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Northampton Computer Repair vs The Big Box Stores

Posted by Henry Dallow on Mon, May 05, 2014

Big Box Stores vs. Your Local Repair Shop

Let’s talk Worst Case Scenario: your computer just died, you’re in panic mode and you don’t have the knowledge to fix it yourself. Now comes the question, where do I bring it for repair? Around here, you essentially have two options – you can bring it to a big-box store like Staples, Best Buy, etc., or you can bring it to a smaller, locally-owned computer repair business. Northampton Computer Repair is one of those small, locally-owned shops.  


The big-box stores will tell you that they have a lot more at their fingertips than we do, but it’s just not true. There are many advantages to dealing with Northampton Computer Repair over a big box  store when in comes to computer repair. Here are just a few:
  • We Do Everything In-House. Big box stores will, in most cases, send your computer out to be repaired elsewhere, perhaps by the manufacturer, or maybe by some third-party contractor you’ve never heard of. This means it takes a lot longer, most likely will cost more, not to mention that all of your personnel data is accessible to anyone that is handling your machine. And you have to ask yourself, who is in control of quality? At Northampton Computer Repair, we do everything in house – diagnostics, hardware repairs, virus-removal, screen replacements, etc. – right here in our store, with our own in-house technicians.
  • You Can Talk To Us. Big box stores make it hard to talk to anyone about your repair, and it is typically impossible to speak to the actual person working on your computer. If you stop by Northampton Computer Repair or call up to check in, you can speak with the actual technician who is handling your repair from start to finish. They’re available for questions and can tell you how things are going either by calling or emailing us.
  • We Recycle. During the repair process at Northampton Computer Repair, we recycle parts and hardware that can’t be used anymore, as our mission statement is to recycle and reuse wherever possible. On top of that we also recycle & reuse all empty ink and toner printer cartridges. The big box stores just throw everything in the dumpster.
  • We Charge Less. A Lot Less. Many people assume that small shops are more expensive, but this really isn’t the case at Northampton Computer Repair. For every service you can get at a major retail store, we’re charging less. Take, for example, the cost just to run diagnostics on your computer – Staples charges nearly $70, Northampton Computer Repair charges $59.99! And don’t forget, we always offer a free consultation, no matter what your problem is. We actually take all the time our customers need to understand the problem and what the solution will be with up front service charges discussed. We never do work without first getting approval from the customer, the last thing you need is to find out that the service cost more than the computer is worth.
  • Follow-Up Support. Try calling that big-box store a few weeks after your repair with questions about the repair. Or maybe you just need help using your repaired system. First of all, good luck finding the person that actually performed the repair work. You will most likely be talking to a tech that has no knowledge of your specific machine or the work done on it. So now you have to start from the beginning and try to explain the repair and what you need for help. This usually does not end well and most likely you will be asked to bring the unit back to the store with a check in hand. But our techs at Northampton Computer Repair are always happy to help you figure things out, especially after major changes to your computer. We’ll never charge you for a phone call or a chat in the store – come on down and see the difference a small locally owned computer repair store can make the next time you need your computer worked on!
  • In the end what we are offering is personal one on one service at a local business that really cares about its customers. Our primary purpose is to provide a no-hassle atmosphere and talk in terms that our customers can understand, this is a designated no geek talk zone! So it doesn’t matter if you know the lingo or not, we always make you feel at home and comfortable.
Give us a call, talk to one of our techs about any problems you might be having and see what a difference a computer repair shop that really cares about their customers can make.
 
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Tags: PC repair, Northampton Computer Repair, Staples, Best Buy