Computer Repair Service: Guarantee, Limited Guarantee, or No Guarantee?

No matter how you may feel about offering a guarantee on computer repairs, consider using computer diagnostic software as part of your process. Doing so documents the condition of the system before work begins and then again after work has been completed. For companies that offer a guarantee or partial guarantee, this documentation provides evidence of the nature of the work that was performed and which components were replaced. Should a customer return the system with a new, unrelated problem, the documentation provided by your software will back you up, saving you from performing so-called guarantee work on something that is absolutely not your fault.

Now that you know how computer diagnostics can eliminate costly returns that have nothing to do with the work you performed, should you consider a guarantee, limited guarantee, or no guarantee? Each has its pros and cons. In fact, you may find that you'll want to fully guarantee some work, partially guarantee other work, and stipulate that there's no guarantee at all on other types of work.

When to Offer a Full Guarantee
Offering a full guarantee inspires confidence and can make the difference between getting the repair business from a customer or not. Offering a full guarantee when you are installing brand new components is smart. After all, if the hardware manufacturer backs the product with a warranty and the product is defective, you can return the failed component to the factory and satisfy your customer. Better yet, test the component with computer diagnostic software to ensure that it meets all specifications. This won't necessarily prevent an imminent failure, but it could help you detect a problem before your customer takes the computer home and discovers the problem on his own.

When to Offer a Limited Guarantee
Some repair work doesn't lend itself to a full guarantee. For example, if you run a system-wide virus scan and install an antivirus program, you can't guarantee that the customer's system will remain virus free indefinitely. You may want to place short time limits on your guarantee, require the purchase of a managed services contract, or impose other limits in order to protect yourself from future problems over which you have no control.

When NOT to Offer a Guarantee
Finally, some computer problems simply should never be guaranteed. If your computer diagnostics tests reveal that the computer is made up of obsolete components and you are forced to use recycled computer parts in order to get it to function, you may not want to guarantee results. After all, if the used components fail, there's no manufacturer backing them up with a warranty and you may not even be able to get replacement parts.

No matter what type of computer repair job you are faced with, running computer diagnostic software could help you discover the nature of the work and the overall condition of the system so that you can make an informed decision over the type of guarantee to offer, if at all.