Are you guys slow ?

RandyL

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Had a very good 2025. And the beginning of this year was busy. But since around May 1st it’s been very slow.
Your thoughts ?
 
Had a very good 2025. And the beginning of this year was busy. But since around May 1st it’s been very slow.
Your thoughts ?
It's been crappy here since May. I got a small rush June 1st and 2nd and was hoping it would keep up that way. But, no, it didn't. It just slowed down more. The heat here has a lot to do with people not wanting to bring their PCs in. I'm sure only those who absolutely can't do without their computers are the only ones coming in right now. It sucks. 😢
 
It has been a bit slower since May 1. i figure its the global turnoil and gas prices. picked up a bit this last weekish.
 
Thanks for the replies

It is a fact that the economy is terrible and appears to be getting worse. I’ve been at this for a long time. And have
gone through some scary slow times before (2009 comes to mind) But this time, it feels way more scary.
I’m dealing with lots of anxiety over the situation, and thought I would reach out
 
@RandyL Been there, back in 2013 when I lost a monster contract and had to close 3 stores. Widdled down to just me and 2 staff and they both left in the same month. It was for the best for everyone. That's when I was all alone and had to figure out my next move. Took me a couple of months but I figured out it was time to specialize. Since then, I've had some up and downs too but 2013 was the worst year ever.
 
@RandyL Been there, back in 2013 when I lost a monster contract and had to close 3 stores. Widdled down to just me and 2 staff and they both left in the same month. It was for the best for everyone. That's when I was all alone and had to figure out my next move. Took me a couple of months but I figured out it was time to specialize. Since then, I've had some up and downs too but 2013 was the worst year ever.

Looking back on that now...seems harder than ever to do a store in today's world of Amazon etc. Hardware repairs increasingly harder to do if not impossible...not to mention the insane prices in recent months. I definitely wouldn't want to try and operate a store in today's environment. I suppose in a super large population area it can still be good but your expenses also are insanely high to match it too.

Now you probably make more money and I'm sure way less stress compared to that time too. Sometimes for me it's not even about money...I just don't want to be stressed over silly crap lol.
 
@lan101 "Looking back on that now...seems harder than ever to do a store in today's world of Amazon etc"

And we are all competing with AI, so many of my clients are telling me they are spending hours/days working with ChatGPT to figure out something with Outlook and to only give up and call me. Then poof, I fix it in less than an hour and teach them the why/prevention, etc. It's helping but also hindering us as repair techs/consultants.

After reading this post yesterday, all of a sudden I'm completely dead lol. Guessing tax day was the culprit as it's usually the problem during the 15th of quarterly payments.

OP: reviewing marketing and sales/ops is a great business use of time, recharge and refocus.
 
@lan101 "Looking back on that now...seems harder than ever to do a store in today's world of Amazon etc"

And we are all competing with AI, so many of my clients are telling me they are spending hours/days working with ChatGPT to figure out something with Outlook and to only give up and call me. Then poof, I fix it in less than an hour and teach them the why/prevention, etc. It's helping but also hindering us as repair techs/consultants.

After reading this post yesterday, all of a sudden I'm completely dead lol. Guessing tax day was the culprit as it's usually the problem during the 15th of quarterly payments.

OP: reviewing marketing and sales/ops is a great business use of time, recharge and refocus.

Most of my clients haven't used AI in any capacity to attempt to solve their technical issues...at least that I'm aware of. If they have no one has ever mentioned it to me. It can definitely be a much more advanced version of google so of course it'll definitely take some work away from us that's for sure.

Honestly a lot of my clients don't really have the technical critical thinking skills to even know where to begin how to research their problem to begin with. At the same time a good amount of them are in the boomer generation...so I need them all to live to be like 100 or so in hopes that I can retire one day. 😂🤣

I really think a lot of work will go away once that generation passes on. There's always going to be some niche need no doubt about it...but the generalist tech I think will sooner or later go the way of the tv repairman for the most part. I'd love to be wrong about that and I hope that I am.

I do have some decent and very nice gen x clients too but I have essentially zero millenial gen or younger clients...maybe a one off deal here and there but nothing that I would call sustainable.
 
@lan101 so I have many clients in their late 60's-80's, some in their 90's. Most are retired business execs and some still own their million dollar companies ran by the kids. I usually don't help the kids lol, but sometimes I do. I literally talk about retiring every day to some client and it has me thinking of my future. 10 years for sure left, then who knows. I'm confused with so many things!! I agree though with you but we still have time to think about it. I love what I do and 365 is changing so fast, I can't even keep up.
 
And we are all competing with AI, so many of my clients are telling me they are spending hours/days working with ChatGPT to figure out something with Outlook and to only give up and call me.
I've had so many clients make their problems 100x worse by trying to ask AI how to fix it. I don't see AI as a competitor, but actually something that brings in more business, because it turns minor problems into major, more expensive problems!

At the same time a good amount of them are in the boomer generation...so I need them all to live to be like 100 or so in hopes that I can retire one day. 😂🤣

I really think a lot of work will go away once that generation passes on. There's always going to be some niche need no doubt about it...but the generalist tech I think will sooner or later go the way of the tv repairman for the most part. I'd love to be wrong about that and I hope that I am.
Yeah, Boomers are the majority of my clients too. It's a combination of being computer illiterate, having money, and being willing to spend that money. The younger generations are poorer and more computer literate.

I have essentially zero millenial gen or younger clients
I have a lot but almost 100% of them are bringing in custom builds. It's very rare for a young person to bring in a regular laptop, for example. I think it's because if they use a computer, it's a gaming desktop. They don't seem to use laptops or regular desktops. I imagine college students would be a good source of business but in my area there aren't a lot of college students.
 
@sapphirescales "I've had so many clients make their problems 100x worse by trying to ask AI how to fix it. I don't see AI as a competitor, but actually something that brings in more business, because it turns minor problems into major, more expensive problems!"

People are learning before spending. Research time is free for them. 100%, I've mentioned it before, 26 calls this year from AI giving out my name. I spent the last few weeks working on that type of marketing. It's like SEO but next level and honestly, a bit exhausting lol.
 
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