Is a Computer Support Contract Worthwhile for an Individual PC?

If you run a small IT firm, you may have wondered whether it’s worth offering domestic customers a computer support contract for a single PC. While doing so may seem tempting, there are several potential issues, which this article explores.

1. There’s only SO much a customer will pay for a computer support contract for one PC. While pulling in a small amount of easy revenue may seem compelling, especially if your business is new or particularly small, you will probably earn more in the long run by waiting for something to go wrong and billing by the hour.

2. When something DOES go wrong, customers will expect miracles. If a computer behaves perfectly for the first six months of its computer support contract, then suddenly goes wrong, your customer will expect fast and perfect service – after all, they’ve been paying “for nothing” for six months. You can be sure that this will happen when you are busy with a far larger and more lucrative customer, and will probably find yourself wishing you’d never agreed to the small contract.

3. You will become permanently responsible for that PC. When a customer pays for a computer support contract, they feel like they are insured against anything going wrong. That means it’s still somehow your fault if a clients’ child downloads malware-infected software or someone spills a cup of coffee on the keyboard.

Undoubtedly, there are companies that generate some revenue by making a computer support contract available to individual domestic users. However, it’s fair to argue that there are easier ways to make money.

Do you offer a computer support contract to individual home users? Share your experiences in the Comments box below. 

And to follow-through on the tips introduced in this short article, be sure to download your free copy of the special report on IT Service Contract Secrets for Getting More Repeat Clients and Recurring Service Revenue. 

Creative Commons Image Source: flickr NobMouse