Computer repair business

The foundation for any successful business venture is a strong business plan. The first step in implementing this golden rule is to identify the target market for the business. Geek Squad, being a startup computer repair business, could concentrate on targeting home users rather than corporate clients. The company has to then decide on the location of its premises; there are two approaches to zero in on a specific location that would ensure steady business. Geek Squad’s primary facility can be located near a well-known computer hardware shop or in a neighborhood that lacks a computer service center in close proximity.

The number of Internet connections in a neighborhood is a rough indicator of the number of potential customers in the area. The initial market analysis phase could last up to a month. Once a suitable facility in the target locality is found, the rent has to be negotiated and a lease agreement stating mutually agreed conditions has to be penned down.

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Before commencing operations, the office space needs to be aptly furnished to lend a professional atmosphere. This plays a critical role in attracting customers as well as providing a congenital working environment for the staffs.

A minivan also has to be leased for transporting computer spares, attending onsite repair calls and delivering repaired computers to the customers’ doorstep. All staffs would be required to wear uniforms to reflect a certain degree of professionalism. Geek Squad would have to hire technical staffs to service and repair customers’ computers. The technicians employed need to have prior experience and undergone professional training to ensure that customers’ systems are repaired on time, which is critical to building a strong reputation.

Support staffs will also have to be recruited to handle customer queries, run office errands and keep track of day-to-day operations. A suitable software package for storing customer information, repair history and incurred cost has to be installed in the computer terminal responsible for maintaining customer records. After becoming a registered business, the company has to affiliate itself with various credit-card companies to accept credit card payments from its customers (Oliver & English 2007).

The next step would be to purchase or lease computer hardware needed to test and repair customers’ computer systems. One has to understand that computer repair does not end with service alone, but also includes upgrades, malware removal and software troubleshooting. The facility has to be well-stocked with common computer accessories such as printer cartridges, memory modules, networking equipment, web cams and flash memory devices, so as to ensure that customers have the option to buy replacements or upgrade when needed.

Selling commonly used software packages such operating systems, word processors and antivirus suites can also come in handy. In today’s world of information technology, computers are an extension of one’s life as they house sensitive and valuable data such family photos, works of art, written literature, financial statements and so on. Hence, offering data recovery services to customers by restoring the corrupt data stored on their computers can be a goldmine.

Geek Squad could also offer on-demand, doorstep service to home users and rectify problems on the spot. In addition to this, the company can also provide networking services to the customers to help them network multiple computers and share Internet connection in their homes. Geek Squad has to come up with a strong advertising campaign to popularize its service in the local market. Apart from launching a website and advertising it online, it can run fliers in nearby coffee shops and other public places.

It can also come up a promotional offer on launch day by offering completely free computer repair on the first day only, in an attempt to familiarize with the local community. It is also vital that the company frames a clear-cut privacy policy to reassure customers that they can entrust their personal computers in the safe hands of Geek Squad experts. The implementation phase could take up to three to five months depending upon the availability of premises.

Reference: Oliver, L & English, J. (2007). “Operations management”. The Small Business Book. Allen & Unwin.