IMO Credentials can allow you some leverage with your rates, but quality of service is what keeps your customers happy and coming back.

I’ve never had others ask for a cert. – just for I.D. After all, I am picking up their computer. Also, I’ve been challenged over the phone: “what’s to stop you from stealing my I.D.”?

I have good teeth and some working capital to buy a nice dress, and nice shoes. I sure am not making $5,000 a day or night.

Since I am a 50 year old man, maybe I should start out at $2,000 a day. I can’t work real late at night like I could 20 years ago.

If I hired someone who was nice but did crap work, I wouldn’t hire him again. Same if he did good work but was a bitch to communicate with. Either way, I wouldn’t care much about what kind of clothes he wore.

When I started out in the computer repair business, I mostly bicycled around to my customers, which for a large part were suburban middle-class families. So I stood at their front door in my bike shorts, wiping the sweat from my forehead. They were usually both impressed and satisfied.

The bottom line is: it doesn’t matter if you look professional, if you don’t act professional. Common sense and politeness work a long way.

http://www.cafepress.com/FowlerComputer.53941256

Its a cheap way to look well established. You can setup your own store too!

That first impression is the key, along with a relaxed manner, politeness and humour – my standard outfit is dark blue jeans, lite blue oxford buttoned shirt with my ProTech logo, casual shoes…AND… a dark blue lite-weight sports jacket. Even in the heat of summer, I put the jacket on when I arrive on site (after driving there in air conditioned comfort) and I’ve had many customers remark that I look like a “doctor” with my kit bag in one hand and laptop bag in the other.

The other 2 BIG selling points I have found that got me return jobs and the best referrals is this: NEVER be late for an appointment (a little early is even better)…and…ALWAYS return the PC when you say you will (I’ve worked late nites just to honor a “next day return” policy) and I know that has made a big difference because I hear so many stories of people dropping off their systems at the big tech shops and waiting days or weeks to get it back.

Best of luck to all in the field and regards from Nova Scotia.

I used to work at Geek Squad and now own my own company. I am always asked what certs I have as a self employed tech but not once as a GS Agent.

GS agents make 10-13 if they work instore (not the business part) If you went to school to be a computer tech that would be way below what you should be making.

Its funny how the whole PR thing works like that.

However, certifications will draw way more customers on the commercial side of things. When a small biz SEO runs a search for someone to setup a Windows 2008 server, he will be more persuaded if he say a Microsoft cert.

If an end user needed a Cisco router configured and installed he would be assured to see a CCNA or CCNP technician doing the job.

I believe certifications are an extension of your appearance. It is not something you throw in people faces. But a certification will show that you have some substance to go along with your neat appearance.

Just like you see in the movies, a woman would be more likely to contact a good looking plumber for future repairs than a fat, smelly, sweatty old man with his coin slot hangin out the back of his pants.