FAQs We've Answered

Our general rule for many years was "If it has a keyboard, we'll tackle it." With the emergence of iPods, flip-cams, and smartphones, we've had to clarify that to some degree. The keyboard is now defined as "a cable-connected date entry device that facilitates the entry of alphanumeric characters and is required in order to operate the system." So, if you have a computer that has a cable-connected alphanumeric-driven data entry device, we're willing to help you fix it. If that newly-defined keyboard is missing on your unit, take it back to the pimple-covered salesperson that sold it to you and ask for a real computer.

Okay, maybe that's a little harsh - we apologize. But the point is this - we won't work on everything, and we reserve the right to say "No". Mainly, it's based on the fact that time is valuable - yours and ours - and we know pretty well what's going to be a lost cause and which machines we can save. So, if we say no, don't take it personally. Either it just isn't worth it, or it's a lost cause waiting to die in the first place.

All that said, we have a really hard time saying "No." Yes, we are softies most of the time, willing to take on more than we should just to keep things interesting and lively. You'll find that most of the time we can handle most any request the same or next day, and for items that require bringing back to the office, the next day or two is usually the turnaround time. We don't like to keep your machines any longer than you like to be without them - not like we can sit around and play games on them all day!

What are our rates?

We generally charge an arm and a leg for everything, but with office discounts and other promotions, it usually works out to be just an arm. If you prefer to deal in U.S. currency, we charge $90/hour for most things. We don't, however, punch a clock when we start working on your issue, and generally we bill for the time we spend on your issue, not the amount of time your machine was taking up space in our work area. Most tasks related to your computer will take between 1-2 hours. Onsite work will be billed the same rate, but with a more strict time measurement, and for locations more than 20-30 minutes away, an "onsite fee" might apply as well.

What is our turnaround time?

As a rule, we try to get machines back to customers the next day. That doesn't always work out, and usually depends on the nature of the problem with your machine, but it's a good reference to start from. If we're exceptionally busy (we do have our busy times of the year), then we'll let you know accordingly. For web or programming projects, turnaround completely depends on the complexity of the task requested, and the shop schedule in general, so timelines will be communicated and updated as necessary.

Are we dependable or reliable?

That probably depends on your measurement of choice, but in general, we think we get high marks on both accounts. We don't advertise to get your business - you were most likely referred to us by someone you know or trust. We rely on that for new business, and we find it's the best way to advertise - let our work speak for itself. If you're not happy with our services, you won't be doing us any favors, so we make sure we meet and exceed any expectations you might have about quality, dependability and reliability. Our livelihood depends on it, as well as our egos.

How secure is your information with us?

Only technicians that need to touch your machine will have access to it. We don't post all your family photos online, we don't skim your Word files looking for passwords, and we don't have a good laugh at the pictures of you from 1973. We respect your data, we protect your data from access or unnecessary exposure, and we keep our office secure when we're not there - we keep our stuff there too.

What will you lose when we take your machine away?

Possibly everything, though that's never happened. We've come close to losing it all, but never with someone else's data (and certainly not with our customers). We treat your machine as if it were ours - we don't delete anything we shouldn't, we don't drop computers down the stairs, and we don't leave them on the hood of the car while we're packing up and forget them (we won't mention any customers who MAY have experienced this). We treat your equipment as if they were diamonds - they're important to someone, so they're important to us. If there's a question as to whether or not a task we're performing could cause a loss of data, we'll back up the drive before attempting to fix anything on that machine.