Future retailer in distress

[Andy3536]

dell professional services are not "hobbyests"

Sorry i know, there never that good!

[Saracen]

Can we not just step on this? It's a bad idea full stop, particularly the idea of selling to local businesses, never mind retailing.

The idea of selling to local business, in the manner I described can work. I will guarantee that from personal experience. You might not be interested, but don't assume all local businesses see it the way you do. And you only need a relatively small number for this to work.

I own a small business, why should I pay a hobbyist a monthly retainer to keep my computers functioning as opposed to Dell? I can choose between an on-site and RTB service and I can be confident that I won't be left leaving voicemails on the mobile of someone who is stuck at home revising for exams or something.

I wasn't aware that anyone had suggested monthly retainers or service contracts, and I certainly didn't. But even if you do, it'll very much depend on the terms of the contract. Nobody in their right mind is going to sign a contract for even a monthly retainer with unlimited consequential loss unless it's a VERY substantial retainer, and by someone expert enough to be able to accurately assess the risk they run, and their ability to react and prevent the loss.

But even without exclusions for consequential loss, that is not a bottomless pit you can plumb at will. Standard principle suggests that you will be able to claim for predictable consequential loss, but will not be covered for unpredictable ones.

But that aside, the method I suggested did not involve retainers, or ongoing contracts. It involved providing a service that the business finds useful, AND value for money. It is not an excuse for printing money, because you're right - anyone in business for long enough to need these services is likely to see straight through any money for old rope trick. It involves slowly building a relationship, where you make yourself invaluable. It's the same basis on which many businesses would rather pay an accountant than try to do their accounts themselves. If you provide a service, and offer value for money, there will be customers .... if you can find them, and beat the competition.

I wouldn't assume small businesses are easy customers at all, just because they have deeper pockets than Joe Bloggs. I don't think people who are mugs stay in business very long, so this leaves putting a card in your newsagents and selling your services to the public - many of whom will have at least one mate who is just as good with computers as you are, or know someone at work whose children will do the same job for pocket money.

It's not about deep pockets, it's about a difference in perceived value. A lawyer, for instance, may not want to spend time mucking about fixing his/her PC, because it's cheaper to pay someone to do it for him/her, and spend his time more profitably working for his/her clients. The trick is finding someone competent and reliable to do it. For what I suggested to work, it has to be about the customer KNOWING he can rely on you, which you can't, necessarily, with a mate or someone's kids. If that's the way you want to get service, and it works for you, fine. But I know a number of small, local businesses that wouldn't dream of relying on that. Several of them are customers of mine.

As for selling parts - why would anyone buy from you when they can just as easily buy direct from Scan? I'd much rather have a guarantee with Scan than with some 'broker'. Would you enjoy refunding £300 on an 8-month old graphics card that would be worth maybe one third of that on e-bay if it wasn't faulty? Can you sell keyboards and generic consumables cheaper than Tesco? Are you going to stay open 24 hours a day every day like the guy who sells car parts on the corner of my old road (or for that matter, Tesco)? Why would anyone buy from you then?

Which is precisely why, personally, I won't retail parts, nor would I advise it.

Being a technology forum, we all like our gadgets and fiddling with PCs. It's a hobby - something that generally costs money, not makes money. Unless you're a pornstar or very lucky musician you won't make money from a hobby or anything you enjoy doing. It won't work.

Beg to differ. I've been doing it quite nicely for 20 years, thanks. I don't say it's easy, and it certainly requires some versatility, but it can be done.

m0onKniGht may only be 18, but I've known some "kids" that were pretty competent, technically. It is possible for a hobbyist to develop into a professional. Sure, it'll take some time to fill that out, and nobody's suggesting that this will be a raging overnight success. It'll pretty much certainly, as I've said, take time, effort and a bit of luck. But it can be done ... if he chose to pursue it. I speak from experience.

[m0onKniGht]

Well besides finding the customers the biggest problem i would see is proving that i am able for the job seeing i have no written proof or experience since i do it as a favor to family and friends. And theres no "reliability proof" either so i think id need to be lucky to get a customer and then im pretty sure i could take it from there would it be best to look into local businesses and make an enquiry or find a way to advertise?

[Kumagoro]

Dont be put off to much, I know someone who started up their own little business recently making
made to measure curtains. OK its not the same thing but it wasnt as complicated as you may be
thinking now. I dont know the specifics but she registered as self employed and got liablity insurance.

The doing it as a pick up and return (like Steve B said) I think makes the most sence as long as you have your own car that is. You can do it from your own house you will have much lower overheads
and if it doesnt pay you can just stop doing it. You could also do home visits. Once you get going
then I dont see why you couldnt get a little unit on some industrial site and people drop it off to you.
Then as others have suggested once you have that up and running I cant see why you couldnt then
move into providing support to very small businesses. etc etc

Do you live by a university? you could have a go at doind some on the cheap unofficially.

[m0onKniGht]

well i do live near a college