Electronics Installation and Support

[BeTheBox]

Im looking for any opinions and responses electronics instalation and support market, espeacially from any one within the industry, working for your self or not.

I work for a major electronic retailer (who does not offer install services of there own) and seem to routinly run into customers willing to pay for simple service installs, anything from A/V receivers to programming their tv remote correctly. I once traveled to a customers house (on my own time) to trouble shoot a television. It seems the company he paid ($$$) to run his cables under his rug mismarked one of the cables. After some trial and error, I had his unit up and running correctly. $40 for 20mins of "work".

Its a conflict of intrest to offer my services to customers off site, either at the job or if i kept it completly seperate, as i was told by my manager. Seeing that they pay me a wage barely livable, ill take my chances- use them as a part time income while I market for customers offsite. Being a service job, it has extremly low over head. Im not sure of what insurance to look into (or if its necessary). Im also looking into how to market such a service.


The infamous "Geek Squad" (Best Buy) and the new comer "FireDog" (CircuitCity), both with marketing machines of their own are the most prominant services in the area. Having a customer at the register has them at a bit of an advantage when it comes to marketing their own install services.

But, some thoughts on services and marketing:

Tech Consulting: They come to me before their next purchase, where I explain the new technologies on site, show examples, and eventually make the purchase with them, either locally or on the web.


Seeing the high retail price charged for cables at these retailers, I can basicly buy quality generics, and have a customer fully setup for the would be price of the retail cables alone. $40 dollar cables can be purchased for less then 10 if one looks online, sometimes even staying name brand. I can stock up, and use this in some marketing. (Free Install with our cables)

I can also offer batteries, where again, I can buy extremly low compared to instore prices.

Ongoing basic phone/onsite support, perhaps for a monthly fee. (or free with install)


Any opinions, ideas, or experience in this market? All appreciated!

Drew

[BeTheBox]

--Self Post Promotion--

[stand856]

I would say if you are not that worried about that job, start letting customers know on the dl that you are able to help them out. Im not saying tell them straight out, but be like "i'm available after hours for installations" or whatever.
Or even make several signs and post them by the entrance to the shopping center, "Affordable electronics installations...."