Computer Technician repair skills are not enough to open a computer repair business. Your success depends on working out a business plan, securing financing, and many other important steps that will have a long-term impact on your business.
The ability to configure a motherboard or bring a processor back to life is a valuable skill, and those who have the technical capabilities are a hot commodity in the job market. But what about technological dreams that dream of being your own boss? If you have an advantage in electronics repair, starting a computer repair company can be a logical career move.
However, being self-employed is not something you should do on a whim. The more time you spend on planning, promoting and protecting your business, the more chances they will be successful. The following tips will help you realize your dream of starting a computer repair business.
Build your savings
Starting a business is interesting, but it should not be rushed. It takes time, planning, effort and money to build a successful business in computer repairs. Once you've decided to dive in, you should first save money.
It is important to build a financial cushion if you do not have enough work to cover your expenses and salary when you open your business. Savings can keep your life alive for the first few months. Ideally, you should have enough cash in stock to pay your bills for at least six to nine months before canceling your work.
Create a business plan
A solid business plan is the cornerstone of a successful business. It forces you not only to think about how you want to structure your business first, but also how you imagine it will evolve over time. Some of the questions you need to answer to your computer repair business plan include:
· What services do you offer? (Repairs, server maintenance, retail, etc.)
· Who is your target customer? (Individuals, companies or both)
· What is the business structure? (Unique Property, LLC, etc.)
· Where will you do the work? (Retail location, coworking space, customer locations, etc.)
· How do you finance your business?
· What does the competitive landscape look like?
· What is the budget and planned revenue for the first five years?
· What is your marketing strategy?
· Do you plan to hire employees? If yes, when
Once your business plan is finalized, you can reach out to creditors when looking for corporate finance. (See also: "Plan your way to a successful start of your IT business.")
Financing your business
If you not only build a nest egg, but also find additional funds, you can start your business. One option to consider is a loan through the Small Business Administration. SBA works with creditors, development agencies and microcredit institutions to set policies and provide loans to small business owners. This reduces the risk for creditors and makes it easier for small businesses to get approval - usually at lower interest rates than a traditional bank loan.
Other financing options include finding investors such as venture capitalists or angel investors. the use of credit cards; Reaching a 401 (k); Crowdfunding; and borrow money from family and friends.
At least initially, try to run your business as smoothly as possible to reduce the amount of money you borrow. You want to focus most of your efforts on building your business, not debt repayment.
Choose a location
A computer repair company offers a degree of flexibility in structuring the work environment. For example, you can work from home, work from a store, or travel to customer locations.
There are pros and cons to each option before deciding which one works best for your business.
The home
Working from home reduces your air, because you don't have to pay for office space. In addition, the transfer service is not available and you usually have more flexibility in the work schedule. The disadvantages are the lack of separation between private and professional life. If family members are at home during the work schedule, they can also compete for their time and attention, which makes concentration difficult. It is also important to make sure that your home business is protected by commercial property insurance. Homeowner's insurance usually excludes the coverage of industrial property.
showcase
A showcase offers brand visibility and can channel foot traffic into your business. The main disadvantage is the extra effort. Not only do you pay to rent or buy space, you may also need to pay for additional expenses, such as: B. for incidental expenses. If you rent your room, your landlord will probably require you to take out general liability insurance. When adding a retail area for the sale of computer accessories, you should also consider the wholesale costs of the products you want to sell and the product liability insurance.
Support on site
Limiting the repair to calls made to your customer's home or business customers avoids the added expense of doing business and provides a natural separation from home life. However, there are other factors to consider. You are within range of your customers' programs and also at risk of taking jobs longer than expected, especially when clients ask you to do extra work as soon as you arrive there. When you drive with your customers, you should also consider taking out a commercial car insurance because most personal car insurance companies do not cover the business.
No matter which option you choose, there are potential risks to your business. For example, customers could complain if they travel and injure themselves at the front of the shop, a fire destroys their home, and all the computers they work or suffer an accident when they drive to a customer's office and injure a third.
Small business insurance can protect your computer repair from all these risks and more. We will detail the specific guidelines you may wish to acquire in a later section.
Make sure the price is right
Initially, it may be tempting to offer below market prices to trick new customers into testing. However, this strategy may fail. Not only will it be harder for you to raise your prices, but you can also attract customers who are more interested in cheaper rates than the quality of your services. As your rates increase, they may disappear, forcing you to build by zero customer base.
Learn about the regular prices for other repair shops in your area and make sure your prices match the prices you receive from the competition. Remember that you must collect enough not only to pay your salary, but also expenses such as rent, taxes, taxes and more. Know your value and evaluate yourself accordingly.
To be certified
You do not need a diploma to open a computer repair business, but you may want to obtain more certifications to prove that you have the expertise and the potential competitive advantage. Some of the most common are:
· CompTIA A + technician
· Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
· Certified computer systems security expert (CISSP)
· Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
· ACMT (Apple)
· BICSI technician (BICISI)
Check what certifications are common to other repair shops in your area. You may also want to find a specialty that differentiates your business from others. For example, remember to focus only on repairs for Apple computers.
No comments:
Post a Comment