It’s not a matter of if you need a computer repair company, but when.  Make it a point to choose your computer repair company before you actually need their services.  Regardless of when you have to make your choice, its’ a good idea to check out your possible computer repair company thoroughly before spending any money with them. 

Not all computer repair companies are created equal, so here are a few things to remember when having to make such a decision. 

1. Ask for references.  If they are worth their salt, they will have the references to back up their claims of quality and customer service.
2. Check out their website.  If it doesn’t look professional, move on.  It’s not do difficult to put together a site that looks clean and professional and if a computer repair company can’t do at least that, I wouldn’t trust them with my computer equipment.
3. Look for a company whose employees exhibit a good communication and people skills. If your repair technician can’t communicate well with you, how are you going to be able to effectively communicate to them what your concerns are regarding your computer equipment?
4. Scheduling. One of the things that may differentiate a good computer repair company from a great one is if they will work with your schedule.  Most computer companies charge an exorbitant amount of money for after hours or weekend work.  It is reasonable to expect that there would be an additional fee for working those hours, but you shouldn’t have to pay time and half pay at their standard labor rates. (Yes, there are people that charge that much.)
5. Blind Quotes. Be wary of computer companies that give you a quote without looking at your computer first. Most of the time it is near impossible to predict the costs that way.
6. You usually get what you pay for. That statement is very true in the computer industry. Be prepared to spend a bit of money, but make sure that the prices are competitive.  Prices will vary dramatically by geographic area so be sure to check your pricing locally.
7. Check for additional charges. Some companies charge a trip fee for onsite services so you will want to check that before you schedule a technician visit.
8. What’s their guarantee? Do they offer on and if so, what comes with it. Look for a company that offers at least a 30 day guarantee or more. That way if the issue comes back, they will resolve it at no additional charge.

Regardless of which company you choose, something you should always do before you take your computer in for repair is to make sure that you have a good backup of your critical data.

When it comes to your investment in computers and your critical data, you need to be able to trust the company that is going to work on your computer equipment. If the trust is not there, get out fast and find one that you can trust.