Business is booming at Vinton Computer
VINTON–Chris Duncan really has little need for an advertising budget. His relatively new business Vinton Computer is booming, mostly from word of mouth recommendations. He fixes a computer for one person and they tell their friends and family members about him. Repairs on one computer turn into ten computers. So far his business has exceeded all his expectations.
This is his first brick and mortar shop. He moved out of a home office to his current location on South Pollard Street in Vinton in October of 2010. His business quickly took off from some advertising with Register Tapes Unlimited on the back of Kroger receipts and in newspapers, but word of mouth was the key. In the past year he has attracted over 750 customers; and if the constant ringing of the phone and the procession of customers dropping off and picking up computers is any indication, his business is definitely a success.
Chris Duncan, owner of Vinton Computer, discusses computer repairs with customer Stephanie Stewart of Whitlow Recycling
Duncan originally had plans to expand his business, but now he has decided that he just wants to maintain the current level in order to make time to spend with his wife Jamie, a teacher at Herman L. Horn Elementary, and his two young children.
Duncan believes his business is so successful because he provides good service at good value, the fastest repairs at the cheapest price. He aims for a quick twenty-four hour turn around, and offers full turn key solutions. There are no open ends when customers get their computers back.
“I plan to be in business for the long term. I want to build relationships in the community and to build my business from repeat customers,” said Duncan.
Duncan looked at other locations in the Valley, but ultimately settled on Vinton because it is a close-knit community where he thought he could grow his business. He already had a connection to Vinton. His wife’s grandmother, a member of the Woods family, owns the Woodland Square building where Vinton Computer is located,.
Although he is based in Vinton, Duncan gets business from all over the Valley. He works on both home and business computers. He will even do on-site repairs, typically for people who are elderly or disabled, and unable to dismantle their computers to bring them into the shop.
His typical customer is not a computer expert, and Duncan sees that as a plus. Those are the people who allow Duncan to do his job without too much explanation or second-guessing.
The most common computer problem he sees is malware, malicious software which hijacks the computer. It can disrupt or deny operations and gather information that leads to loss of privacy or even gain unauthorized access to system resources. A symptom of malware is that it often causes a computer to work very slowly.
Duncan doesn’t just put a band-aid on the problem. “I make the computer new again,” he said.
He basically rebuilds each computer he takes in, backing up all the data, then erasing everything, reloading, and then putting everything back in its place again in a process that takes 4 to 5 hours.
While most computer stores have the disclaimer that they are not responsible for data lost during repairs, Duncan has the opposite approach. “I am responsible for your data,” he says.
Duncan works on any type or brand of computers. He is a licensed repairman and familiar with them all. The computers he repairs are generally equally divided between laptops and desktops, but laptops are more prone to physical damage since they are portable.
He offers other services in addition to computer repair. He will set up wireless Internet service, save data or transfer data from one computer to another, in addition to removing passwords, viruses, and spyware.
Duncan offers free diagnostics to determine what ails the computers and currently advertises a “$50 Does It” service, which covers everything but parts, no matter what the problem.
Duncan says that given the choice between repairing a computer and buying a new one, most people choose the repairs.
“People are afraid of change, and I make it inexpensive enough that it’s not always cheaper to buy a new computer than to fix an old one,” said Duncan.
He aims to keep things simple. He speaks in simple language, not “computerese”, to customers who are not knowledgeable about the inner operations of a computer, and just want it to work. Duncan receives frequent phone calls, asking for advice about minor computer problems.
“Spending two minutes talking to a customer can make a big difference in people’s lives, in their frustration levels. Often there is a very simple solution to many computers glitches,” said Duncan. “My aim is to make people comfortable with their computers, and they become comfortable with me,” he added.
His next door neighbors in Woodland Square at the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce are Vinton Computer fans.
“Chris is a great guy and I recommend him to all my friends. He’s always there to help when we have a problem here at the office. And he really knows what he is doing,” said Angie Chewning Lewis, Executive Director of the Chamber.
Duncan is one of the fortunate people who have fun at work. At this point, his computer repair business “feels like a hobby, not a job,” he said.
By Debbie Adams
