Working in a PC shop

[ttam]

I get a lot of questions asking what it's like in a PC Shop both work & business wise so I though I'd just make it easier for people to ask & see answers. I know AMA's are against the CoC but hoping this falls into a different category of good ole' tech stuff/

 

I run a high volume computer store to say the least. Good way for those who are interested in the field to see how it goes.

[wtfxmitchell]

1. what do you do as your job exactly?

2. how much does it earn?

3. do you get some discountss?

4. is it fun?

5. do you sometimes take parts home for personal use because the box or something was damaged and not sellable anymore?

[vengeancek70]

What qualities are you looking for when hiring employees?

[Silver Knight]

Do you want your employees to have average knowledge about technology with excellent charisma, or excellent knowledge about technology with average charisma

 

If you're hiring someone, does their age matter

[ttam]

1. what do you do as your job exactly?

2. how much does it earn?

3. do you get some discountss?

4. is it fun?

5. do you sometimes take parts home for personal use because the box or something was damaged and not sellable anymore?

1 - Techs basically check in machines (first come first serve) put them on a shelf. Pull about 4-6 machines at a time, work on them, type of work orders for them, call customer, put on done shelf and pull a machine to replace it. Pretty much malware removal, part replacement and diagnostics.

2 - I as the boss man make from this business about $125k a year. Techs make about $40k a year.

3 - This is where most people walk into a local shop, see prices and walk out. We order parts from Newegg, Amazon and some larger distributors so shops will always have a markup.

4 - It's a lot of fun to be honest. Good hours, often get on-site calls so you can leave the store and go do things.

5 - If something is damaged, we often just RMA it. If someone recycles a Windows 7 computer, etc we do let people fix or sell it for personal money.

 

What qualities are you looking for when hiring employees?

Mainly someone who can compete the basic tasks and more. There are certain things I look for when interviewing by asking some what harder questions. Like if a computer boots up and goes to a black screen how would you fix or you turn the computer on and notice there is a ransomware infection thats taken over, how would you remove it. If someone can answer the semi harder malware questions, know how to build/diagnostic a computer they have a foot in a door because the rest is easy to learn.

[xox]

It's pretty shit, especially when you have rude middle class customers and unbearably scouse working class customers to deal with.

 

Do computers for fun, working in a shop numbs your mind. My advice.

 

About the whole hiring people thing; look for analytical qualities, make them do a reading age test and a shapes test. The people who are more clever will be better for the job.

 

My question: How will you make it less of a "job" and more of a career for your employees?

[Vacsol]

What qualifications do techs need to land a job? what would help in an interview?

[Tsuki]

what software tools do you typically use, and are you hiring? lol

[ttam]

Do you want your employees to have average knowledge about technology with excellent charisma, or excellent knowledge about technology with average charisma

 

If you're hiring someone, does their age matter

Employee charisma doesn't make much of a difference to me, but it does to the customer. If you come off stan-offish to a customer, that doesn't give a good experience. I treat customers well so they come back and most of all refer more people to me. 

 

A company I used to work for in Salt Lake City, UT called Xidax/Geekbox and PCLaptops (PCLaptops bought them out) everyone would have to yell HEYYYY when someone came in the door. That was a requirement. The owner of the company has a good company but the pressure on his employees to sell sell sell is harsh.

 

Age doesn't make a difference as long as you can get the job done.

[ttam]

It's pretty shit, especially when you have rude middle class customers and unbearably scouse working class customers to deal with.

 

Do computers for fun, working in a shop numbs your mind. My advice.

 

About the whole hiring people thing; look for analytical qualities, make them do a reading age test and a shapes test. The people who are more clever will be better for the job.

If someone is rude I'll simply ask them to leave or I'll be blunt. You came into my shop for a reason, you obviously went to Bestbuy before and wasn't happy so let me fix your computer and make you happy.

 

We do do computers for fun. We all love computers here and enjoy it. Nothing is better than building someone their first i7, gtx 980 system and them going WOW because well we had a blast building it.

 

What qualifications do techs need to land a job? what would help in an interview?

Just knowledge really. Not going to turn someone away because they don't have a college degree or certifications. 

 

What would help would be up to date on the base tools (see next reply down) and know-how on removal of infections, diagnostic of hardware is a big one because a bad usb for example can cause a whole system to not turn on, tips and tricks of getting around things, etc.

 

what software tools do you typically use, and are you hiring? lol

Malware/Virus tools are Adwcleaner, Malwarebytes, JRT, Hitman Pro, Combofix, Rkill and Kaspersky Offline Tool

Those are the ones I use the most. 

 

Others are Hirens Boot which has most of the larger tools for testing, pw removal, cloning, etc.

[ttam]

what software tools do you typically use, and are you hiring? lol

Also if you're close to Medford, check out Falcon NW 

[Manny Calavera]

What do you drive?

[Tsuki]

Also if you're close to Medford, check out Falcon NW 

actually im downtown portland but everywhere around here insists i get A+, N+, ccna, apple cert and god knows what else, in addition to a 8 year degree and 20 years experience. lol

[ttam]

My question: How will you make it less of a "job" and more of a career for your employees?

For my shop. I bought it knowing it had been around since 1990, being the biggest shop for almost 700,000 people and we grow every year. This gives me room to pay more, give more time off and treat employees like a friend instead of a worker.

 

We don't make it a career. The people doing the job do. If they treat it as a job, they don't go anywhere, you know? Those who come in and love the job make it a career because they don't dread coming in every day.

 

Gladly, my turn around rate is non existent. My guys have been here longer than I have. 2 people have been here 20 years...

[ttam]

What do you drive?

2013 Cadillac CTS-V with a hennsey 850hp package

 

actually im downtown portland but everywhere around here insists i get A+, N+, ccna, apple cert and god knows what else, in addition to a 8 year degree and 20 years experience. lol

I look at it like this.

 

Who would you hire? 

The guy who has actually done it, has the experience (I choose this guy)

or

The guy who was told how to do it and never actually done it? (College, cert guy)

[Tsuki]

I look at it like this.

 

Who would you hire? 

The guy who has actually done it, has the experience (I choose this guy)

or

The guy who was told how to do it and never actually done it? (College, cert guy)

i like you

[Trik'Stari]

1. What's the best way to get hired at a shop.

2. How stingent are the requirements of working at a computer shop?

 

Need a part time job, considering going to a local PC repair shop or (and I know I shouldn't mention them) geek squad to make some money while I take my IT classes.

[ttam]

1. What's the best way to get hired at a shop.

2. How stingent are the requirements of working at a computer shop?

 

Need a part time job, considering going to a local PC repair shop or (and I know I shouldn't mention them) geek squad to make some money while I take my IT classes.

Shit. When I moved back to Washington and was dead broke it was hard for me to get a job at Geek Squad and I previously was managing a million dollar computer shop 6 months before. Now I have a shop about half a mile from Bestbuy and they send people to me.

 

1 - Really falls down to being confident with the job ahead and the know how. Most repairs are malware and it's easy to take care of but getting into things like being comfortable taking apart a laptop and knowing where everything goes to knowing when you move a window and it starts to stutter it's a ram issue and little things.

2 - Can't speak for Best Buy where you have a uniform and rules to follow... My shop is wear what you want, do what you want, just get computers on the done rack. 

 

We are open 6 days a week and bring in about $3,500 to $4000 a day so it's happy times there.

[linusforsell]

This'll be interesting to follow—I've always wanted a look inside a PC shop business (not that I have any questions in particular to participate with, but I hold a general interest in the topic), so I'll be enjoying the insight. Also, it's good to see you back aboard.

[TheProfosist]

Doing it as a job for me killed it as a hobby

[ttam]

Doing it as a job for me killed it as a hobby

I have a unfinished H440 build sitting on my kitchen table that I come home to every night and go whoa that's pretty. That's what keeps me happy after fixing old broken crap all day.

[MrTomnus]

If you don't mind me asking: what's your sales tactic? From what I've seen you say, I think I may know the answer - but do you tell employees to try and sell a product as hard as they can, or do you get them to give the customer the best advice possible, even if it could hurt your business? Anyhow, what is your opinion on some tech salesmen giving misinformation to their customers in order to bring money to the business?

 

Do you find your store filled with the tech "incompetent", or knowledgeable more often? If the former, how do you find dealing with them on a daily basis?

 

Would you suggest a PC repair/parts shop as a good starting point for anyone looking to get into the IT industry?

 

Any tips for somebody looking to potentially start their own PC repair/parts business in the future?

[Trik'Stari]

Shit. When I moved back to Washington and was dead broke it was hard for me to get a job at Geek Squad and I previously was managing a million dollar computer shop 6 months before. Now I have a shop about half a mile from Bestbuy and they send people to me.

 

1 - Really falls down to being confident with the job ahead and the know how. Most repairs are malware and it's easy to take care of but getting into things like being comfortable taking apart a laptop and knowing where everything goes to knowing when you move a window and it starts to stutter it's a ram issue and little things.

2 - Can't speak for Best Buy where you have a uniform and rules to follow... My shop is wear what you want, do what you want, just get computers on the done rack. 

 

We are open 6 days a week and bring in about $3,500 to $4000 a day so it's happy times there.

Nice. I was thinking of just going to a small repair shop, I'd think that would be better and easier to get a job at, rather than best buy or something. I hate wearing a damned uniform.

[TheProfosist]

I have a unfinished H440 build sitting on my kitchen table that I come home to every night and go whoa that's pretty. That's what keeps me happy after fixing old broken crap all day.

Well I have a build that's been going to over a year now with issue after issue.

[Juganog]

Here in aus if you are not A+ certified they won't even look at the rest of your resume even if you have had 15 years experience as a computer repair guy.. its disgusting