Posts Tagged ‘that’
Knowing When to Let Go of Bad Computer Repair Customers
Authors: Derrick Wlodarz
Building an expanding customer base is one of the utmost concerns for any growing or budding computer repair business. My Technibble articles consistently focus on the various ways to harness new business and keep it for the long term. But an unwieldy topic that comes up in every businesses’ lifespan is the quandary of not only knowing how to let go of a bad customer, but just as importantly deciding when exactly is the right time to come to such a conclusion.
Consider this an unofficial extension to the discussion I started in my previous article that targeted the how-to of firing bad customers. This topic is very fresh on my mind because my company FireLogic recently ran across a situation that required me to make the tough decision to cut ties with what was originally an exciting new customer. While I won’t get into specifics, the reasons to drop this relatively new client were getting more and more evident with each day that passed.
From a lack of client-technician trust, to unwarranted and baseless finger pointing, and temper issues that would make Donald Trump look like a saint, I had to put my foot down and call it quits. It’s very hard to say no to potential business with a straight face, but knowing when the time is right to hasten such a decision will save you a lot of aggravation and time on a growing dead-end relationship.
Going off my own experiences with the above, and similar sub-par customers, here are my top pieces of advice when it comes to dropping bad business before it bites your company’s bottom line.
A client’s trust in your services is as important as their ability to pay
If you’re building a business along the lines that you’ll take on ANY customer as long as they can pay, you’re truly setting yourself up for major bumps in the long term. In the example I used above, one of the biggest reasons I cut ties with this unnamed customer is because of the degrading lack of trust that existed on their behalf. Let me clarify – there was almost no trust in my company from the day we stepped in for the first consultation. This customer cited issues with past technicians as the basis for their lack of trust, but I truly think it was the other way around: no techs could service this customer because they were unmanageable in every regard. This should have been my first clear sign of trouble.
Back to the point, however, is that you should approach each new customer with an eye to see how it is that they view your company as soon as you walk through the door. What kind of language is the customer using in discussions about what they are looking for, and what they expect of your company? Is your expertise and professionalism being questioned right out of the gate? Is the customer acting as the true expert, merely utilizing your services for the sake of manpower rather than professional insight? These are all warning signs to a relationship that could end up in disaster, as I very well experienced just a short time ago. A good rapport going two ways is essential to a solid long term relationship between your computer repair business and your customers.
Don’t get caught in an endless blame game, because you can’t win
Another reason why I decided to cut ties with the aforementioned troublesome customer is because my company was being blamed for numerous IT-related issues that we had no hand in. Our services were called in to help resolve a bevy of problems that were festering until our arrival. Even after our best efforts, we still had the lower hand in a vicious blame game that was being led on by an unnamed third party provider which had a longer business relationship with the client than we ever could have had. I rightfully defended my company’s stance on the issues and our decisions on how to resolve them, but a lack of trust further tarnished our ability to stand on a professional footing through this nightmare.
This rule goes pretty simply: if you’re stuck in a blame game war, either you vs customer or in a multi-party scenario, consider it your beacon that an exit path is needed soon. The customer always considers themselves right and will continue to view you in a poor light no matter what truths you may bestow your stance in. It’s a perpetual game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey, and you guessed it – your company is the eternal donkey here.
Profits shouldn’t blind your decisions on who to work with
Just a few weeks back I argued why trimming services that don’t make money is a good idea. One of my main points in the article was that you shouldn’t let short term profits get in the way of good decision making. There definitely is such a thing as great short term money making that leads to horrible long term repeat business. This same model stands true for customers that should ultimately be dropped for a combination of reasons – some of which may look like what I described above.
I sadly looked past my gut feeling in dealing with the above customer because of the short-sighted promise of multiple near term projects and ultimately a fervent promise of long term business. That should have been one of my first clues to trouble ahead: when a customer uses the basis of their potential future usage of your services as to why discounts and/or promised service should be given in the shorter term. These should red flags for any serious discussion with a new customer, especially business clients that are looking to bring your company in for outsourced IT support needs. Getting entrenched too far with such customers places your company in a bad position and makes it ever-so-harder to cut ties down the road.
Just as much as a customer has the right to choose your company over another, you can freely decide on who YOU want to work for too. Don’t be afraid to practice this two-way right.
Hoping that “next visit” will be better is wishful thinking
I was under the misguided impression that once “all this” blew over with the aforementioned customer, we could get off to a better footing and move forward. Time and time again, I was wrong, and felt the relationship spiraling downward on each subsequent visit. In fact, I dreaded waking up on the days that we were scheduled to be onsite at this client’s location – it literally brought out the worst emotion inside. Even our best efforts couldn’t clear the veil of doubt cast upon my company, and my wishing that the situation would improve didn’t end up happening. Instead, we blew through countless hours of free support that couldn’t be billed out and we had no clear path for moving forward positively on discussed projects.
Your gut feeling shouldn’t be dismissed as mere emotion. If you feel like a relationship is endlessly heading south, it’s probably gone too far already and you’re just catching on. Count your losses, close off efforts to patch the relationship, and follow my advice on how to cleanly cut ties and go your own separate ways.
Computer repair is a service that requires an imprecise mixture of trust, communication, and responsibility which are critical pillars to solid long term relationships. When any one of the above factors fall out of tune, it’s a downhill spiral that only grows out of control, eventually leaving casualties on both sides of the field. Use best judgement when consulting with prospective new customers to save yourself the frustration and stress that comes with defusing irreparable relationships. Just because someone calls for service, this doesn’t mean you are obligated to oblige blindly. An ounce of prevention will go a long way.
What kind of experiences do you have with customers that led you to re-think a relationship? When did you know that it was time to “cut the noose” with a customer? Do you have tips for dealing with out of control situations? Share them with us in the comments section – we’d love to hear about it!
© 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 Keep “Geek Speak” Out of Client Conversations
Authors: Derrick Wlodarz
As a fellow technician, I know how difficult it can be to have a simplified discussion with customers about highly technical matters. What is bandwidth? Why do I need an x64 processor instead of an x86? How does more RAM actually make a computer faster? These are just a sample of the questions that get tossed my way every week. While I know very well how to tell another technician about these items, bringing the discussion down to the level of the average Joe is another matter.
People skills are tough to teach and that’s a known fact. Many computer repair business owners that I’ve spoken to have outright admitted that they will gladly hire a great people-person that has limited technical skills over an individual with a skillset that is flipped the other way around. My previous years in working IT support for a public high school has taught me that tech people (in general – I’m not saying all) have a hard time in remembering their audience in the line of support they are providing. This, in turn, creates an unwarranted bias against those providing tech support and what they represent.
While not every technical topic can be easily translated into “normal person speak,” a technician needs to make this a top priority in dealing with customers. While some customers will gladly stop you and ask for clarification, many people will merely nod their heads and give you blind agreement over the material being discussed. This not only does a disservice to the person receiving support, but is more often than not seen as condescending to the customer. Saturday Night Live had some excellent skits back in the day called “Nick Burns – Your Company’s Computer Guy” that played off this very facet (in a humorous way, I might add – check one video out for yourself.)
One of the reasons my company FireLogic receives so much praise is because of the people-first approach we take to providing service. I’m not going to lie and say that I’m perfect in this regard myself, but I do make every effort possible to watch over my lingo when consulting customers. It’s easy to get lost in technical acronyms and related geek speak when you are knowledgeable about the realm of computer repair, but remember that your customers are counting on YOU to act as curator and translator of their technical problems. They hire you as an expert in your field and expect to be treated as equals and not as subjects in a college classroom.
Here are the key things to keep in mind when having technical discussions with your own customers.
Use simple comparisons for easy context in technical explanations
This has to be my top tip for dealing with sticky scenarios that involve highly technical concepts that your customer just won’t otherwise comprehend. It merely involves using the simple and known to explain the unknown to customers in a logical manner. I’ve got plenty of examples in my bag of tricks, but here are some common comparisons I make to otherwise difficult technology questions and terms:
Question: Why is more RAM better for my PC?
Answer: Think of RAM as the number of hands your computer has. The more hands it has available, the more work it can get done at once, which translates simply into better real-life performance for your everyday tasks.
Question: Why should I use OpenDNS instead of the DNS my ISP offers?
Answer: DNS is like the yellow pages that your computer refers to anytime you want to visit a website. There are many flavors of yellow pages out there, but OpenDNS is safer because it’s like getting a phone directory that is already cleaned up to remove many of the bad and fake entries that otherwise exist. The cleaner your phone directory is, the safer your online experience will be.
Good car mechanics are skilled at the very same types of translations for their customers. And it wouldn’t be a misguided guess to believe that those mechanics which can relate tough topics to their customers with ease are the ones which will likely see repeat business and foster better (and more) referrals. I’ve been practicing these kinds of discussions with my customers for years and can usually even come up with comparisons out of thin air. For some techs, this will take a lot of practice, but it will come easier as time goes on. I’m consistently praised for my ability to level with customers in light of previous technicians that simply talked down to them.
Skip the acronyms – unless a customer already knows them
Some of my customers already have knowledge of what DNS, RAM, and CPU stand for. However, unless I know for a fact that someone has already made it known to me that they are aware of an acronym, I won’t bring it up in discussion. Avoid it like the plague. A CPU can just as easily be called a processor; RAM can be equated just fine as memory; and a PSU will always be a simple power supply in the end.
You don’t have to prove to yourself that you have the knowledge of various acronyms, or worse yet, believe that you should be showing off to customers by whipping out acronyms. You may think that you are coming off as experienced and knowledgeable, but you’re going to build a trust gap with your customers more often than not.
One of my colleagues at FireLogic is the funny butt end of an ongoing inside joke due to his past usage of the acronym “API” with a crowd of bewildered entry level computer users at a volunteer training event we held. While it’s a funny rub for us as techs, it’s a prime example that geek speak has its place. And that place is a technician’s lunch break, away from customers.
Use the “lowest common denominator” skill of technical conversation
This piece of advice should be the easiest way to keep geek speak to a minimum. If you’re prone to bringing out the Einstein when you talk to customers, perhaps it’s best to merely assume by default that each customer is unbeknownst to a technical topic unless you either have previous experience with them or they blatantly prove otherwise during discussion. There’s no way to otherwise go astray in your conversation if you treat each customer as a “newbie” and steer clear of the acronyms techs love to throw around.
This is personally how I keep myself in check. I put on the mental brakes that allow me to think twice before conversing about a particular topic that may be above their heads. It’s too easy to otherwise ramble on and get exposed to the inevitable “mental slip” that occurs when we get too technical and don’t even realize it. If you treat each customer under the assumption that they need an explanation, you can catch yourself before the geek speak hits. The worst that can happen is someone will merely cue you in as to their comfort level with the topic at hand, and you can then let your guard down.
Written communication is not exempt
It pains me when technicians that otherwise have excellent verbal communication skills with customers let themselves blabber in tech speak in their invoicing or emails. Your written word is in some cases more critical than the spoken tongue because first and foremost, you generally can’t take back documented record! Whether it be a mailed invoice or a sent email, the “undo” button generally doesn’t exist.
It’s easy to let tech speak fill an email without thinking twice because many people naturally don’t keep mental check of what they write. It’s almost an innate blindness towards realizing what was said as a sentence rolls onward. I get caught in this conundrum many times over when I write articles, and hence why I always proofread my writing for clarity before they get posted. The same guidance should apply to all written communication you have with a customer. Keep it concise; keep out the acronyms; and don’t think that just because you write it they will read it. Customers can have selective reading and exercise that skill quite well.
Poor customer communication can have as much damage on your growing business as inadequate technical work. It breeds mistrust and it tends to foster a growing perception gap between a client and a technician. Using the above guidelines that I practice and enforce at my company FireLogic can be good ways to improve the approach you take with your own customers. You don’t need to be an English major to follow some simple techniques that can ultimately make a great technician an even better communicator.
How do you approach working with customers when it comes to technical lingo? What has worked for you, and what hasn’t? Let us know in the comments section 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.
Why You Need to Patch More Than Just the Operating System
Authors: Guest Writer
Guest Post by Ronn Hanley:
Applying security patches to the Operating System of your computer can save you a ton of trouble when fighting viruses and malware. The problem is, as technicians we don’t always go far enough when it comes to patching software and hardware. It’s important to realize that you and your clients are vulnerable from other directions as well.
Just OS?
Most clients understand their systems have vulnerabilities, but they’ve been conditioned by one marketing campaign after another that once the operating system is patched they’ll be protected.
It’s a given that patches come out for everything from MS Windows to every version of Linux. The problem is, in the rush to protect the ‘main’ system, it’s possible to forget that support software has the same or even worse vulnerabilities. This includes office suites, productivity software, online games, web browsers, document viewer or rendering software, plug-ins, and system firmware – free, shareware or commercial – the bad guys don’t care.
It may seem like a no brainer that simply patching the operating system isn’t enough, but how obvious is it really? I’ve been doing this for a long time and I only became aware of how serious the ‘third party problem’ is within the last 3 or 4 years.
Clients want the fastest answer to their problems. Most know that if they are using a Windows system there will be patch releases that they have to deal with and that’s as far as it goes for them. They neither know, no care that there may be other issues to deal with. This is one of those things that must be built into your Service Level Agreements’s (SLA) not only to cover you, but to make sure that the client isn’t left hanging.
Research is key
Malware writers are on a constant hunt to find weaknesses in all software and every time a security patch comes out they are immediately find ways to circumvent it.
If you’ve worked with your clients for any length of time you have an idea of what’s on their systems. If part of your SLA is doing updates to software or firmware it’s always a good idea to keep a log of what software they have installed, when the last update was done and whether or not any new vulnerabilities have cropped up since your last visit. This is why documentation is so incredibly important.
I keep a running log of my client systems that’s only a page long. It has a list of the major and support software that they use on a daily basis. This process can be time consuming to start, but once the basic list is done, it’s easy to update or remove entries. The way I look at it, if this is the first time I’ve sat at a computer I automatically assume that NOTHING has been updated, this keeps me from missing things.
Belonging to sites like Technibble or Techrepublic (well, back in the day…) can pay off. Reading articles or being involved in forums can give you a heads up about which software is the current favorite of malware attacks. There’s no way you can know it all, or even keep up with every little change.
That’s where a helping hand can be a great thing.
Software that can help
I’ve found Secunia PSI to be an invaluable tool for Windows based systems. The software can either be used as a downloaded app which will scan the entire PC on demand looking for software that needs to be updated and then pointing you to the manufacturer for download or purchase. It can also be set to routinely scan the system and give you updates when something has become outdated, but I don’t recommend this setting in a business environment since its likely to slow the PC down. The software can also be run as a web based app, but it will only do a surface scan and can miss programs.
Secunia PSI is designed for home PC’s but they do have a version for Enterprise level systems called Corporate Software Inspector (CSI) which is designed to act as a vulnerability scanner with a patch management system running on the back end.
The programs work well on Windows based PC’s and the company claims they work well on Apple, but I haven’t been able to test that yet.
About the only complaint I have with the software is that it can take some time (5 to 10 minutes) to scan a full HD and report its findings. And then for some third party software you have to visit the company website to get the update or patch. PSI will automatically update most software, but not all.
Ultimately you protect your clients
The larger software companies have teams of people looking at their software, finding holes and then patching them. The smaller developers don’t have that kind of manpower or capital, so it’s no surprise that a third party application is going to be more vulnerable. That doesn’t mean that it has to be a crap shoot every time you sit down to take care of a system.
It may take some time to develop a solid plan to keep your clients patched and protected, but that time is an investment in your business and the health of your clients systems.
Guest Post by Ronn Hanley: Ronn is a technology enthusiast from way back, during the dark ages of the Arpanet and the Purple monochrome monitor screens. His first computer was a Commodore PET and his first laptop was the size of a suitcase. Despite that, he loves computers and technology to distraction and has been working in the tech world for almost 10 years full time, currently as the owner of a Desktop and Network support company in Atlanta, Georgia.
© 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.
Technibble Survey Competition – Winner!
Authors: Bryce Whitty
Last week we announced a survey competition. The competition is now closed and we have a winner!
Congratulations to heathlandreth@*******.com!
What they have won:
Fabs Autobackup 4 Tech
A fantastic portable application that makes backing up and restoring your clients data incredibly easy. This is easily one of my favourite pieces of software as a Computer Technician. You can checkout Fabs Autobackup here.
Call That Girls eBooks
Lisa (who has 3 physical store fronts) has allowed us to tap into her knowledge by writing 3 eBooks on how she gets clients via social media, her manual of operations for her business and her guide to provide remote support effectively.
Call That Girls Guide to Social Media
Call That Girls Guide To Remote Support + Call That Girls Manual of Operations (ManOps)
Podnutz Laptop Repair Videos
Steve Cherubino, who was computer technician until he went full time podcasting has worked on thousands of laptop computers in his shop and would now like to share his laptop repair knowledge with you with 10 hours of high definition, narrated, downloadable videos. You can check out the Laptop Repair Videos here.
Special thanks to all those who entered and special thanks to Fabrice, Lisa and Steve for providing the prizes.
© 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.
“Travels with Jerry” – Arkansas Baptist College
Authors: Jerry Flavin

Reaching out to underserved communities is a key mission of the Small Business Administration and the <a href=”/fbci” title=”http://www.sba.gov/fbci Click to follow
Customer Not Happy With Your Work? Here Is How To Deal With It.
Authors: Bryce Whitty
In this article, I would like to show you how to deal with customers that are not happy with your work. I would like to start by saying that I am not a lawyer and the contents of this article is not legal advice. There is no substitute for the knowledge of a local lawyer specialized in this area of law. Now we have that out of the way, lets get into dealing with these customers.
If you have been in this business for a while, you have most likely encountered a client that is not happy about your work because they believe you didn’t fix the problem properly. It might be that their computer still locks up or perhaps the virus you were supposed to have removed came back. They are fairly common complaints in this industry and here are some ways to deal with them.
Hear Them Out
Whether they are right or wrong, you need to hear them out and let them say what they need to say. The fact that someone is listening to them usually calms them down.
However, if they are being abusive (as in, more than just an angry customer) you can say something like “I hear you and would love help you out by taking a look at the system, but I cannot work with you until you settle down. Please give me call back when you have settled down”. If they settle down after you say that then let them continue, otherwise hang up the phone.
For all of the non abusive customers, always emphasize with their problem by saying something like “Ahh, thats no good. Bring it into the workshop and we’ll take a look at it”. Once the computer is on your workbench you can then determine what the problem and whether it was your fault.
Determine The Problem and Whether You Are At Fault
Its quite possible that you simply didn’t remove the virus completely or you didn’t diagnose the problem correctly. If that is the case you simply need to man up and fix it, then apologize to the customer for the inconvenience. Maybe even offer them 10% off their next repair or some other olive branch to keep the peace.
It is possible that you are completely in the right but you didnt manage your clients expectations correctly. For example, while you were working on the computer originally, you said to your client that “you will install an antivirus product so they dont get any viruses” as a passing comment.
You and I both know that an antivirus product wont completely protect a computer and that it only helps prevent infections rather than completely prevents them. However, when you said that you “will install an antivirus product so they dont get any viruses”, the client heard something totally different. The client heard “once I pay for this, I will never get a virus again”.
This is an example of not managing their expectations correctly and there isn’t a whole lot you can do to fix it after you have done it other than correcting them and remembering not to do it next time.
Did They Do It To Themselves?
A common issue in the Computer Repair business is when a technician removes a virus correctly but the client managed to reinfect themselves a short time after. This comes down to user education and you will need to tell them about the dangers of opening email attachments, clicking on questionable links etc..
You can also make use of applications like IEHistoryView and MozillaHistoryView to prove they were going to potentially dangerous websites. In most cases, once a client realizes that “they have been bad” they usually understand that the reinfection was their own fault and they will need to treat it as a separate incident.
Is It A Scam?
There is a scam out there similar to this that some Computer Technicians have been stung by. The scam is when the scammer drops off a computer to a technician and makes a point of saying that the computer has certain specifications when it really doesn’t. For example, they might say something like “I had the RAM upgraded to 4GB last month” as a passing comment. However, it was delivered with only 1GB of RAM installed. When the scammer returns to pick up the computer, they accuse you of stealing the 3GB of “missing” RAM and make threats of suing you or ruining your reputation.
In many cases, the Computer business will just give them the 3GB of RAM to make them go away.
Make Them Go Away
Having just said that, sometimes it is worth doing something to make the client go away. I have never had this scam attempted against me but there comes a time when you have the choice of being right and potentially getting sued (even though they will lose) and ruining your reputation, or just giving them their money back and telling them not to return. This doesn’t mean that you should let people walk all over you, you should still stand up for yourself but you need to keep in mind that sometimes fighting it is just not worth it.
Why get pulled into small claims court for a day over a $50-100 argument when you could use that day to fix 10 other happy customers computers and earn $1000? Sometimes it is worth just chalking it up to experience and moving on.
Get Paperwork Signed
Having signed paperwork in place is invaluable in these sort of situations and this is the whole point of work orders. When you complete a job, get the client to sign the work order which says they are happy with the work that has been done and they understand your terms and conditions. In one of the Work Orders in the Computer Business Kit, there are some terms and conditions that says that your business only warrants the service that was performed for a period of one month and that does not include any software issues created by the end user such as virus/spyware infections, tampering with the settings etc..
If It Has The Potential To Get Ugly, Talk To A Lawyer
If an issue has the potential to get ugly, talk to a lawyer. Yes, they are expensive but you are not only paying for legal advice, you are also buying peace of mind. You can stress about an issue for days fearing the possibility of getting sued, or you can spend $200 for an hour of a Lawyers time who will tell you that they dont have a leg to stand on and you can sleep well at night.
© 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. Customer Not Happy With Your Work? Here Is How To Deal With It.
Freeing Small Businesses from Unnecessary Paperwork
Authors: Karen Mills

It’s great news that the U.S. Senate voted yesterday to remove a burdensome tax-related reporting requirement that could hit small businesses starting in
Latest OnForce Product Enhancements
Authors: Diana
You gave us feedback. We listened. In our latest release that was issued on Sunday, December 5, we made some enhancements that we think will help support quality experiences for service professionals, service buyers, end users and OnForce. Here’s a taste of some of the latest updates… Improved check-in and check-out process. For service professionals, […]