Is computer tech support worth the cost?
Running a blog or a website is a multidimensional activity. You are responsible for just about everything; including, but not limited to designing the site, determining what software to use, finding a web host, writing or obtaining fresh content, backing up your site, databases and files, updating any and all software you use, answering comments, marketing to increase traffic and rankings, handling any (if you are lucky) advertising, making sure product sales (if any) are secure and completed successfully as well as keeping the computer hardware and software that you use to do all that virus and problem free.
It can easily be a full time job just for one site or blog. Most of us have several.
I love most parts of the experience, but hate with a passion having to deal with computer virus’s and malware.
My experience past two years.
We have had personal computers in our home since 1987 and have never had as much trouble with virus and malware as we have had the past two years.
Granted, I am much more active on the desktop, laptop and internet than ever. Granted, virus activity has increased in intensity over the years, but still!
During 2010, when I was designing the site and blog and starting to generate content, I did not have many problems. However, in 2011 I had multiple serious bouts fighting virus’s and malware. In 2012 – 3 months ago, a virus killed the motherboard on my laptop and infected the desktop so badly that it still isn’t functioning properly – even after a disk wipe and operating system re-install by professionals!
Now it starts again. My three month old laptop is blue screening and my desktop is infected with what looks like the very same virus that almost killed it three months ago.
All of this, even while we run McAfee Security Central and scan once a day.
Personally, I think there is a better use of my time, so I am thinking of hiring the Geek Squad for full time tech support.
Cost for Geek Squad.
When I had the local (25 miles away!) repair shop diagnose my laptop, it cost me $25 and then another $400 for a new laptop. When I had them ‘clean’ my desktop, save my data, wipe the hard drive and re-install the operating system, it cost me around $125. I also lost 4 days worth of working time, not including the time I spent before taking the computers in for repair – trying to fix them myself.
I also freely leaned on my two sons, who helped me try to diagnose and fix, and used up some of their time.
For around $200, I can get a full years coverage for up to 3 computers for any and all problems. That’s less than $4 a week folks.
What you get.
- Software Installation.
- Software assessment and removal of viruses and malware.
- Certain hardware installation.
- Memory installation.
- Operating system installation.
- Annual computer tune-up, including operating software system updates, screen cleaning, fan cleaning, and keyboard.
- Cleaning.
- Hard-drive data removal upon request.
- Password reset.
- Hard drive removal upon request.
Worth it?
For me, for the past couple of years – the answer is a resounding YES! If I had taken the laptop in at the first sign of trouble, it may have survived, saving me the cost of the new one. At the very least, the first round of problems cost me close to what a full year of support would cost, so this time would have been all gravy.
However, if you don’t get virus’s, if you don’t use Microsoft as an operating system, if you have a cheap and dependable local option or if you really enjoy these kinds of challenges, then perhaps not.
My laptop is with them now, if the Geek Squad performs impressively, I may just sign up. I really miss the tech support I was used to at my workplace before I retired. I can spend my time more productively and I can avoid imposing on my busy sons.
How do you deal with your computer software and hardware issues?
If it works for you then the $200 is a great investment. I’ve built computers in the past, so for a desktop, and in most cases a laptop, I probably wouldn’t need to outsource a hardware issue. I’ve learned that if you have an active virus scanner (Avast is the best free program available) use a spyware monitor (Spybot Search Destroy is great) and most importantly don’t open strange emails or click on links in them or on strange sites, you can avoid many security issues. Of course nothing is fool proof!
That is great for you, but as I said in the article, I have had many issues (even though I had active security scanning going real time, even though I ran daily scans and even though I ran periodic Malware Bytes scans – even though I don’t visit unsafe websites).
I’d rather spend my time on other areas of my business.
Sounds like a worthy investment. I’ve been lucky over the past 5 years. Will keep playing with fire and see if I can dodge the bullet.
Hope you stay lucky.
I don’t think Geek Squad is worth it. Aside from their horrible reputation, you can probably do just as good of a job yourself in many situations. If you keep having problems while running McAfee, you might consider something else. I use Microsoft’s free virus scanner and it does everything I need. Never had a problem once I switched to that from Norton.
Microsoft security essentials and most of the other free virus scanners I tried did not catch the root kit and malware I somehow got.
So far, I’ve had pretty good experiences with these guys.
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I don’t use tech support and using this laptop since 2007. yes I know basic trouble shooting and how to keep computer free of virus. I don’t use pricey antivirus, I use free antivirus and that has been enough for me.
If you don’t click on every email link or, you know how to set browser security settings, you’ll be safe.
If it is Windows, you are probably going to hit my wall sooner or later.
I don’t use any techsupport and frankly, I don’t think it is worth it for the same reasons as SB & Eric. I have had one virus in just over 5 years (that’s $1,000 in techsupport fees that could be new hardware – already saved, if I had a pc fund set up) and I knew the moment I clicked that link that I was about to get myself in trouble. If you learn a bit about computer security it really isn’t hard to avoid these situations! I use Malware Bytes and Clamwin, works great and they’re set to scan daily for any problems.
You’ve been lucky. I too know how to install anti virus real time protection, malware scanners and stay away from unsafe sites – but I have still gotten hit hard by malicious bugs.