Now, I have this one client who I have visited many times over the last 5 years and is classified as one of those good clients that I am willing to help over the phone if the issue is small. During most of those 5 years I rarely needed to help them out over the phone. When I did get phone calls from them, it was just to organize an appointment to have me come onsite.

Then, about 3 months ago this client called me about an anti-spam product that I installed about 6 months before. Apparently there was a new version of it and it was asking them if it could update itself. The client didnt know what to do so they called me. It was a fairly basic update, pretty much a “Next, Next, Next, Finish” kind of job so I helped them out. They thanked me for my time and hung up.

Two days later they call me about another completely unrelated issue and because it so small, I spent about 5 minutes helping them out over the phone again. There were a few more calls after this and they were all under my 5 minute limit. I didn’t mind helping them because I had already made plenty of money off them in the past, so they were in my “good client” books.

I got another call that would have been a 5 minute fix but I then thought back to all of the past “5 minute calls” and I realized I have probably given them about 30-40 minutes of free support over that month and it was starting to get little crazy. I had become the “infinite fountain of 5 minute free tech knowledge” in their mind and this is a dangerous place to be. Its my fault though, I shouldn’t have let it get to that point and I needed to deal with it now.

I would hear them out as I had always done and but to break the cycle I said that I would have to go onsite to see what was happening. Suddenly, their little issue wasn’t very important and they hung up. They called me a few times more over the next few weeks about various little issues and I would tell them “No problems, I have some time available on ______, would you like to make an appointment for then?”

They eventually got the idea that if they want tech support they are going to have to pay for it. I still get calls from this client but instead of expecting free help over the phone, they now call me only when they want me to come onsite and they get me to fix many little issues in an hour rather than calling me every time one appeared.

There are many other ways to deal with a client like this such as putting them on a monthly phone support contract or just bill for every minute you help them on the phone. One computer technician on the Technibble forums said it pretty well:

“Send them the bill. If they stop coming – great. If they are wealthy and pay – great. Either way it’s a win win situation. You either gain a client with money, or you lose a freeloader.”

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their computer business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. If you want to learn how to repair laptops, check out these narrated, high definition videos. These would pay for themselves in 1 repair job.

Clients Expecting Free Phone Support

I like to think of my businesses finances as a Styrofoam cup with holes in the bottom. I pour water into the top of the cup (which represents my income) and some of it leaks out of the holes in the bottom (which represent my expenses). If the cup is filling up faster than it is leaking then I am making a profit.
The cup is always leaking because I have the ongoing expenses of running a business like utilities, fuel and web hosting. It is the web hosting leak I wish to talk about in this article.


Many years ago I used to do a lot of web development work for my clients. I would create the site, purchase the domain and host it all for them. The clients loved this setup because it meant they didn’t have to worry about anything technical. As a result of this I ended up hosting quite a few clients on my Hostgator reseller account.

I started out originally with the lowest end package for $24.95 per month but I eventually had to upgrade to the middle level package at $49.95 per month to deal with all of the clients. This setup worked great for many years but once I stopped doing web development work it meant I wasn’t adding any new hosting clients, yet I was slowly losing them as the years went on.

Fast forward to last Friday: I found I had way more bandwidth and space available than what I needed to support my remaining clients so I dropped the hosting package back to the low end $24.95 package.
Basically, my business was “leaking” $25 USD per month and while that doesn’t sound like much, especially when I will probably make $100-$200 from the machines on the bench at the time; that $25 works out to be $300 per year. If I leave it for another year, that leak will have cost me $600, then $1200 for the next year and so on. It really can add up.

Business leaks aren’t always just financial ones either, they can also be in the form of you losing clients because of something stupid, like not updating your answering machine message.

Think about it right now and see if you have any business leaks of your own. Chances are you will be able to find something.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their computer business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. If you want to learn how to repair laptops, check out these narrated, high definition videos. These would pay for themselves in 1 repair job.

Is Your Business “Leaking”?

Back in the spring of 2008, I had just a few clients but was somewhat bored working by myself, so I opted to get an unpaid intern to go along with me on the computer repair jobs. She stayed on with me for 6 months and we both learned quite a bit. I learned how to teach someone new to the field and she got repair experience. Going ahead a year, I decided that I had a need for a business intern. I had been in business for a year and a half and felt I had plenty to offer a business student.


My second intern started out helping me with business development and marketing projects. He came in the office a couple of times a week and we got many ideas down and put some into action. By the end of the 4th month, he asked if one of his friends could join us for only marketing campaigns. I agreed. Then more friends came along as I found new projects and opportunities for these kids to learn from. I had also placed an ad online at one of the local colleges, and that ad drew in more interested candidates (and I got over 1000 web hits from doing that ad, sneaky marketing trick)

What does my small computer repair business have to offer these young students? Projects, mentoring and help build them decent resumes. Since last fall, I have had a steady team of 4 students that all had different backgrounds and learning needs. We have the Chief Operating Officer, the Business Developer, the Marketing Manic and the Customer Relationship Manager.

The COO intern has taken all of my raw data and turned them into financial spreadsheets. He also makes projections about future quarters and advises me on where we need to spend or save money. He works closely with me on needs for the company, for example, the manual of operations.

Next up, we have the Savvy Business Developer. He’s the creative minded one who enjoys brainstorming new ideas. Right now, his current project is working with Salesforce.com to create a one stop shop for all of our needs. CRM, helpdesk, email marketing and using social media.

Our Marketing Maniac, in the past he has worked on smaller marketing campaigns that have been great successes. He right now is working on a marketing plan for the second location I plan on opening in May. He is also using the help of the other interns to pull this off.

Finally, we have the CRM specialist who is striving ahead in the customer service area. He really likes working with people and we have new projects lined up for him including customer relations and building specialized group lists to propose to.

Working with interns is a lot of work for the small business owner. You have to manage them just like employees and have something of value to offer them, or they will get bored and leave. I made it clear when they all started that they would not be doing my “grunt” work, but rather valuable learning projects that fulfill needs of my company and their resumes.

If you have a few things in mind that you feel you could use some help with, I recommend starting up a list of projects and go out and seek a local student to help you with those. Keep in mind, that you will have to learn to work around their personal lives, their school requirements and other issues that come up on a weekly basis, but for what’s it worth, I have enjoyed having them all on the team.

Lisa Hendrickson, owner of Call that girl, 15 years experience of supporting client computer issues. New member to Technibble.com, but is very fond of writing to help others. Her articles will include topics of business, marketing, advertising, client support and social media. Be sure to read her posts and check out her blog at http://www.callthatgirl.biz

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their computer business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. If you want to learn how to repair laptops, check out these narrated, high definition videos. These would pay for themselves in 1 repair job.

How Interns Have Helped My Business

“Where do you draw the line between suggesting rebuilding a PC or suggesting that they go buy a new one?”

The other question is:

“At what point in the repair cycle do you make the choice to format & reinstall the OS and the applications?”

The answer to both of these questions are identical.


“Always do what is best for your client”

This golden rule makes it much easier when deciding what to do, but lets break it down a little more.

If a client brought in an old computer with a failed motherboard, chances are that it will not be cost effective to repair since the cost of a faster second hand computer will be similar. I could replace the motherboard and reinstall the OS so I feel good about being the technician who fixes things rather than telling the client to buy a new one, but this is not in the best interest for my client. The best thing to do is to tell them how much repairing their old computer will cost, then tell them that they can have a much faster machine for a similar cost and let them choose.

If this client brought in the same aging computer and it only had a light virus infection rather than a failed motherboard, it may not be in the best interest of the client if I did an outright nuke and pave (format).
In most cases, I will attempt to move a virus for about an hour. After that 1 hour I will make the decision whether to continue removing the virus or just format the machine.

If I am making progress and believe that I will be finished soon, then I will continue removing the virus because this usually takes no more than 2 hours. However, if the virus is particularly nasty and it has damaged critical parts of the operating system then there is no point trying to fix it for a further 3 hours if I am going to have to format it anyway.

I like being a skilled technician that can remove just about any virus if I have enough time, but if a format is the cheaper and more stable result for the client then I am going to go with that. Again always, do what is best for your client; in both price and reliability.

While I am on the topic of reliability, what is best for a residential client may not be what is best for a business client. In most cases, a business client with an established business will value turnaround time and reliability more than price. There have been a few times where I could have purchased a part for a business client at a cheaper price but it would have taken time for me to obtain it (eBay). Instead, the choice was to get their computers up and running within a few hours at a premium rather than having them wait a few days and lose productivity.

I could choose options that are better for my business and make me more money but by looking after your clients, they like you more which results in more work from them and recommendations to their friends, which in turn makes you more money in the long run anyway.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their computer business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. If you want to learn how to repair laptops, check out these narrated, high definition videos. These would pay for themselves in 1 repair job.

The Answer To 2 Common Computer Technician Questions

For many months now, I have been in need of an assistant, but just couldn’t make the decision as each week business was still “up and down”. It’s a struggle as an entrepreneur to make that decision.


It’s not just the computer repairs that need to get done every day; it’s all the extra’s that need to get done. Things that make me work 80 hours a week.

80 hours a week you may ask? Yes, I work at least 80 hours a week, but that’s not just doing the repairs. It includes email communications, marketing, advertising, business development, blogging, social media, follow-ups, research & development and networking and whatever else comes along. The big question is this, “What do I enjoy the most as a business owner”. I enjoy it all! But what I love doing the most is fixing computers. The rest just happened to come along for the ride. The rest is what I was not aware of in August 2007 when I decided to start up my own business.

My clientele has come from many forms of the marketing I have done in the past, many of those marketing tactics include networking. Networking includes many times, a lot of communication which is why I’m so busy on email and answering phone calls. This is so important to keep up with; keeping my reputation as an A+ networker in place is very important to building my business. Communicating with folks is a key factor, but this is something I have found I can give to an assistant, as well as the other duties I have involving social media.

Why did I decide that now is a great time to bring on my first assistant? Because I am starting to feel very tired of doing it all and am making enough money in the shop per week that I can afford to give some duties to someone else.

If you are a one man shop without all the extra’s that I have going on, but feel you need tech help, I recommend getting one when you start seeing these signs. These are all things that I noticed happening with my business.

1.) Falling behind with the tougher jobs (giving you less time for research and development because of work flow). This extra time for research is causing you to work more hours!

2.) Business has picked up in the past 6 months, you are now working like a dog to keep up.

3.) Not returning client phone calls (this is not happening to me, but am hearing about other companies who are not calling back because they are so busy)

4.) If a client calls for an update, this usually means to me that I have fallen short on expectations for the client. Giving clients updates is the best way to make them feel comfortable with choosing your business. Making that one extra call is value for them.

New gal starts tomorrow. The first and only duty she will have is to answer my main phone line. Monday mornings are my busiest days for calls and I will train her on how to answer calls, book appointments, answer basic questions and give me messages. I’m excited to see good changes ahead.

Lisa Hendrickson, owner of Call that girl, 15 years experience of supporting client computer issues. New member to Technibble.com, but is very fond of writing to help others. Her articles will include topics of business, marketing, advertising, client support and social media. Be sure to read her posts and check out her blog at http://www.callthatgirl.biz

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their computer business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. If you want to learn how to repair laptops, check out these narrated, high definition videos. These would pay for themselves in 1 repair job.

Signs You Need To Start Hiring Employees

Now, if the Computer Technician didn’t do their job correctly the first time, then they should go back and fix it for free. However, often the virus is a new infection and is not related to the first one, yet we are still expected to fix it for free.

The way to avoid this issue (assuming you did your job correctly the first time) is by managing the clients expectations and not speaking in absolutes. Let me explain.


Managing the Clients Expectations
When you install an anti-virus product, many clients believe that it will stop all infections. In fact, some believe that once they have an anti-virus product installed their computer, they should never get a virus again.
You need to manage their expectations with careful wording by saying that an antivirus product will help prevent them from getting infected rather than saying it will prevent them from getting infected.

You will also need to educate them on how they can still get viruses by not being careful with what they download and open. Explain to them that they can get a virus from even their most trusted friends if their computer was infected and the virus sends a copy itself to everyone on their address book.

The client will appreciate that you are showing them how to prevent this sort of thing happening again and its great for you because they will know when they weren’t following your advice. If they know it is their fault then they will understand that they have to pay you again to get it removed. I often have clients call me and say something like this:

“Bryce, Ive done something bad. I opened an attachment from a friend and I think it was a virus”

They will remember that I advised them to be careful with email attachments from friends if it wasnt expected. They know they shouldn’t have done this and now they know that they will have to wear the consequences of having to pay me again.

Talking in Absolutes
Sometimes a client will ask you a question that expects an absolute answer such as:
“So after you do this, there wont be any more problems with the computer?”

As Admiral Ackbar would say “Its a Trap!”. If you answer Yes to this question because you were being lazy or just not listening fully, you inherit all their future computer problems according to them.

Just yesterday, I was explaining to a client that they can use their external hard drive (which they are using for more space) as a backup drive as well. My client asked:
“So if I move all my data to the external hard drive it will be safe?”

I had to clarify that the backup drive also has moving parts and can fail just as easily as the internal one. The point is to have the data in two places so if one fails, the other hard drive still has the information.

I was setup to say “Yes” to this question if I didnt completely think about it. Imagine what they would think of me when their backup drive fails and they don’t have a copy on their main hard drive? Especially since they did it based off my recommendation.

If something is your fault, make it right and fix their computer for free. If the issue was caused by them, follow the above advice and it should help minimize you getting blamed for it.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their computer business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. If you want to learn how to repair laptops, check out these narrated, high definition videos. These would pay for themselves in 1 repair job.

Avoid This Trap With Clients

For Onsite Work
When I first get the phone call from a potential client, I will ask them what the computer is doing (or not doing). I will never ask what the client what they think the problem is because their guess is usually far from the actual problem. It is far better to get them to tell you just the symptoms and then you can work out what the problem might be based on your past experience.

It is a good idea to take note of this because you can review it on the day and make sure you bring the appropriate tools and software. If the issue sounds like a virus, Ill be sure to update my antivirus definitions on my USB drive. If the screen is black, Ill be sure to bring along the LCD screen I use for testing.

In most cases I am able to say “ahh yes, I have seen that before” but I will never tell the client the what the solution is over the phone unless its either a 5 minute fix and they are an established client.

I will then say “Would you like to book in a time? I have some time tomorrow if you want me to squeeze you in“. This helps convert them from price shoppers to actual call outs.
I would write the appointment into my iPhones calendar which will eventually synchronize with Outlook and provide me with a backup copy on my computer. If the date is more than a week away I write a note on my phone to call in advance since some clients can forget about the appointment if it is booked too far ahead. During this call I get their full name, address and phone number so I can enter it into my database and have the ability to contact them if I am running late or need to reschedule.

Once I arrive at the clients place and sit down at the computer, I ask them what the issue is again.
“So you said the screen wouldn’t turn on?”
In most cases, they will explain the issue in greater detail than they did over the phone.

While I am investigating the cause of the issue, I get the client to read and sign an Engagement form telling them about the realities of computer repair. This form says lets them know things can go wrong and data can be lost regardless of how careful I am, especially if the computer is in a precarious state to begin with. This also lets me know if there is any mission critical data on the computer and whether I should make a backup before I start any work.

Once I finish the computer repairs, I fill out a work order explaining what the issue was and what I did to fix it. I will then show the client that the problem has been fixed by showing them whatever wasn’t working before. Once they are satisfied that I have successfully fixed the computer, I have the client sign a work order saying that I have completed the job.

Having a work order like this important for two reasons.
1. It is good to have a record of the work you or your staff have completed if there is a problem later.
“My computer has a virus, its your fault! Fix it!”
“Maam, according to our records, all we did was setup your printer”

2. If the client doesn’t end up paying you, you have a signed record that the work was done and that they were happy with it. This makes it much easier to prove they owe you money if you need to take them to collections or court.

I will then try to collect a payment in either cash or check on the spot because I hate doing the extra work that accounts require. I will only accept checks from residential clients if I have worked with them before. This is because there is generally a higher rate of check fraud amongst residential clients. Obviously, I cannot apply this same rule to businesses since many of them will only be able to pay in checks.
If the client paid me cash, I will give them a cash receipt. If the client used a check, I will give them a tax invoice. I do this for tax purposes since makes it much easier to do my finances when tax time rolls around.

In The Workshop
Now days, I don’t allow my clients to drop off their computers at my workshop. I will still pickup the clients computer and bring them back to my workshop though. When I used to allow it, this was my work process:

Once the client arrives, I almost always keep them at the front door for two reasons:
1. To minimize the chances of them injuring themselves on my premises.

2. So they don’t see any valuables in my workshop or a way to break into it. I have had clients in the past that seemed fine when I first let them in but later found out they were shady characters, so I don’t want them inside.

When a machine gets dropped off, I used to power it up at a desk near the front door. I do this to identify whether the computer boots at all and write down the specifications of the computer. I will fill out the first half a work order explaining what the symtoms are and their contact details.
I do this in front of the client because there is a common scam that happens to computer technicians. In this scam the client will drop off a computer at your location and say the specifications are far beyond what it actually has (For example, saying that the computer has 4GB of RAM when it really has 512mb). When they come to pick up the computer they say you stole the rest of the RAM, demand that you replace it and threaten to ruin your reputation if you dont. Many computer technicians will just give in and give them some RAM to make them go away.

Once I have the computer, I will stick the work order to the top of the PC with some tape so I know which computer belongs to which client and what they said was wrong with it. When you have 5 machines on your bench, it can sometimes get a little confusing who said what.

If the computer is a laptop and it had a software problem, I would fix it as I always do. If I found out that the laptop had a hardware problem, I would outsource the work to another business which specializes in laptop repair. I will get a quote from the laptop repair business and ask when they expect it to be ready. I will then call my client and tell them how much it is going to cost after adding my own cut plus the amount of time it will take. I always tell the client it will take a few days longer than what I was told in case the repair takes longer than expected. If the laptop is repaired on time, it will be done earlier than my client expected which looks great. If the laptop repair takes longer than expected, it looks bad and can potentially damage my reputation – so I will always give it a little extra time.

If the computer is a desktop, I will focus on diagnosing the problem first. Once I have an idea of what is causing the issue, I call the client and let them know roughly how long it will take to repair the computer and how much.
“Most virus removals take around an hour which costs $XX. However, If it is a particularly nasty infection then it can take up to 3 hours which is $XXX”

If the repair work takes longer than expected (which is rare), I call the client and let them know the new price so they don’t get any nasty surprises later on.
Once I have completed the repairs, I will call the client to either come pick the computer up or offer to drop it off at their place for an extra fee.
Similar to my onsite service, I get them to sign a work order saying they are happy with the repairs and again try to either get some cash or a check off them. If they don’t have the money at the time, I will hold onto the computer until they do.

If you give them back their repaired computer before getting payment, they will have little motivation to pay you. However, if they don’t have their computer and they need it, you know you will be paid as soon as they possibly can.

Well, thats my work process. Whats yours? Do you have anything to add to this? Drop us a comment.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their computer business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. If you want to learn how to repair laptops, check out these narrated, high definition videos. These would pay for themselves in 1 repair job.

My Work Process as a Computer Technician

We need to remember that when they get their new computer, they will still need to have their printer drivers loaded, wireless networks setup, antiviruses installed and emails/pictures/documents transferred.

I get hit particularly hard with this cheap hardware trend because there are 2 stores in my area that have some of the cheapest prices in Australia (they even beat online prices). They are so cheap that the price they offer to anybody off the street is cheaper than what I can buy hardware for from a proper supplier, without tax or any markup. To make matters worse, they are pretty well known to the general public and many of my customers already know about them.

Just recently I resold a computer that I bought from one these stores, my client knew thats where I got it and how much I paid for it and I still made a reasonable profit out of it. The reason why the client bought it through me is because I knew what type of hardware he needed for CAD work as you cant just slap in a gaming video card for CAD work. Its far better to use a card designed specifically for CAD work because the pixels are drawn differently. I knew what brands are more reliable thanks to many years of repair work. I told him all this and that I would put the computer together, install all the software, install all the patches, bring it to his place of business and plug it all in. It was a pretty easy sale even though he knew there was going to be a markup. To him, this service was worth far more than what he could have saved if he did it all himself.

To make sure I always get the work when my clients are looking to buy a cheap computer from a bigbox store, I offer myself as a second opinion to let them know whether what they are looking at is a good deal or not. If it is a good deal and I cannot beat it, I tell them to buy it and then offer to set it up for them for a fee, reminding them that their emails and such will need to be transferred if they want them on the new computer. If what they are looking at is not a good deal and I can beat it (which often the case with desktop PCs), then I show them my offering and I get the hardware sale that way.

The business is always changing so you shouldnt get upset that you are no longer catching fish where you used to, just move your nets to where they are swimming now.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their computer business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. If you want to learn how to repair laptops, check out these narrated, high definition videos. These would pay for themselves in 1 repair job.

Surviving in a World of Cheap Hardware

This is great for computer technicians as it increases our potential client base but adds more pressure for a faster turn around since they rely on their computers so much. While you should always try to get a computer fixed as soon as you can, sometimes its just not possible because you are waiting on a certain part or are battling a tough problem. These clients can start to get anxious while they wait so here is how to deal with them.


Always Keep Them In The Loop
If you are working on a particularly tricky computer problem and cannot give the client an exact date when it will be finished, keep the client “in the loop”. You should call them every day or two and let them know where you are at. I had to do this a month or so ago when I had a computer in my workshop was locking up randomly for no obvious reason (no error log, no heat issues, no ram issues, voltages were good, drivers were up to date etc..) so it took me a few days to hunt down the problem.

You see, clients can build up a situation in their head that makes them anxious when they don’t know what is happening with their computer. In fact, its not always about how long you take, just as long as you don’t keep them wondering.

Is There Something They Specifically Need?
If you are going to take some time with the computer and the client has access to another machine, ask them if there are any files they need in order to go about their business. This was the case with the job I mentioned above so I ended up emailing a certain file to the client. Once they had what they needed they weren’t as stressed about how long the repair took.

You Computer Will Be Ready In..
A huge part of keeping your clients happy while you have their computer is to manage their expectations correctly. If you said that the computer will be ready in 1 day and it has taken 4, obviously they are going to be upset. Your best bet to avoid this is not to quote the “best case scenario” time. If you expect the job to be fairly tricky either add a day or two to the turnaround time or don’t give one at all until you know for certain – “Ill give you a call when I have a better idea of the damage”.

The Loaner
I personally don’t do this but I know many computer technicians who loan a computer to clients while their computer is being repaired. The loaner PC is typically an old laptop with very little resale value. The technicians keep a clean image of the hard drive and reload it every time the computer comes back to clear off any junk the last client may have accumulated. Obviously, if the client has a computer to use while you fix theirs, they be less anxious about the turnaround time.

As I mentioned before, your goal as a computer technician is to always get their computer back to the client as soon as possible. However, by following these tips it will help keep your client happy if you end up having their computer for any extended period.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their computer business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit. If you want to learn how to repair laptops, check out these narrated, high definition videos. These would pay for themselves in 1 repair job.

When Will You Be Finished With My Computer?

To help prevent this, consider getting some small stickers made that you can stick onto their computer case with their permission. It won’t get lost like a business card and the number is right there when they need it.

Is your answering machine message up to date?
It’s easy to forget what your answering machine message says because you simply don’t call yourself. It’s quite possible you changed it before you went on holidays to let your clients know you will be unavailable and forgot to change it back. Make sure your answering machine message is up to date.

Do you return calls quick enough?
Most of your clients should have some sort of loyalty towards you. They have met you; they trust you and know you are competent. They would rather not try out another technician because they have fears of getting someone that doesn’t know what they are doing. However, if you don’t answer the phone immediately they will only wait for so long. Try to return calls as soon as possible. The same day is ideal but the next morning should be the very latest. Don’t give them a chance to try out another technician and possibly replace you forever.

Do you “close” phone call enquiries?
When someone calls you and asks how much will it cost to have a wireless network setup, do you just say “$200 for parts and labor” or do you say “That will cost $XXX for parts and labor. I am available to go onsite tomorrow. Would you like to book in a time?”

The first way just encourages them to call around for the best price. The second way helps you “close the sale”.
This is what the marketing world calls a “call to action” and it gives the customer a way to take it further. It is easier for them to say yes to you and be done with it rather than continue calling around for the next hour.

Do you always provide value?
Just this week I went to a repair job that was about an hour away from my location and I fixed the problem within 10 minutes. I asked the client if there was anything else they wanted me to do and he said that I had fixed everything that he needed. I could get paid and go home then and there but I felt like I didn’t provide value. I noticed he was asking me a lot of questions about basic word processing. I told him that because of the distance I have traveled, I have to charge my full hourly rate regardless of whether I am here for 10 minutes or the full hour, so if he likes I can fill the rest of the rest of the hour and teach him some basic word processing, which I did.
After the hour he got his computer fixed, learned a lot and felt like I delivered value for money.

If the client feels they are not getting value for money, they will simply replace you with someone cheaper.

© Technibble - A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their computer business
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How You Are Losing Clients