Computer Repair Hawaii
Computer Repair Services in Hawaii
is not so much different than the mainland, particularly on the island of Oahu,
but there are a few challenges. Having lived on Oahu over 45 years ago in Ewa
Beach, and returning just over 7 years ago, the scene has changed drastically.
Things were more rural back then, and of course there was no internet.
In Oahu, people seem to work on one
side of the island and work on the other. Since there are only 1 or 2 ways to
get around, traffic can be extremely congested, and parking can be a challenge.
So whether you are looking for a Computer Repair Shop to drop off your
computer, or waiting for a Mobile Technician to drive out to you, timing can be
a challenge. For some reason, even in Paradise, things can get pretty busy.
With that said, I just wanted to put out my two-cents that affect both the
customer and the service provider about computer repair in Oahu.
Traffic Challenges
If you live in Waianae, Waialua,
Haliewa, or the North Shore, Windward and around Waimanalo, you will have to
rely on Mobile Technicians willing to come out to your location, or to drive
the distance yourself. The problem with dropping off a sick computer yourself
is that most shops open about 9-10am and close at 6pm. You either have to take
time off from work, hope traffic is light after getting off work, or just wait
until a day off.
For some reason, there are no shops
I am aware of in Waianae, Haliewa and all throughout the North Shore. Shops on
the Windward side are scarce as well, but I vaguely heard that there may be a
shop out in Kaneohe, but they must not do much advertising. If you have a
Macintosh, there is definitely a shop in Kailua, just be aware that not all
shops repair both PCs and Macs, and neither do mobile technicians.
My Rant About Windward Computer
Repair
Concerning computer repair for our
valued Windward customers, I have to rant a little bit. Windward customers in
Kaneohe and Kailua are fiercely loyal to their local businesses, which is a
good thing. But when it comes to computer repair and they are looking for a
mobile technician, they always want someone who seems closer to where they are,
which at first, seems to make sense.
If they call you and you actually have
a physical location and provide both in-shop and mobile services, they get
hung-up on your shop's physical location even though they are calling for
mobile service. The truth is, that they have no idea where the technician is
coming from. The technician might already be scheduled to be out in that area
for another customer and can easily set an appointment for you as well. They
aren't necessarily just sitting around at home all day waiting for you to call,
so you just can't assume where they will be dispatched from. That may sound
harsh, but it always surprises me when we spend some valuable time over the
phone with a prospective customer, trying to understand their computer problems
and comfort them with our solution to their problem, and as soon as we mention
that our shop is over the hill on the other side of H3, they start backing out
of the conversation almost as if they thought they were doing "us" a
favor and say thanks but no-thanks, we'll just call someone a little closer. I
don't get it, and even when I can truthfully say that I have a tech in the area
already, they don't care. I know other shop owners who get this same response
about mobile repair on the Windward side. The fact is that we are happy to
serve customers on the Windward side, and we appreciate their loyalty once they
finally hire us to repair their computer. But it is a hurdle starting that
relationship. I might add that it is a beautiful drive to the Windward side,
especially if you get to drive back through the Northshore if you have the
time. I always look forward to a good Shrimp Plate lunch from one of my
favorite shrimp trucks along the way.
Parking for Mobile Computer Repair
Technicians
If your business or home is located
in a relatively populated area away from the areas I just mentioned, you'll
have plenty of options for both in-shop and onsite computer repair in Oahu. But
if you need service in the congested business areas of downtown or Waikiki,
parking is a problem. My suggestion is that if you want prompt service, that you
provide information to the technician about the most convenient place to park
as well as any parking fees (which may be added to your bill). You might even
be able to pre-arrange parking in a reserved area for vendors. And lastly, it
even helps to know details such as any vehicle height restrictions for parking
garages, or detours due to emergency or special events.
Giving Directions
When setting an appointment for
mobile service, it is vital that you provide an accurate address and phone
number. Many local Hawaii residents prefer to give directions and landmarks
than actual addresses, but Mobile Technicians end up learning the island pretty
well and even use GPS devices these days. Some even print out directions with
Yahoo or Google before coming out. We would prefer that you just give us your
complete address and then maybe a landmark if you live in an obscure hard to
find location. We need the address for our invoice anyway. We appreciate the
directions, but customers somehow assume we will be driving to their location
the same way they do everyday, but the fact is that we might be coming from the
other way, and then left become right, and right becomes left and it gets
confusing while driving.
Be Sure to Give and Get Correct
Phone Numbers
As for your phone number, things
happen and we may need to call you. We also like to call before we come out to
ensure you'll be home. Fortunately, we aren't like the cable companies that
tell you they will arrive between 9-5. Mobile Technicians can usually provide
you with a 30-60 minute window. But if you have something come up, we would
appreciate if you could call us as soon as possible to postpone.
Also, be sure that you know which
Computer Repair company you made the appointment with and have their correct
number. Many customers call quite a few shops before they choose who they will
make their appointment with and get phone numbers mixed up. Some even call us
more than once because we have more than one phone number. It gets quite funny
hearing the same person calling again, now using a better description of their
problem because of talking to us earlier. The problem is that it might get
confusing to remember who you chose in the end. Now and then I'll get a person
calling us by mistake to cancel an appointment that we never made. Imagine the
frustration of the technician when he drove out to your home or business just
to find out that you said you called and cancelled already, why are you here?
In-Shop vs Onsite Computer
Maintenance
This basically boils down to price, turn-around
time and convenience. In-shop repair fees are usually flat rate fee based, and
takes days to get back, but you will get more thorough service this way. Shops
are also more prepared for the extremely difficult problems. With shops, you
can just walk-in during normal business hours, although you should call first
to get guidance on what to bring. For laptops, you should always bring the AC
Adapter (battery charger). For desktops, we usually only need the computer
itself (no cables or peripherals, although it wouldn't hurt if you brought your
CDs).
Onsite service is usually hourly fee
based, and may even have a trip charge. Onsite service by nature is by
appointment only, but many problems can be diagnosed and repaired within an
hour or two. With onsite service, it is crucial that you describe your computer
problem as well as possible, because if it sounds obvious that it might be a
hardware problem, your computer may be a better candidate for in-shop repair.
It's already difficult enough to get certain types of parts on island such as
motherboards and CPUs at a Computer Store, so you can expect that a Mobile
Technician will not have every part needed to fix every computer in their
vehicle. Some parts even have to be ordered online and can take a week or so to
arrive. Hopefully you can see the complications this may cause with setting
another appointment as well as how the technician will bill you for the first
and second appointments. It would just be better to bring these problem
computers to a shop.
Major Limitations for Mobile Only
Technicians
I certainly do not want to knock
mobile only technicians, because I got my start that way. But you have to know
that these ones can only service a small finite number of customers in any
given day. Many people get attached to their computer guy once trust is
established, but it can get frustrating when your trusty Mobile PC Tech cannot
make it out fast enough. They might even need to take a vacation and when you
get a hold of them on their cell phone, you find out they are on the mainland
for a week or two. If you can't wait, you have to find someone else.
Mobile repair is limited as well for
reasons spelled out in the "In-Shop vs Onsite Computer Maintenance"
section above. There are also certain types of maintenance that will never get
done onsite due to how long it will take. If I think I have to perform a
surface scan on a hard drive just for starters (which can take 2 hours or more
in some cases), I almost immediately recommend I take the computer back to the
shop to complete at the flat rate. Some computers develop multiple problems and
can take 4-5 hours to repair. For one, it will save you on further hourly
charges, but it will also help the technician to be on time for other
appointments after you, since he probably only allotted 2 hours for your
appointment. The complicated part is that a mobile technician may not have a
shop to take your computer to, and may only be able to take it to their home.
If you are okay with that, then fine, no problem.
I would add that a technician that
has both in-shop and onsite experience are the best technicians. For mobile
only technicians, it can be hard to get this experience because they will
rarely get a customer that is willing to pay a technician to spend 4-5 hours onsite,
not to mention having to dedicate their own personal time as well to be there.
But if the technician doesn't ever get the chance to spend time on the real
hard problems, it is unlikely that they will ever progress to become a master
technician. If you were choosing a doctor for a complicated surgery, how
concerned would you be about his or her experience? The answer is obvious.
Anyway, while our computers and
online lives might not be life and death situations, we seem dependent on them
nevertheless. So I hope this insight into both sides of Computer Maintenance
and Repair in Hawaii help you make the right decisions when that inevitable
computer problem occurs. That way, you can be armed with the insight to make
the best choice available for your computer needs.