Optimistic vs. Pessimistic Estimate for computer repair – which one is better and why?

What estimate should be given to a customer, the worst or the best, the optimistic or pessimistic? This is a very good question having many different answers. The worst estimate can be the first and, at the same time, the last one for this particular customer. He will simply leave you switching to a cheaper (as he thinks) service. So for marketing it seems to be a very bad idea to give a realistic estimate in the very beginning. But let's think together how bad or good both ways are.


In many cases our company starts considering every new task with the worst case scenario. If a proper work was never done to a computer we can’t expect any mystery. A $10 work is not counted, sorry. :) But if we see in the process that this particular computer is new, in a good condition, and it doesn’t require the steps like cleaning, resealing, putting a new paste, lubricating, etc., that only means, that the work will be cheaper for you since we don’t need to do that. But once we start working on a computer we prefer to fix all dangerous points in it to guarantee that nothing will happen in the nearest future for these particular reasons. It doesn't mean that this computer is very bad or in a bad condition, it just means that a required work should be done to extend this computer life to keep it for a customer and finally save money, nothing else. So here is the worst estimate is coming from. Yes, we can skip all these very important steps and say that it will be much cheaper for the customer. We can reinstall the operating system over the customer data files deleting everything that should be preserved, forgetting to install antivirus software, etc. many companies do that telling the customers that it was impossible to save their files. Finally the customer after he paid the money will have to fix his computers again and again just to get it working. If we didn't care of the customers we could do that but we can't, because we are responsible for the work we did. As a result, our customers initially get the worst pessimistic estimate with a comment that the price usually goes down and never up.

Is it really unusual in the business world? Yes, it is. Usually the final amount can be significantly decreased and this is normal for us. But the customers usually can't easily understand why they had to pay much less that they agreed in the very beginning. We realize how bad that is for us and for the ads. But we don’t want to trap a potential customer with some unreal amount like $10-$30 for a whole day work, and then release the price, getting it much higher after the papers are signed and the work is started. We know that many companies usually give a very low estimate only to attract the customers. We know about one very funny guy (as he writes about himself, expert with a 30 year experience) in Phoenix promising to fix your computer for just $10, but additionally charging for all parts, etc. Does he pay you from his own pocket for a pleasure to fix your computer? The work, doing by an expert, who spent his entire life, polishing his skills to do that better than others, should not be cheap by default, or there is something wrong in this world.

We don’t think so. We are sure that he simply skips all required steps to make your computer better, faster, safer, more reliable, etc. It's physically impossible to do everything for a computer in just a few minutes and get good results. First of all, the computer speed is not enough to save the user data to prevent any file loss, to install the whole operating system, then antivirus software, all service packs and updates, utilities, etc. Second, many tweaks and tunings require a very detailed work with the computer to make it usable for a customer, and skipping just a few steps can lead to a great disaster in the future. In some cases it's possible to configure just one computer and then clone the whole hard drive in 20-30 minutes to get a full digital office of absolutely similar 10-20 machines, but these cases are unique and the tricks like this can be used only in some rare cases. So why do people use a cheap $10 trick, just to attract more customers? For sure, what else? This $10 trap is just a reason to start talking with you, to stop you, to let you open the door, come in and close this door right behind you back to keep you inside. It’s just some kind of show to make you believe that this particular company is the cheapest and the greatest in the area. In many cases like this the price starts growing up as soon as the door is closed until the customer is ready to completely reject it, but it’s often too late since the work is already started. Is it a good practice? Only for people believing that all their computer problems can be resolved for just $10. Compare all that to a plumber charging $70 per hour or to AC guys charging from $325 to $600-$700 to replace your $45 Fan Motor in 20 minutes. Maybe you will understand something.

Our company always gives a maximum expectation from the very beginning but always decrease the price accordingly after everything is done. If we were unable to predict something before we started working with you it is our problem. We will never skip the items that we promised to fix, just because it took a little longer than we expected. But is it a right way to go? Or we're just losing our potential customers scaring them with the real prices for the service so that they are leaving us switching to the guys promising everything for just $10? We have many customers recommending us to their friends or colleagues and we are sure that our way is the best way to go. But maybe we are wrong and we’d better provide the incorrect info to our customers only to keep them. Which way is better? Let's discuss that. Any good ideas will be greatly apreciated.

Computer Expert will fix your PC for just $10-$35? Are you kidding me?

Many people get attracted with the ads promising an “expert” computer repair for just $10-$35. Do you believe that it's possible? We honestly don't think so and here is why. Even a simple service or repair call usually includes a number of different items like making the user’s data safe, quick scan for viruses, data integrity check, cleaning, probably partial disassembling, replacing broken parts, refreshing a cooler paste to save CPU, motherboard and video card (means your money!), lubricating coolers, BIOS check and update if requried to get new features and eliminate old bugs, operating system check and update, installation of service packs and critical fixes, hard drive health check, air flow and overheating control (extremely important for AZ), system and data backup to be able to restore the system "whatever happens", adding and configuring safety and protecting features, tuning, customization, etc. This list is not endless, but really very long. Then imagine all that for just $10. Sounds like nonsense. But if you start searching for the real ads on the Internet, say, on your local Craiglist, you will find many postings with the prices like that. Only professionals know how real all that is. Nobody is even going to do anything from this critical list. Let’s think if your computer really needs this kind of care. You drive to auto service every few thousand miles and this is normal, you don't even complain. Every car has its own service list and we used to follow it. The fact, that you have no idea what all that means for your computer doesn’t mean that your PC will be in a good shape after a cheap, quick, few minute “fix” by an "expert" for just $10. If you want to vote for that, then this is your choice. We can’t stop you of doing that. But don’t cry later trying to change your stolen SSN, restoring personal data or contacting bank about your lost money. You were informed, and the choice was yours as usual.

AC vs. Computer Repairs – who is really cheating you?

Why do people pay for their AC repair from $325 to up to $600-$700 for a 20-30 minute work (usually under 10 screws and 3 wires with simple connectors) if a brand new AC fan motor can be found for just $40-$70? Same people want their PCs to be fixed for almost for free while this work requires much more time, efforts, tools and finally qualification. Paradox? We can say so. Many people think that as smaller device is, as cheaper this device and its maintenance are. People usually don’t open or even touch AC units relying on the professionals, but they work with computers mostly every day and after a few months they start thinking that they know everything about them. Well, realistically most of usual (not IT) people know nothing about operating systems, programs, networks, security, protection, viruses, processors, memory, cards, computer maintenance, tuning, etc., being under impression, that all that can be done and fixed after just a few minutes of Googling. Comparing to a computer, an AC is a huge noticable device. If it fails many people living in Arizona know about that right away, and they agree by default to significantly overpay to get AC fixed. Instead, computer is a black box, something small, mostly located under or on a table, and many people never realize how complicated it is and how dangerous it can be. Say, if your personal info is shared to the hackers, to the whole Internet, or simply lost, then you are in a serious trouble. You will spend weeks, months or even years to fix that, to return back to your normal life. If the AC unit stops, you will spend a few minutes to call someone and couple hours to let an AC guy arrive and fix it. And you will forget about that fact pretty soon with no consequences. But just imagine, that all your documents, photos, video files, plus SSN, address, your mother maiden name, bank account info, etc. are accessible to somebody else. You hope that all this sensitive info is secure but it’s simply gone or published. Is it really funny now? And what price you will agree to pay to return back to your normal life and resolve all the issues suddenly appeared on your horizon? So think twice before inviting a cheap $10 expert with a 30 year experience to fix your computer in just a few minutes.