Here is what happened to us last summer. We had one of the stores close up, the location was horrible and we just weren't cutting it. But...we also had remote support going on. Our interview process when people called, we offered remote support first, then if we couldn't help remotely...we went to them or had them bring it in to us. When we closed up, we did the same interview process, but the issues we had were that people didn't want us to come pick it up for work to be done. What's weird is that if they required a home visit for work to be done, they were ok with that, but not for us to pick it up. I thought it was a win, no charge to stop by and get it, or dropping off when done. Not the case, people overall just wanted to drop it off. We got a brick and mortar 4 months later. I learned a few lessons, but I learned in that town to compete and survive, we needed a location.
I recommend if you close your shop and are going back to your house then you should email all current clients with a change of service notice, just state that you are doing much better without the office and prefer to work on offering the best level of support to your clietele. You might also fair well with doing remote support. We just had a cash flow need and I sent out an email to 30 of my most regular clients offering them a prepaid deal of $299 for 4 hours of support (savings of $101) and I sold 6 in 3 days. That kind of cash flow is good for your overhead needs (now!) and then you know you have work later on (even though you won't get paid for obviously) it's good to know that they will call in. As well with your current clients you could start a refer a friend deal or some computer tune-up specials for remote support. Just a thought or two for you. I will comp you a remote book if you want to consider adding on remote support, might help you out. PM me if you want to try it.
I've been in your shoes, I started out in my basement too btw. When I had five on the bench and was tired of running around so much, I got an office. I was also in your shoes in 2007, I started out my business on unemployment and empty credit cards. My credit went down too. It happens when you are an entrepreneur.
As for you getting a PT job, I considered that once too when I was starting out. But if you think about it...do the math and if you can get in just XXX amount of jobs in a month to make up for that money of the PT job, would you come out ahead in time to market and learn how to build your business up? That's what I did in lieu of getting a PT job, I just went out and found new ways to get clients and that more than made up for the time I would have spent at a PT job. Not in your shoes with a famly and kids, but just saying it's worth the time.
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