The Computer Repair Podcast – 003 – Pricing for Support, Repairs, Parts and Payment Processing.
1 Comment 
In this episode of The Computer Repair Podcast;
Pricing for Support, Repairs, Parts, and Payment Processing.
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Show Notes:
Adobe Photoshop Elements 8
- Registration Problem
- Customer couldn’t register due to having an account with adobe.
Customer called saying he couldn’t access the page he was on before when he starts his browser! I Found a Browser hijack called MyWebSearch within FireFox. Deleted plugin and reset to default and that fixed it fixed.
I gave my 6 year old Creative Sound, computer speakers to a friend, and replaced them with a cheap branded set of powered emachines speakers that I found at a thrift store. A note to all; get good speakers, with good cables! These speakers are horrible when it comes to having a cell phones within 2 feet of the speakers.
Computer Repair Related News
Recall warning for HP, Compaq, HP Pavilion, and HP Compaq Laptop Battery Packs
A Flash and Shock Patch Tuesday
Software Updates
Foxit PDF Reader 3.3.1
- The New Foxit Reader has implemented a new screening process which protects end users from misleading messages embedded within the parameters of a pop-up dialog box. A pop-up dialog contains an area which is reserved for a message that is generated by the rendered PDF. Due to Foxit’s concern that this message may mislead users to take an inadvisable action, Foxit Reader will no longer display the content of the message and removes any parameters within the Pop-up message that can be manipulated by the PDF.
- A Bug Fix Release
- Updated HDClone to V3.9.2.
- Fixed bug in ubcd2iso.cmd
- Removed bootdisk.exe from Active@ KillDisk V4.1 to save space.
Tech Tools: The Online Edition
Urlvoid.com
Update Scanner
- A cool FireFox extension that scans websites that don’t have an RSS feed for updates.
Soluto – Anti-Frustration Software
Tech Talk
What to Charge for support, repairs and parts!
When researching the cost of supporting people, I noticed alot of things, And with those things three jumped out, 1. Bad websites which I’m not going to disguises at this time now, 2. They do not offer any price list on any of there services, and 3. The ones that did I thought where way to pricey for even my league. and why I say pricey I mean $200-$300 pricey.
Since its hard to determine what to charge your customers I have linked up a Salary report showing what computer repair techs are making a year depending on years of experience.
Salary Survey for Computer Repair Technicians
Note: Those figures are for what employees of tech companies are getting payed, and not the sole proprietor like you, and hell it may not even help you what so ever, but its linked up anyway.
But really in order to determine the amount you need to charge, you need to take into account for a few things,
- Your house hold bills
- Rent If you have a shop
- Insurance (for you and your shop if you have one)
- Nest egg for parts, and car repair
- Marketing materials (adwords, news paper, signs, etc)
- Materials (Paper, Printer, Toner/Ink, Etc)
- Taxes
- Business Expenses (Gas, CPA, Lawyer, Credit card fees, Etc)
What I did is added up a few things and came up with a figure.
With 3 Customers at $65 per hour, with an average of 2 hours per customer, Comes out to about $390.00 Per day not including expenses.
Now on to what to charge for parts. What I would do first is check with your local and state taxes, in the state I currently live in, I have to charge tax for parts not for labor. Kinda odd I know but that’s what it is. As for Mark up on parts I add 10% to the price I purchased the part for including shipping (if any).
also before we move on, If you do get tips from customers you do have to report that to the IRS also.
What to use to charge those customers.
Online
Mobile
Your Feedback
Hey Man Love the show, In regards to your request on what computer repair techs charge, I thought I would share what I charge. $80 for the first hour and $40 for every half hour after that.
James from Chicago
Hey Ben, I charge $50 an hour no matter what the computer coughs up…
He also writes “I love using Hiren’s Boot CD there are allot of tools that you cant find on other boot cds”
Keith from New Mexico
Next Time on The Computer Repair Podcast. The Tech Talk is going to be about What to do with that old tech after upgrading a computer.
So if you have any feedback or questions you can always send me an email at feedback@qetuo.me or call the feedback line @ +1 304-449-4335
