Secret Santa Service, Last Minute Holiday Gifts

December 18, 2018 by doctordave

Every year here at DcotorDave Computer Repair in Lawrence and Kansas City we offer our exclusive “Santa” service.

Technology gifts for the holidays are great, but the problem is they need to be set up. They’re more complex than the standard disclaimers of “some assembly required” and “batteries not included.” Take for example the average services we provide for a new computer setup:

Unbox the computer
Add the computer to the wifi network (do you have the password?)
Follow approximately 10-15 prompts agreeing to terms of service, license agreements, and privacy policies.
Start dozens of safety and security updates
Disable trial software and “junk” that comes on the average computer
Find passwords and set up email on a new system
Transfer stuff from the old system like pictures, music, and documents
Install programs like Microsoft Word and Excel as part of Microsoft Office
Configure antivirus and malware
Create a backup system to protect data

On average that’s about 90 minutes for us because we do it every day, sometimes even three times a day. Most clients tell us it takes them several hours to do this work and often they don’t have the skills or tools to finish.

In other words, it makes for a complicated and exhausting Christmas morning. Clients think our busy time is Christmas Day (yes we’re open) or the day after Christmas.

In reality, we usually start hearing from clients after the tree comes down. That’s because the new computer, printer, tablet or smart speaker (think Alexa and Google Home/Mini) sit in the box until someone decides to call us.

To prevent that problem we offer what I call the “Santa Service.” We can make an appointment at our office or your home (including evenings or weekends) and set all the stuff up in advance. Then you just put it back in the box and wrap it up.

When the recipient opens the box, it’s READY TO GO. Everything is set up. They just press the button, and away it goes. I’d admit it isn’t as popular as I think it should be, but clients who take us up on the offer rave about how happy they are.

It takes all the stress out of receiving a gift. Yes, sometimes getting a gift can be stressful. We’ve got this gift setup down to a science. After all, we’ve been in business 15 years.

Black Friday/Cyber Monday Special: Pre-Payment Discount and Free Gift

November 22, 2018 by doctordave

Since we’re not a retail shop, it’s harder for us to participate in the fun of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.

It might be harder, but we’re still doing it. Here’s’ some deals we have for you.

Pre-Payment Discount

Our normal rate is $90 an hour, but we’re selling blocks of time at a discount. You can buy two hours of service for $160. That’s a savings of $20, but for this weekend we’re selling them at $150 for an extra $10 off. You can use these in as little as 15-minute increments if you’d like remote support. They can be used for any of our services like

Wellness checkups (recommended every year)
New computer setups
Virus and malware removal
Upgrades, installs, and configuration of things like printers, wireless routers, scanners as well as software

If you purchase it anytime this weekend we’ll include a password book to track your passwords. Proper password management prevents you from getting taken in by scams and hacks. Go here to take advantage of the offer. After midnight on Monday they go back up to $160, which is still a good deal.

Free Checkup When you Join Our Monthly Wellness Program

Normally we charge $80 to join our Wellness program which includes your first checkup. If you sign up this weekend we’ll come out and do your first checkup for free. You must sign up and pay your first month’s fee of $25 to take advantage of this deal.

Some key benefits of our monthly wellness program are:

Wellness security and problem prevention checkups twice a year
Discounts on labor and anti-virus software
Free assistance through email or our DoctorDave™ iPhone app
Free installs of hardware, software and new computers
Free virus detection scans
Free checks for updates to hardware and software
Free Assistance with problems caused by scammers
Free Membership Appreciation Clinics and Parties
Free consulting on new hardware and software purchases
Free monthly tips and tricks newsletter
Free recycling of old computer equipment, including securely erasing or destroying data

To take advantage of this deal, you’ll first need to go here.

Malwarebytes Antivirus Protection for Macs or PCs (50%)

We’re offering this only to existing clients. Normally this product retails for $40, but we give a discount of $5.00. For Black Friday, we’ll discount it another $10.00. You’ll get one year of protection for just $25. To take advantage of this deal you’ll need to already be an existing client and email. Call us at 785-841-8766 to take advantage of this deal. No online sales.

Stocking Stuffer: Password Management Book $5.00

Normally we sell these for $7.50 (or get them free if you purchase a pre-payment block of service). They’re great

Whether it’s Black Friday, Small Business Saturday or Cyber Monday, help support local business and protect your computer!

Why we Don’t do iPhone Repairs: Another Reason

July 23, 2017 by doctordave

We’ve never done iPhone or other mobile device repairs and probably never will. There are a ton of reasons, but here’s a new one. Apple has prevented third parties from repairing the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

This article explains the reasons, but the nutshell is the Apple Retail store needs to configure the phone after replacement. Apple’s done this before with the home button.

The primary reason though we don’t repair iPhones is mobile devices require proprietary parts. Unlike a computer that needs a standard hard drive, most phone parts are specific to your phone. If we ordered parts, they’d be knock-offs. Too many mobile device shops have told me they have trouble getting quality parts.

If we can’t stand behind our work, we’re not going to fix your device. Since the parts market for mobile devices is questionable, we’d rather step aside. Large shops that deal in a ton of volume usually have the relationships to get the best parts. Other than that, getting your iPhone fixed by Apple is the best bet. You know the parts are genuine and Apple stands behind their work.

For Lawrence, that’s who we recommend for iPhone repair. Clients consistently have the best experience at the Apple Retail stores in Leawood, KS and Kansas City, MO on the Plaza.

Photo by magerleagues

Our Policy Towards Password Resets and Password Recovery

January 17, 2017 by doctordave

One popular question we get at DoctorDave Computer Repair in Lawrence and Kansas City is “Can you recover my password?” Many times it’s an innocent problem, but we always play it safe.

Photo by IntelFreePress – http://flic.kr/p/dxdmTX

Why Do You Get Locked Out of Your Computer?

The most common reason is plain forgetfulness. You haven’t used it in a few months and you just forgot the password. Sometimes it’s a glitch in the computer. Maybe your keyboard isn’t working or Windows has a virus. We even see when you change your password on your iPhone; it changes your Mac’s password.

What If You Need Access, But Don’t Have the Password

Just because you own the computer, doesn’t mean you’re the main user. You could have given the computer to the kids or your employees. If you need something on the computer, those people might not give you the password. Ouch! Unfortunately, we’ll often have to deal with the computer of a person who passed away. Our client needs access to close out the owner’s affairs.

What We Need For Password Resets

We treat all clients equally. No matter how trustworthy you seem, we need your name to match the username on the computer. If they’re the same, we’ll use the methods we have to remove the password. If the names don’t match, then we’ll need a few more things:

1.) A receipt for the computer that matches your name. If it’s obvious you own the computer we can stop asking other questions.For example, if you bought it for your child, and we’re resetting that child’s account. If it is a business computer, then we need an email from the company that you’re authorized to reset the password.

2.) If the computer owner passed away, we need a document that lists you as the executor of the estate.

3.) If it’s for someone of diminished mental capacity (an elderly parent for example), then we need Power of Attorney.

Why Are We So Difficult?

We’re ethically hacking into a computer, so we have to be careful. The obvious reason we hesitate is we don’t want to help a thief. It’s not always that. A spouse wants us to see what the husband or wife is doing on the computer. An employee might want to see what is on the boss’s computer. We’ve encountered both those situations in the past.

Most people who are asking us to reset a password for legal reasons are happy to meet our guidelines. Some clients thank us for asking this information. After all, they want to make sure their stuff is secure.

When a client gives us grief or is offensive on the phone, we call the police. If “something doesn’t seem right,” we call the police. Most of the time the concern is a false alarm. The laptop isn’t reported as stolen, so we proceed based on our guidelines. One time we called and in fact, the computer was stolen, and we gave the contact info to the police. Due to privacy, they couldn’t tell us the details, beyond that the computer made it back to the rightful owner.

That one incident made it worth the hurdles we give everyone for a password reset.