Accounting is a word that will make most computer technicians shudder. We start our own computer businesses because of our technical prowess, we can build a complete computer in under 15 minutes and know how to fix most computer issues that come our way. We don’t get into this business to be sitting at a desk counting numbers.

However, as I have mentioned in the past, when you start your own business you become not only the computer technician but the manager, marketer, secretary and accountant as well. In this article we’ll explain why you need to do it and show you how to get started.
Read the rest of this entry »

When you first had the dream of setting up your own computer store or workshop, you may have dreamt about some nice leather swivel chairs, big oak tables, lines of filing cabinets and having the whole place nicely wired for your LAN.
Sorry, but this is definitely the wrong sort of thinking for any new computer business.
Read the rest of this entry »

There’s often no easier target than a new business. Full of the joys of being the newly appointed senior executive managing director, with a few K behind you from one of your grandparents and maybe some of the business you’ve been doing for friends and family, there’s a great temptation to fall prey to the unscrupulous methods of wily sales teams.
Our commenter last week (in response to our Stock story), Bay Geeks Computer Repair shared these words of wisdom:
Read the rest of this entry »

If you started working with computers doing jobs for a family friends and then eventually turned it into a fully fledged computer business one big thing will change; you are the end of the road when something goes wrong. Back when you were working on familiy friends computers and you came across a problem that you didnt know how to fix then it should be no big deal, they were probably very pleased that you took the time to attempt it anyway. If you are doing a repair for a business who are paying for your time to bet there, then you are “on the hook”.
Read the rest of this entry »

Its a cold winters morning, the house is freezing, your bed is warm and you don’t have to visit any clients until 2pm. Its just too easy to remain in bed in these situations. Now its 3:30pm, you have visited your clients, fixed them up and decide to take a short break by playing some computer games. The end of the week rolls around and you realize you haven’t really gotten much done, welcome to the world of working for yourself. In this article we’ll show you some tips on how to remain motivated and manage your time as a freelancer.
Read the rest of this entry »

In my past few articles I have been writing about purchasing new stock from suppliers and some of the dangers with it. In this article I will be talking about making a living with second hand and old parts and how to obtain them cheaply.
Read the rest of this entry »

One of our forum members greggh, a seasoned computer technician and business owner posted his list of what he brings to on-site computer repairs. His list is an excellent resource for beginners to help them start building their own kit and for experienced technicians to fill some holes in their own kits.
Read the rest of this entry »

In this article we talk about becoming a reseller, how to keep your prices down (and your profits up) and the dangers to watch out for.
Read the rest of this entry »

In the past I have written business articles for computer repair technicians, now I be focusing a little more on writing for those of you who are looking to start up a computer store for selling complete computers and parts. In this article, I will be briefly talking about having inventory in your store.
Read the rest of this entry »

Almost a twenty percent of people in employment in the UK (a small island with a lot of places that are next to each other and therefore quite easy to get to unlike the US or Australia) are teleworkers (CIPD Autumn 2006). These are people who work from home at some point, using a telephone and a computer to conduct their business. Some of the reason for this is geographical (it makes sense from a travel point of view), some of it is financial, and some of it is to do with flexible working and family friendly arrangements. However, the one area where your front bedroom is definitely at a disadvantage to your office is the distinct lack of technical support available. Any takers????
Read the rest of this entry »