & indefinite historical records

How do we check messages on a traditional phone system? We either have to call in to a mailbox and listen to the message, trying to copy down the details as the user spits them out. Google Voice solved this problem and offers a multitude of options for how you can receive voicemail messages. One of the most useful features of how Voice handles voicemail is by sending you transcriptions over email as well as keeping these messages stored indefinitely inside the online interface.

The emails contain an embedded version of the voicemail which can be played back on the fly, downloaded as an MP3, or forwarded to anyone of your choosing. The online interface offers similar functionality with expanded options on archiving messages, adding notes to voicemails, and also editing the transcriptions manually to correct mistakes.

The golden question everyone always asks me: how much does it cost? Whether or not it will stay this way is anyone’s guess, but for the foreseeable future Google Voice is completely free. There is no restriction on businesses using the system and Google actually encourages it openly. And the features I discussed are merely the ones I employ for my needs; there are dozens of other neat things you can do in Voice such as making calls right on your headset within Gmail, easily searching through your entire call/text/voicemail history through the web interface, and even call blocking former clients or vendors.

My company has greatly benefited from Google Voice, and I think your computer repair business could utilize the service in just as useful of a manner. Feel free to give it a try through either your personal or Apps-powered Google account today. If you currently employ Voice, let us know in the comments area below how it fits your business needs (or doesn’t).

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. How to Leverage Google Voice for Your Computer Repair Business

Once the email has been backed up, MailStore allows you to search in all of the email accounts from a central location within seconds. It allows you to restore the emails back to an email client with one click and migrate emails from one type of mailbox (ie. Gmail) to another type of mailbox (ie. Outlook).

If your personal life or business relies on cloud based email like Gmail, it is important to have an offsite backup since you never know when Google will suspend the account, have an extended outage or have your account hijacked by a hacker.

Screenshots

Downloads

Download from Official Site – 5.91mb

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. MailStore Home – Easy Email Archiving, Backup and Migration

The below interview originally took place on January 18, 2012 and has been edited for grammar and brevity.

Derrick Wlodarz: When were you diagnosed with cerebral palsy?
Kevin Berg: I was about a year old. My parents knew something was wrong before that but the doctors kept telling them that babies develop at different rates.

Derrick: What kind of challenges has the condition placed upon you?
Kevin: Since there is a wide-range of severity in C.P., I can say I have moderately-severe C.P. affecting the clarity of my speech, limb control, etc. In other words, I can’t walk, feed myself, dress myself, groom myself, have trouble talking… I type with a pointer sticking out from my forehead basically. The doctors predicted much worse, though, so I’m grateful!

Derrick: The Seattle Times article went into your unique computer setup at home. Could we get a photo of the setup? Could you describe to us how it works, the parts, software, etc? I’m sure the techies out there are dying to know.
Kevin: Sure, but I’ve simplified things a lot recently. I now do nearly everything from my iPad 2 (bought it last month), though I use my Xoom with 4G if I’m out.

Derrick: Which apps on your tablets get the most usage? Are there any which you would not be able to function without?
Kevin: My primary software/app for remote support is LogMeIn (the paid iPad version just rocks) and I have a whole host of Windows tools I use for support. The utility I can’t live without now is D7! (D7 has made me a LOT of money because of its power!) The “app” I couldn’t live without is TouchAssist built into iOS 5.
Kevin: In case you’re wondering, TouchAssist makes multi-touch gestures possible with one “finger.”

Derrick: What kind of educational background do you have? Did that route in life bring about your desire to work in the computer industry?
Kevin: I have a B.S. in computer science but that’s more the theory behind programming. I found that I hate programming, but I’ve been fixing computers since high school. After I got married, I taught my wife enough about it to be my “hands” for hardware issues and my interpreter for calls. Then I went into business!

Derrick: I’m going to take a short guess that your tenure at N2H2 wasn’t the most appealing?
Kevin: I’ve just always had the knack for problem-solving. Actually, when I WAS a programmer at N2H2, I helped build a search engine, so now I can find answers on Google (when needed) very fast because I can build effective queries.

Derrick: You said you began repairing computers in high school. Did a love for computers come before you had this skill, or afterwards?
Kevin: I would have started fixing them earlier but that is when I got my first real PC…a 286! My first computer was a Commodore 64 when I was 8 and I took right to it. It was just a natural match & passion. I can’t even claim that repairing them is a skill for me but more of an instinct. It is weird.

Derrick: How do you handle onsite service for customers (if you do)?
Kevin: If a location is wheelchair-accessible, I might go, but I often send my wife and guide her over the phone to make the fix. Of course, I’ve found that many of the tasks techs think requires onsite support I can do remotely.

Derrick: Your wife has been quoted as being an integral part of your computer repair process. Would you be able to operate your company today without her assistance?
Kevin: No, at least not immediately, but I also wouldn’t WANT to.
Derrick: Good call Kevin; you two sound like a real great duo!
Kevin: I fix computers because I love it; I charge money to support my family.

Derrick: Where do you see both yourself and your business in 5-10-15 years?
Kevin: There’s a loaded question! My personal 15-year goal is to have no debt whatsoever (including mortgage), a nice retirement fund, and enough investments to be self-insured because I can’t get life insurance anywhere because (don’t ask me why) every carrier puts C.P. in the same class as Stage 4 Cancer.
Kevin: For business, my 15-year goal is to have 25 team members and 10-15 vehicles for onsite work.

Derrick: What do you see as the single biggest change that will affect the computer repair industry in the next 3 years?
Kevin: Contrary to most techs I have met, I think tablets are here to stay and will become peoples’ main device in a couple years. I’m already providing support and advice for them, so I think techs need to start learning the mobile operating systems inside & out.

Derrick: You mentioned to me before the interview that you provide assistance & advice to local techs. Is there anything you can offer to the Technibble community along these lines?
Kevin: It is kind of a case-by-case advice thing. Most of the time it deals with rogue malware & desktop hijackers because I have great success in removing these (even remotely) without reformatting (I hate reformatting). My best advice is using D7 and keeping it updated at least weekly.

Derrick: So if there was one tool you would recommend to every tech out there, it seems as if that would be D7? You have praised it a few times during our interview.
Kevin: Fortunately, D7 is too daunting for non-techies so the average user won’t use it on their own, yet it does 50% of my tune-up process and 90% of my malware removal. It is free and yet I charge flat-fees of $200 for processes that I use it in. You can’t beat that!
Kevin: I AM, however, going to pay for a key so I can brand my copy.

Derrick: One last question Kevin: are there any final words you have for aspiring computer repair technicians who want to follow in your footsteps?
Kevin: Only do it if you’d be doing it for free anyway. That passion will overshadow the amount on your bill, making sure you get repeat clients no matter what you charge them.

Derrick: Kevin, that’s some excellent advice. Thank you for your time today. It really was a pleasure to speak with the man behind the wand!
Kevin: No problem! Haha.

Feel free to reach out to Kevin directly via email at CompuPane[at]CompuPane.net or visit his website at http://www.compupane.net.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. Interview with Computer Repair Inspiration Kevin Berg

A quick jump around the Technibble forums and it won’t be long before you run into topics covering all manner of customer difficulties whether it be late payments, payment refusal or customers delaying payment through excuse of the “dog ate my wallet” variety. These problems of course occur with both residential and business customers alike for various reasons so having some form of deterrent in the form of a Late Fee may be the way to go? Perhaps, but there’s plenty to consider before you start adding charges to your next invoice.

Late Fees

Introducing Late Fees into your business model brings in what I like to call an incentive, “something that incites or tends to incite to action or great effort”, deterrent is another word but it doesn’t sound as nice. Late Fee discussions are often very interesting and I’ve yet to come across any sort of agreed consensus about whether they’re a good idea or whether they play some part in actually losing business. In my experience Late Fees do serve an important purpose in the day to day running of any business especially the service related kind such as computer repair. What will ultimately matter is your approach and implementation of these fees into your working contract or terms and how you apply them to any given situation. Our businesses although similar in regards to our target customer base, have very different business models and have a different approach to such situations. Some of us will hands down refuse the idea whilst others maybe going overkill with the possibility of chasing off repeat business.

So what can lead to late or non payment? This list isn’t complete but gives a general idea of the situation we face and incorporates reasons from both residential and business clients. If you can add to this short list then please use the comments below and I’ll get them added:

• 1. Accidental
  The result of not getting paid upon repair onsite can of course occur by complete accident, it does happen. Customer believed that the money was at hand or the cheque book cannot be located, doesn’t use PayPal etc. This of course isn’t a good reason to get the UNPAID stamp out and most clients will be in such a state of embarrassment that payment will often arrive very quickly. Those few residential clients that do struggle to pay will get 30 days before I start sending out the reminders and even then I go pretty easy to begin with, Derrick makes some good points in his recent invoicing article so do give that a read.
• 2. Bounced Checks!
  The bounced check is an excellent example of how late payment can occur and whilst recieving a check on the day is often a happily accepted form of “on time” payment some (from time to time) are bounded in rubber. Banks being banks won’t ring you the moment a problem arises, they’ll just send you the check back and several working days later, you’ll need to advise your client and make decisions on whether it justifies a late fee. This is perhaps one of the most common issues that occur and more so with regards to residential clients.
• 3. Business Payment Runs
  Some of us have a lot of experience with the payment schedules of businesses, all of which appear to have their own way of doing things. More than once I’ve arranged to pick up a check on the day to find that I’ve been added to the company payment run which occurs every week, two weeks or every month depending on where you go so that’s certainly something to keep in mind and is just one of those things you need to factor in. It’s also worth noting that written checks can fall into this type of scheduling but if you need clarification then I’m sure your client will oblige you with the details.
• 4. Repeat Clients
  Repeat business is often the bread and butter of the average tech repair business and more often than not your clients will know that. Some harbouring that little gold nugget of information will sometimes take small liberties in asking to pay you in a couple of weeks or if they can add it to the next bill. Some will ask when they call and others will pretty much tell you after you’ve completed the work, the latter thankfully being a rare occurrence. These are clients I’ve had for years and on these rare occasions I won’t argue it, especially given the countless hours of work I receive. Of course there are limitations to that kind of gratitude we are businesses after all and will ultimately depend on the value of the work taken place. All being said … no late fees from me unless they turn into a repeat offender.

Are late fees lawful?

To put it simply, yes they are. As business owners we do need some form of protection against unexpected late payments that result in additional costs and there are laws in place in many regions which help govern late fees. In the European Union the following directive (2000/35/EC) is responsible for this and there is a short guide for our EU readers here, other regions should check for similar laws but I suspect they won’t differ greatly. It’s important to note that these laws are in place to protect dealings between businesses and not dealings with private consumers/individuals. That doesn’t mean you can’t charge your residential clients of course, you just need to ensure that late fees are clearly defined within your terms and conditions, that they’re agreed, and that they’re proportionate to the original invoice.

Why use Late Fees?

We’ve already mentioned that Late Fees provide an incentive for our customers to pay on time within any predefined payment rules that you set out in your terms or contract. It’s also very important to remember that Late Fees can also be used to recover any costs that you might incur as result of that late payment. As a basic example, time taken to chase late payment through phone calls, writing letters, putting the check in the bank, car running costs to collect payment etc. is time and money better spent doing other things such as helping another customer or perhaps taking that well-earned break you’ve been promising yourself.

Charging Residential Clients

I’ve seen many small businesses consider the idea of charging residential clients for late payment but often it’s quickly dismissed. For many this is an easy decision and where my business is concerned I will avoid charging any type of Late Fee to my residential clients, I really cannot see the benefit. Doing so has in the past created negative feelings towards me and the business and there is the concern that I might put repeat business at risk. If I’ve incurred a small cost as a result of chasing a payment I’ll happily take it on the chin, it’s usually not excessive. With repeat clients it’s often a simple process in that I know I’ll be back in the near future so I’ll just add it in on to the second bill.

Charging Business Clients

With my business clients I take a slightly different approach in that late fees are implemented within any working contract specifically aimed at medium to large businesses ultimately to act as a deterrent (deterrent sounds better in this context). The contract and terms of payment are always clearly defined before the work starts and I’m quite happy to give a 30 day payment term. When doing business with larger companies it’s often quite easy to be forgotten and typically the payment is a much greater value than what I would normally get from residential work. The sort of money that might have made my business operations struggle in the earlier years had payment not been received on time, hence the need for a deterrent. Add the fact that it’s often hard to chase a business as you battle your way through the reception (automated call lines *shudder*) and finally through several people in the accounts department, implementing a charge may feel more than appropriate in the case of businesses. For the smaller businesses I take the same approach as I do with my residential clients, charging a Late Fee is a sure fire way to not getting invited back and as a small business myself I can understand that a little.

Of course it’s important to keep in mind that every business and every situation is very different and Late Fees will ultimately come down to your discretion in pretty much all cases. My advice would be to ensure that it’s well written into your contract and call on it should you need to recover costs incurred as a result of payment delays and chasing. One particular case that saw me ringing up a business every few days to chase a 6 month old payment resulted in call charges of £30 after being sat on hold constantly, the joke being that after I invoiced them I received a check in the post for the £30 two days later!

Changing Your Terms & Conditions

For existing repeat clients whether they’re residential or business you’ll need to notify them if you change your terms or contract to include Late Fees, randomly surprising your client with a late fee on your next visit will make you appear unprofessional and potentially untrustworthy which is obviously bad for business. Being honest and clear about your changes upfront may generate plenty of questions and perhaps the odd criticism but it’s worth doing it now rather than later when asking for the money.

So How Much Should I Charge?

Provided that the fee is proportionate to the invoice charge there should be no problems, what I mean is that provided you don’t do $60 worth of work and then slap on another $150 you’ll be fine, doing so will quickly result in you being shown the door. Proportionate may mean $5 to some and $10 for others but I recommend that you check your local region laws as they may guide you better when you’re researching yourself, ultimately it’s the common sense approach.

Getting late or non-payment on those rare occasions will more than likely be a small hiccup and won’t require calling out the bailiffs, keep these things in mind as well as the other legitimate reasons that are out there because there are plenty. Aggressive chasing and excessive fees if not handled with care can horribly backfire and can create an evil empire reputation whilst on the other hand having it written and squared away tightly within your terms or contract will protect you should you incur expenses as result. If there’s a need to take it further then your legal advisor will be much happier seeing that your three months late non-paying client has already agreed to pay the late fees.

I hope that this late fee introduction has proved helpful, gives you an idea of what you might expect from using them and whether they fit with you and your business. Perhaps you already implement a Late Fee policy? Does it work well for you or cause you more problems? More interestingly have you used it and how much did you charge?!

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. Thinking of Introducing a Late Fee?

Eraser is a free utility that you can download and use long as you like. There are several stable builds, meaning versions of the software that are entirely or mostly bug free, as well as some more recent beta versions that have added features.

Screenshots

Eraser Settings

Schedule a Task

Schedule Screen Showing Active Task

Downloads

Download from Official Site
More Information

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. Eraser – Secure and Permanent Data Removal

Many specifics about the new Windows are still up in the air, but the underlying technology in the preview build Microsoft released (download your copy here) is a fairly good baseline for what we can expect in the final release. While Windows Vista had a rough patch of false starts, like the then-cancelled WinFS file system, the path to Windows 7 was pretty smooth for Microsoft and we can rest assured that they have learned from their mistakes of shooting for the moon. For what we know, some basic statements can be made about what Windows 8 will truly mean for computer repair technicians worldwide:

New accompanying file system called ReFS

While some reports are claiming that this new bigger brother of NTFS will be for the server editions of Windows 8 only, the fact that users have been able to dig up traces of ReFS in the newest leaked developer builds should not be surprising. I’m going to make an educated guess that NTFS will again be the bread and butter of Windows 8 to facilitate co-existence with pre-8 machines. However, the more ReFS rears its head, the larger presumed presence we can see in the Windows 8 ecosystem. Not much is known yet, but ReFS could dynamically change the way that larger hard disks are handled in the new OS, even possibly on the client level.

Windows 8 starts so fast, Microsoft has removed the boot screen

I know Microsoft has promised super fast boot times in the past, but they seem to be serious with Windows 8. How serious? Have a look at the evidence yourself in the video posted by their development team, shown here. They removed the boot screen entirely as the boot process from a cold state is literally now a mere 3-5 second process after POST. This means that technicians will likely be hearing less complaining from users about slow boot times, which is not necessarily a bad thing! Microsoft claims that even traditional HDDs (not just SSDs) will see the benefits. Any speed improvement we can get is good news for techs and users alike.

Windows 8 may be silly-easy to install & will offer Web delivery

Windows Vista took the install process and simplified it. Windows 7 capitalized even further. Windows 8 seems to be taking it to a whole new level. Computer techs should know that one of the biggest changes to Windows 8 will now be an option for web-delivery of the installer. That’s right – the same manner in which Apple deliver Tiger is similar to what Microsoft is planning for Windows 8. Rest assured, traditional DVD installs will still be available. In a blog post, Windows 8 developers claim that the new install process results in 82% fewer clicks compared to Windows 7. Another key feature is the new capability to perform an in-place clean installation while keeping a user’s personal files – without having to backup the files externally. It’s a radical new approach to clean installing Windows which should be very useful for technicians looking to “nuke & load” over a virus-infested system.

A new streamlined Task Manager will be present

Task Manager has always been a technician’s go-to tool for process hunting and memory utilization inspection, among other things. Windows 8 attempts to take the Task Manager and simplify it for the average user to the point where it could be mistaken for a traditional Control Panel applet. Have a look at the new proposed interface for yourself. Hardcore technicians may find the new interface a bit demeaning, but average users will probably love it. I wouldn’t be surprised if the interface will allow you to revert back to “classic” mode for more technical inspection of the items we take for granted as techs.

USB 3.0 support to be included from the ground up

We all know that even Windows 7 is sometimes wonky when it comes to USB 3.0 devices. Most computers that offer USB 3.0 support need custom drivers installed which help interface the bus to the operating system. Windows 8 seems to have capitalized on the USB 3.0 revolution, and is natively building in support for the interface. Microsoft blogged about the inclusion not too long ago which shows off the speed benefits of including this new specifcation natively, bypassing the need for custom drivers. Let’s hope that USB 3.0 support becomes as standardized as USB 2.0 is today, making it easier for technicians to work with large backup drives and other devices that benefit from the added speed in USB 3.0.

The evolving nature of Windows development is hard to follow with extreme accuracy, but the general topics of interest above should give computer repair technicians a good starting point for getting wet with Windows 8. Familiarize yourself with the forthcoming OS as much as possible because your customers will be depending on you when the software launches later this year or early next. From what we know, Microsoft is focusing on a few key areas with 8: speed, ease of use, and security as a whole. Rumors are pitting the next available beta of Windows 8 at February 2012 so keep your eyes peeled.

Feel free to leave your comments below on thoughts surrounding Windows 8 and what it will mean for the computer repair field.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. What Windows 8 Will Mean for Computer Repair Technicians