Caveat Emptor!
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“Caveat Emptor” is a latin term meaning “Let the Buyer Beware.” It is used to describe the need for someone purchasing a product or service to have a pretty good idea of what they are getting before they sign on the dotted line. Besides sounding cool (because it’s latin) it’s also really good advice. So how does this apply to computers, you ask? I think I’ll “Carpe Diem” and tell you!
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Most of us have had this happen:

You’re working away, minding your own business, mind set on the next task to accomplish, when suddenly your computer starts making a funny noise, or turns itself off, or starts smoking. The screen goes black, and the first surge of panic sets in. You cross your fingers and repeat your most powerful mantra to coax the maligned machine into cooperation, but a press of the power button does nothing except cause your heart to sink a few more meters.

Once you realize that this isn’t just a “fluke”, you come to the realization that you’re “going to have to get this thing fixed.” So what now? Yellow pages? Big box store? Your next door neighbor’s kid? How do you make the right decision for your and your computer?

When your computer or network stops working, you quickly realize how much you depend on your technology. Our daily productivity can easily slow down or even come to a halt when we can’t get to our stuff.

Most of us panic because so much of our lives is our data – our documents, music and pictures that we access everyday.

So who do you trust when these issues arise? Can just anyone fix your problems, explain it like a human being and keep your data safe, all without charging you more than your house payment?

The Lay of the Land

According to “The Consumerist” about 70% of computer repair companies and consultants don’t know what they are doing. They caused a simple problem with a desktop computer and called out 10 repair companies to come and fix the issue. Of the 10 companies that came out (some local, some national and even big retailers) 7 of the 10 misdiagnosed the problem. To further complicate the issue, 6 of the 10 suggested that the customer replace their computer rather than repair it.

In California, a consumer activist group took 4 identical computers into computer repair shops. The only thing wrong with the computers was that a cable had been unplugged inside of each desktop. Again, they used a combination of local and “Big Box” stores. Not surprisingly, only 1 out of the 4 found the problem. The one that correctly diagnosed the problem fixed it at no charge. For the other 3, the prices ranged from $89 to $159 to repair the WRONG problem.

And how about the safety of your data? In England last year, some Journalists brought a laptop in to a big national retailer and placed a folder on the desktop marked “confidential” and “private.” They also placed files containing passwords to bank accounts in the folders, as well as some private pictures. What they found is that the technician copied the files over to his personal thumb drive for later inspection, and even attempted to gain access to the bank account using the passwords in the folder! The passwords were fake of course, but the intention was obvious.

Choosing a computer service provider

Consider the following criteria to find a reliable computer support provider:

Price
Shop price and see what the going rate is for your area. Be careful of shops that have “fixed pricing.” This usually means that they have a fixed price for diagnosing, fixed price for data backup, fixed price for virus removal, etc. An hourly tech can usually do all of these for less money, by the time you add it all up.

Turnaround time
A computer service organization can be the cheapest, the fastest, or the best. They cannot be all 3. Cheaper is usually slower or not very good, and faster service is sometimes more expensive.

Data security
Use a company with a good reputation. Check with the Better Business Bureau and ask if the company has a non-disclosure policy for customer data. Look for awards won by the company or other industry recognition.

Motivation
Know who’s out there and what their motivations are. The “big box” retailers and parts warehouses are there to sell you stuff. Period. They don’t particularly care if your computer gets repaired as long as you buy your parts from them. The technicians at these stores are trained to upsell you on new computers. We hear this frequently and every time I see someone go into these places carrying a computer, it’s all I can do to avoid chasing them down with a business card to do a “computer intervention.”

Qualifications
The smaller shops are typically not qualified to do repairs or replace parts in today’s high tech computers. If you have a smaller shop that you trust, or an individual that you would like to use, ask about certifications. The bare minimum certification that a technician should have before touching your computer is the CompTIA A+ certification. This doesn’t mean that they are an experienced troubleshooter, but it does prove that they know a hard drive from a hole in the ground.

How do we measure up?

Available Technology employs only certified technicians. We perform service on-site or at our location and provide most services within 24 hours. We have been voted

Best of the Upstate for the last 4 years. We guarantee our work and are dedicated to the satisfaction of each customer.

Still, it never hurts to be sure, so we called around to our competitors and asked about the price, qualifications and turnaround time of a very common repair, a hard drive replacement.

Here’s how we stack up:

Geek Squad
Certified Techs: No
Cost – $199 – $299 + $89 for hard drive
Time – 3 – 5 days
Total = $388

Office Depot
Certified Techs: No
Cost – $349.99 + Cost of hardware ($99)
Time – 7 – 10 days
Total = $448.99

Local Warehouse Store:
Certified Techs: No
Cost – $99/flat rate + diag fee $59 + Backup $59 + drive ($79)
Time – 3 -7 days
Total = $296

Available Techology Inc:
Certified Techs: YES
Cost – $199 + drive ($69)
Time – 24 – 48 hours
Total = $268

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If you or someone you know has a repair issue, please use Available Technology. We provide fast, professional computer service for your home or office. And we care.

So take heart if your computer is mortuus, and take up the phrase that I use to feel confirmatus when things are going malus. ManeoFortis!

Be safe and be smart. Remember: Your computer should work for you, not the other way around.