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im outa job, and thinkin bout doin tech support to local area by going to peoples house. I plan to print out some ads and put em on local apts,
can anyone warn me of things i should watchout for????
i would also like ot know if there are some tools i should use...
Good luck to ya. I'm out of a job too, and was thinking of doing this, but I chickened out. I was afraid I'd spend what little money I have on it, and then have nothing left to live on. I guess I'm just too afraid to take the risk.
I do this on the side, but advertise by word of mouth only, that way I at least know someone who knows my customers. I would get a different phone # (cel is great) to keep the unwanted calls down. Make sure you state an hourly rate (search this forum for and article titled how much do i charge for a good discussion on rates) Very clearly up front, and demand payment at time of service. Prefer cash, and when you do get checks, deposit/cash them ASAP. At my old consulting business we had a guy who would inevitably screw up his comp a day or 2 after i fixed it, then try to stop payment and make me come back for free... There are lots of other little pitfalls i hope the rest of the readers of the forum will add. But I would look it as you've got little to lose as long as you use common sense, clearly communicate the relationship between yourself and the client up front, be honest, do quality work, and know when you're at the limits of your knowledge/experience.
You can go <a href="http://www.vistaprint.com" target="_blank">here</a> for some free business cards, all you pay is like five bucks for shipping. They look pretty good, professional even. What I do is hand them out at every job I do, and to some friends. So far thats all the advertising that I do and it has worked out pretty good. As far what to look out for and what tools to use, What exactly are you going to be doing? Repairing, just educating your customers on how to use computers or applications. That will determine on what tools you'll need.
I would watch out for liability issues. Insurance and what not. If you go to a persons house and either destroy their computer or burn down their house because they have five surge protectors chained together into one outlet runing seven systems....you could be held responsible. You may want to research legal issues that could arise. I would consult with a lawyer and an insurance agent about what needs to be done.
Another thought...you need to plan out part acquisition. Are you going to stock a few parts for replacement (RAM, CPU fan, etc.)? If a customer has faulty hardware, how do you get them fixed up without sending them to the competition. Next day shipping on parts? If so from where?
I once tried to open my own support/retail store so I've been through three months of brainstorming and problem solving....only to have the banks turn me down on a loan. Ba$tard$.
Keep an open mind.
Do not do work for family/close friends.
Give all warranties in writing (CYA)
[quote]Originally posted by cc_penguin:
<strong>You can go <a href="http://www.vistaprint.com" target="_blank">here</a> As far what to look out for and what tools to use, What exactly are you going to be doing? Repairing, just educating your customers on how to use computers or applications. That will determine on what tools you'll need.</strong><hr></blockquote>
thx for business cards link, I will be doing mostly reparing .
If you are going to be mobile. I suggest getting one of <a href="http://www.mcmelectronics.com/Search/sku5.jhtml?SKU=21-3460" target="_blank">these</a> and pack it with a few necessties such as Phillips Screwdriver, boot disk with your favorite utilites. A good pair of dikes, test memory, test floppy drive, test video card dental pick (great for removing foriegn objects that get put inside floppy drives) small flathead screwdriver. A bag of assorted screws and jumpers. Zip ties. Small muli-meter, and pen and paper. This particular Tool case has a pocket behind the tool holder to hold documents and such. I am sure that I am forgeting some things that someone else will (or yourself) will think of. Good luck with your future endeavors.
Also dont sell yourself short, meaning dont under-charge. I suggest going to some local shops and see what they charge, and set your price form there.
[quote]Originally posted by cc_penguin:
<strong>A good pair of dikes....</strong><hr></blockquote>
No comment needed!!
Sorry cc_penguin.....I couldn't resist!
[quote]Originally posted by Gameguru:
<strong>
No comment needed!!
Sorry cc_penguin.....I couldn't resist!</strong><hr></blockquote>
I knew that one would come back on me :D :D
I do some consulting on the side, and when my main clients (a financial company) had a serious database problem on their server, I spent DAYS fixing it while on the phone with their software guys. And at $50/hr, the bill got to be quite high. Of course, since these guys have a business, they can write off my services as an expense. However, I was worried that I had to report this income myself, so I filed for a STATE TAX PERMIT. This allows me to work on the side as a "home business", and also I can use this tax ID to get into wholesale sites for parts and such. I don't know if this is something you should have or not, but it's definitely something that Im glad I have. By doing things "as a business", you can write off a lot of things as BUSINESS EXPENSES.
I wouldnt do the work on someones machine in their home unless I knew them, and they were home. I will pick up a machine at no extra chage and even take it back to them when done. I can claim all the milage on taxes so why not? Plus I get to take the machine back and put it on my network for easier file backup if I have to do a re-install.
you're right about the state tax liscence. I did this for a while too. But you have to be very organized and keep detailed records. Sure you can use a side business to fund your hardware and software upgrades so that at the end of the year you didn't turn a profit, but just have it all written down and keep all receipts. The dept of Revenue will eventually want to know why you haven't ever turned a profit. As long as you have proof it's not a problem
A state tax licsense is not need (at least in Michigan) for this sort of business. If you are seeling a service like repair or what not you dont need one as a service is non-taxable. You will however need a 38 number. That is a federal tax ID number. If you choose to sell parts, then you need a state id because you are selling a product which is taxable. you can get around that by purchasing the parts from your dealer. When you do that you are paying the sales tax on that part at that time.