Dealing with customers of all types.

     If you're thinking of starting or are just starting a computer repair or other tech related business, you need to be able to deal with customers of all types. Each day is a new adventure, and just when you think you've seen it all, something new comes along. There are many types of customers you need to watch out for.

     Before I decided to go full time with my repair business, I spent a few years in customer service dealing with all kinds of people everyday. If you're typically known as the “nice guy” you may have to change your train of thought to keep from getting run over by your customers. If you have not had the benefit of gaining any type customer service experience, you should ask yourself, Can I deal with:

-The customer who “knows” what the problem is and wants to talk about it.

These aren't that bad, just annoying.

-The customer who wants to look over your shoulder while you work.

Personally I hate this. I don't get nervous, but I can't stand to have anyone looking over my shoulder in any situation.

-Same as above but wants an explanation of every single thing you do.

Grrrr

-The customer who wants to negotiate the price.

These guys are bad especially if you're working out of your home.

-The customer doesn't give you the whole story or “forgets” to tell you something relevant.

This can determine whether you work 10 minutes or two hours.

-The older customer who doesn't have a clue what you're saying even when you break it down into elementary English.

Not that bad really, just another annoyance. On the plus side, if you can make a “connection” with this customer, they'll come back every time.

-The customer who “since you're already working on it” wants you to fix something else for the same price.

Be firm, don't do anything for free. Let them know that it will be $x.xx more for you to do that.

-The customer who wants to blame you for something that was wrong with the computer before they dropped it off.

Most of these are premeditated. They come in knowing they're going to try and get one over on you.

     These are the types I run into the most but there are other types and variations. You have to remember that this is your business. You no longer have to clock in and answer to anyone else. You're the boss and you can run your business as you see fit.

     If you're the type to get nervous when someone looks over your shoulder, post on a sign that if a job is estimated to take more than 30 minutes (your discretion) then it is recommended that drop off and come back.

     Be firm with your prices, you're not running a stand at a flea market. You're prices are set,. Don't cave no matter how persistent that are. If they want cheap service they can look elsewhere. You can stand strong with these types of people. If you give in, they will be back every week wanting you to do something cheap.

     Be sure to inspect whatever the customer drops off in front of them. Make a note of any defects you find, and have them sign off on it.

     You can stand by your convictions without coming across as a jerk. It's all in the way that you do it.

Spartanburg Computer Repair

Removing Antivirus

     AntiVirus 2009, is counterfeit anti spy-ware designed to look like an actual anti virus program. AntiVirus 2009 is a clone of the infamous AntiVirus 2008 that gave computers users a fit back in....you guessed it, 2008. One of the most common ways you can get AntiVirus 2009 after installing a video codec infected with a trojan, mal-ware or other virus. AntiVirus 2009 generates fake yet authentic system messages tricking users into purchasing AntiVirus 2009. 

     In order to completely remove AntiVirus 2009, you have to remove all of it's components and all the malware and trojans that might have come with it such as zlob.trojan, trojan.vundo and Trojan.Downloader.

     If you're experienced enough, here are the tips for manually removing AntiVirus 2009

Unregister Antivirus 2009 DLL Files:
shlwapi.dll
wininet.dll

Stop Antivirus 2009 Processes:
av2009.exe
Antivirus 2009.lnk
Uninstall Antivirus.lnk
Antivirus2009.exe

Find and Delete these Antivirus 2009:
av2009.exe
Antivirus2009.exe
shlwapi.dll
wininet.dll
Antivirus 2009.lnk
Uninstall Antivirus 2009.lnk

Remove Antivirus 2009 Registry Values:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Antivirus
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Antivirus
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\”Antivirus” = “%ProgramFiles%\Antivirus 2009\Antvrs.exe”

If you're in the Spartanburg, SC area and do not feel comfortable performing these steps or need help, contact me @ B-TECH Computer Repair

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Keeping Windows running trouble free.

     With the increasing number of security threats, the task of maintaining computer safety becomes quite an overwhelming activity. To help you with this, outlined below are some important tips that you can follow to ensure that your computer is safe

     Malicious programs, such as Virus, Trojans, Mal-Ware, Spy ware, Ad-Ware and Worms are a major cause of concern for Windows users. These programs can:

-Perform regular anti virus scans

-Clutter your disk with many unwanted, malicious files.

-Generate various system errors, fatal errors, and code errors on your PC.

-Add many unwanted registry entries.

-Alter already existing entries within the registry to change how various programs work on the PC.

-Severely damage your system files that may render your computer unbootable, and even cause data loss.

-To prevent these problems, and to prevent your system from virus infections, you must install a reliable and efficient anti virus tool on your system. You must keep your tools updated with the latest definitions and run regular scans to ensure that your PC is safe from harmful virus infected files.

     Spy ware programs are major threats for computer users. These programs basically track your computer and web browsing activity and trade the collected information with various advertising websites.

     Removing browser tool bars and other similar spy ware programs can be quite tedious because these programs stealthily install on your PC and copy numerous files onto your computer and add many entries to the registry. The best way to get rid of them is to regularly scan your system with a reliable and efficient anti spy ware program. Just like your anti virus utility, you must keep your anti spy ware utility updated with the latest definitions to ensure complete PC protection.

Keep Your Registry Free From Malicious Entries

    Mal-ware programs add numerous entries to the Windows registry also. Many times, these entries are not removed even after you have performed a full system scan using your anti virus and anti spy ware tools. Therefore, it is recommended that you also run a regular scan of the registry to ensure that no malicious information has been left behind. You can easily and efficiently scan the registry with the help of a registry cleaner tool. These tools are widely available on the Internet. You can use Google to find and download the one that best meets your requirements and is compatible with your operating system.

Use a Firewall

     A firewall is a hardware or a software program that acts as a gateway between two networks and protects the data and resources of one network from another. For instance, when you are connected to the Internet a firewall will protect your PC from the public network. Therefore, to ensure that your PC is safe from any malicious attacks through the Internet, you should use a Firewall.

Tighten the Security Settings of your Web Browser

     I strongly recommend using Mozilla's Firefox as opposed to Internet Explorer. If you must use IE, change the security settings. To change the settings, click “Tools” and then select the “Options” command. Here, open the “Security” tab and modify the security settings of your IE by moving up the slider in the “Security level for this zone” section.

     Following the tips listed above will help protect your PC from various security hazards. If your computer has already gotten out of hand and you can't fix it yourself, contact B-TECH Computer Repair. If you live in Upstate SC, you won't find better prices. Up to 60% less than the Geek Squad. If you're in another city or state, you can contact me via Yahoo! Messenger: btech_computer_repair

Microsoft looking to release Windows 7 in time for the holidays.

      Microsoft confirmed on Monday that it is planning to release Windows 7 this year, in time for the Christmas shopping season. 

     "We are tracking well to a Windows 7 holiday," Microsoft Senior Vice President Bill Veghte said in an interview. Veghte will be making a statement Monday at Microsoft's TechEd event in Los Angeles. Until recently, Veghte had said publicly that such a release was unsure. Microsoft issued a release candidate for the server operating system last month, alongside an almost final version of Windows 7.

     For some time now, Microsoft's "official" position has been that Windows 7 would ship by January 2010. Now it seems, the software maker has been aiming and planning for a 2009 release the whole time.

     Early feedback (which has been good thus far) from the Windows 7 release candidate that came out late last month, convinced Microsoft it could commit to a 2009 launch, Veghte said.

     Veghte said that Microsoft has seen the number of crashes being experienced with the release candidate drop as opposed to the beta version.

     "You know pretty quickly if you've got any big gotchas," he said. "You can get a pretty good sniff pretty quickly."

     Equally important, Veghte said the company has seen the needed level of partner support. According to him, the first couple of companies have gotten Windows 7 logo certification. Among that first group are some graphics chip vendors. A big "whew" from many of the early Vista adopters that suffered with limited chip support.

     Veghte didn't provide a specific time for launch. He did say that generally the ecosystem needs anywhere from nine to fourteen weeks from the product being declared final to be ready for launch.

     I've been beta testing the RC and it does look promising for Microsoft this time. It's speedy, quite speedy actually. Surely....surely they have learned from past mistakes and will make sure this release is ready instead of rushing it out so it will be on all those new Christmas PCs.

Computer Repair - Spartanburg, SC