Getting Help with Computer Problems - Talking to your PC technician

Getting Help for PC Problems

Starting and Running Your Own PC Business

If you really love fixing PCs, you might want to look at starting your own business

Before you pick up the phone and call a computer tech, look through the diagnostic charts (links to the left) and see if it's something simple you can fix yourself. If you need help with your computer problem, there are several things you can do to increase the chances of a positive outcome. Good computer techs quickly learn that PCs don't exist in a vacuum. There are some basic environmental issues that can lead to problems, such as high temperatures and surges on the power grid, but most issues boil down to the some combination of the PC hardware, the software and the operator (you). Of these three basic problem areas, troubleshooting the human being gives least experienced techs the greatest difficulty. Why should you worry about making the job easier for the tech? Well, you're probably getting charged by the hour, so the faster the problem gets fixed, the cheaper the cost and the quicker you can get back to work.

Before moving on to getting help with specific issues, you need to take the "expectations" test. Namely, is the problem you are experiencing really one of disappointed expectations? For example, you may have bought a new computer, paid for a hardware or software upgrade, or brought in a tech to optimize your system, yet your Internet connection is as bad as ever. If you're only option for Internet access is by dial-up modem, and the telephone company infrastructure in your area is old, you could just be stuck. If you went into a computer store and said, "My computer is slow," and they sold you a new one, the fault is yours. If you went into that same store and said, "My internet connection is slow," and they sold you a new computer with no further investigation of your problem, then you have something to complain about.

Defining the Problem

The first step for anybody seeking help is to define the problem. Perhaps the biggest "consumer error" I'm familiar with is when customers abdicate any responsibility for participating the troubleshooting process, claiming that they lack the necessary expertise or it simply "isn't my job." Would you go to the doctor, say "I'm in pain," and then refuse to respond when the doctor asks, "Where does it hurt?" You wouldn't believe how many consumers take this approach with computer professionals, and then complain when the tech fails to read their mind and fixes the wrong problem.

The key for you, before calling in a computer professional, is to take the time get the problem clear in your own mind. The best way to do this is to vocalize your complaint, write it down if you want, then ask yourself all the questions you can think of that can refine the problem. For example, let's say your problem is the common "My computer is slow." Ask yourself the following questions:

Slow compared to what?

Slower than when I bought it?
Slower than my computer at work?
Slower than my neighbor's brand-new computer?

Is the computer slow only when I do certain things?

Is it slow only on the Internet?
Is it slow when I run multiple programs (Windows) at once?
Is it slow when I print?

What changes did I make before the computer got slow?

Did I install any new applications or games?
Did I change or add any hardware, including printers, mice, modems, etc...?
Did I physically move the computer?

Once you've asked and answered these questions, you may find that you've solved the problem yourself! If not, when you talk with a computer professional, you'll be able to judge how likely he or she is to be able to help you with your "slow computer" issue. If the computer professional you contact doesn't ask you any of these questions, you aren't talking to a tech, you're talking to a salesperson, and the only help they're going to offer you is selling you something.

Another "defining the problem" failure is trying to get a friend to do it for you. If that friend is willing to patiently coax the problem out of you before going to the store, then great, though it can be socially awkward for all parties involved once you get there. However, if your friend doesn't take the time to drag the required information out of you, the outcome will be even worse than if you went by yourself. As your "representative", your friend will now be answering any questions the salesperson or tech asks without the benefit of having spent enough time using the computer to have the correct answers!

Get a Firm Price

Lets say you've defined your problem sufficiently for a reasonable computer professional to help you with it. Now, before you go and request that help, decide what it's worth to you. Let's say we're back on the slow or unreliable Internet connection. You're going to be offered solutions ranging from a new modem for fifty dollars to a new computer for a thousand, not to mention a DSL or cable solution for forty or fifty bucks a month ($500 freaking dollars a year!). If you haven't made the dollars decision before you walk into that computer shop, you may as well have "sucker" tattooed on your forehead. There's absolutely no question that a brand new computer with a high-speed connection will give you a better experience than an old clunker and a phone modem, so if you don't tell the salesperson/tech you have a budget, you can expect to be sold a Cadillac.

The same rule applies for upgrades and repairs. No matter how you play with the numbers, you can't justify spending more on upgrading an old PC than buying a new one. Most major upgrades will in fact cost more than a factory built new PC, assuming you keep your old monitor and software. Cost is not the only issue when it comes to choosing between repair or upgrade and buying new. Do you have a computer store that you trust? Hardware upgrades and repairs are not a black art, it's basically a couple of screws and some reasonably disciplined parts swapping. An honest tech is much more valuable than some guy who has 20 years of PC hardware trivia at his fingertips. If you have somebody you can trust, just give them a "not-to-exceed" dollar amount and let them go to town. If you don't have somebody you trust, get a written estimate, and be prepared to scream bloody murder if you get a phone call saying, "The tech who replaced the hard drive saw that your motherboard was failing..." The computer business has its share of liars and crooks.

Many stores, particularly the larger computer chains, will post flat rates for repairs (excluding parts). The rates at the superstore nearest to me are $90 for repairing a printer or a desktop PC and $125 for repairing a notebook. It should be immediately apparent to you that most inkjet printers aren't worth bringing anywhere for repair, since they retail for less than just the labor part of the repair cost! Also, the most common notebook repair is probably the hard drive, which is also the easiest. I think $125 is a little steep for removing a couple screws from the bottom of the notebook and plugging in a new drive, nominally a ten minute job, and I suspect they'll make a healthy markup on the replacement drive as well.

Buying Training

Most "training center" training is sold by the lesson, i.e., eight hours for "Introduction to Word" for $195 or whatever they happen to charge. There are some advantages to training centers over private tutors, the most important of which for most people is that you aren't inviting a stranger into your home. If you learn well in the classroom environment and you are interested in general knowledge rather than specific points of a software package, then just shop around, and don't forget to include community colleges and adult education resources in your search. The main drawback with such formal classroom training is that you usually pay for the whole course up front, and you may find you've laid out several hundred dollars to be bored to death by a crummy instructor. The only defense against this is to get permission to sit in on part of a class before you sign up to see exactly what you'll be getting.

If you prefer studying one-on-one with a tutor or you have some specific issues pertaining to your special software application you want solved, you're better off with a tutor or a consultant. The first issue, before we even get to price or qualification, is finding somebody who didn't escape from a maximum security prison that morning. The best approach here is to find somebody by way of friends or family, so if they do knock you on the head and clean out your apartment, at least you'll have somebody you can enjoy blaming. Barring a solid personal reference, I would at least suggest meeting the candidate at a coffee shop or a restaurant to interview them for the job. If they want to charge you for the meeting, find somebody else.

Independent trainers, who are often moonlighting from their day job as students or employees, usually charge in the $20 to $40 and hour range. I've know high school kids who charge as little as $10 and hour and who are entirely competent trainers. Even at this relatively low cost, make sure you define what it is you want to learn, and get an estimate. This might not seem fair, especially if you've never used a computer before and you want to do a lot, but at least it will make the trainer or consultant take the time to really question you about your goals. For example, your goal might be to produce a newsletter and create a database of subscribers for whom mailing labels will be automatically printed. A good trainer or consultant will respond to your request for an estimate with a range of solutions. A minimalist approach would be to teach you enough about Word and its native mail-merge functions to get you up and running, maybe four or five hours if you have some familiarity with word processing already. A middle of the road approach might be to use Publisher or real publishing software like Quark or Adobe to produce the newsletter, but still use Word for the mailing list. Depending on the software packages used, and how much you're willing to teach yourself between lessons, this could run twenty hours or more. A high end solution would be to set up a real database using Access or an information manager to produce the mailing labels along with more sophisticated tasks, and run thirty or forty hours, plus ongoing support.

Don't Throw Good Money After Bad

The worst thing you can do isn't to screw-up and hire a charlatan or a crook, it's to keep throwing money at them when it's clear they're milking you like a cow. Computer sharks won't nickel and dime you to death, it will be more like fifties and hundreds at a throw. If an upgrade or a repair fails to deliver the performance or reliability you've been guaranteed, don't put any more money on the table. If you can't get satisfaction, write it off to experience and try looking for help somewhere else. If the problem is with a new machine, check with your state's attorney general for a 'lemon law" or a "buyers remorse" escape.

When it comes to paying for training or consulting, it's your job to keep track of your progress and see if you're steadily progressing towards your goal. Many tutoring type situations quickly devolve to the point of being entertainment for the trainee, and while you may feel you're getting your money's worth, try to remember why you invited this person into your house to start with. Consulting services are much trickier to manage, particularly if you're paying for some product or customization that involves many hours of work. If there's a serious amount of money involved, don't hire a consultant or contract programmer without a signed contract. Unfortunately, contracts are only as good as your lawyer and your willingness to pay that lawyer to sue. All large jobs should be managed in stages, with pre-agreed "deliverables" coming at regular intervals, and a contact clause allowing you to cancel the contract if the schedule isn't met. Don't buy into the argument that you really can't judge the project until the whole thing is finished. Insist on milestones and demonstrated progress and if the job bogs down, cut your losses and go elsewhere.

Extended Warranties

I invariably tell my friends and family not to buy extended warranties (I make an exception for higher priced notebooks with lower priced warranties). Two years later, they invariably thank me for telling them to buy the extended warranty (people hear what they want) and regal me with tales of free replacements. Here's the deal: Stores sell extended warranties because they are highly profitable. The minority of purchasers who benefit from them are so vocal that they swamp the cries of the majority who lay out a few hundred bucks for nothing. It's the same as with casinos - very few people brag about the money they've lost, or even remember it correctly, except when it shows up on their credit card bill.

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