NEW
Official Maryland
value-added reseller
of Expresiv's,
MD
Dictate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
These Are Our Most Frequently Asked Questions:
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| » What is a "Complete Computer Solution"? | ||||||||
| You've heard me say it throughout this site. I don't mean to be redundant but its the foundation of our company. We are a computer consulting company and we strive to create dynamic personalized solutions for every client that we do service for. This solution encompasses all aspects of computer technologies; including hardware, software, and networking. But the technical part of the solution is not what we feel to be the most important. We want you to understand what we are doing why we are doing it. Even if it takes more effort and patience on our part, it is a task that we feel we must perform, because it is the satisfaction of the client that we take the most pride in. | ||||||||
| » What is the most important advice you can you give? | ||||||||
| By far, one of the most important services we perform is developing the perfect backup solution for our clients. "Plan for the worse and hope for the best" is the old Boy Scout saying. Hind sight 20-20 is most often the case when a total system crash occurs. We see people all the time kicking themselves, wishing they would have spent that little bit of time and money to backup their data, because now they have lost everything and must start from scratch. We can assist in developing the perfect backup solution for your situation. Whether you need a large capacity tape backup, or a simple Zip drive we can help you. The first step in developing a backup solution if identifying what and where your data is. We can help you find where all of your email, documents, and data files are stored. It is then important to get all of your data into a centralized place; that may mean putting your data into a simple data folder or possibly storing it onto a server. We would then backup that one centralized location. In case of fire or theft it is crucial for your backup media to be removed from your office site. You can store it at home, carry it in your purse or briefcase, put it in your safe deposit box, etc. No matter how little data you think you have, you'll realize how important that little bit of data is when you lose it all. Contact us and we can give you the perfect backup solution. The piece of mind of knowing your data is safe is worth every bit of time and money that you give to protecting your information. | ||||||||
| » What products do you sell? | ||||||||
| Simply put, we sell anything you need. We have a network of worldwide associates that we can access at any time. By tapping into this infinite resource we are able to get you anything you need, usually in 3-5 business days. And all products we sell are backed by a 90 day warranty. We also sell custom built and refurbished systems that are backed by a one year parts and labor warranty. | ||||||||
| » Do you build and sell computer systems? | ||||||||
Yes we do. We sell both custom
built and refurbished
systems.
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| » I have an older computer that I want to upgrade, what can you do? | ||||||||
| Honestly, scrap it or donate it to a school. Sorry, we can't work miracles. Many people think that the computer they bought five years ago will be able to run the latest and greatest software of today; but this is impossible. With the prices of computers at an all time low, most of the time it will cost more to find and install vintage hardware then to get a completely new system. The best upgrade you can make is installing more RAM and possibly a bigger hard drive. If you want more (like a faster processor) we would probably recommend getting a whole new system. If you contact us, and tell us what you have and what you dream of, we can tell you which road to take. | ||||||||
| » I want to try fixing the problem myself first, what do you recommend? | ||||||||
| We have a few suggestions for you, and the first one is to leave the advanced repairs to the professionals. The problems we have the hardest time fixing are the ones that end with "and then I tried to fix the problem myself". Many times the solution to a complex problem is easy for us, but when a novice tries to fix it the problem can be become impossible to repair. The best advise we can give to those trying to fix the problem themselves is to visit the manufacturer's support site. Sites like support.dell.com, www.compaq.com/support, and www.gateway.com/support. You can visit www.microsoft.com for Windows issues. If your computer is not a name brand then your best hope is to search the web for people who have had similar problems. www.driverguide.com is a good place to search for hard to find drivers. If you aren't completely sure of the actions you are taking, then we suggest you contact us, and let us fix the problem the first time. | ||||||||
| » What are your rates? | ||||||||
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| » Do you charge for travel time? | ||||
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| » Is there a minimum service charge? | ||||
| Yes there is. The minimum charge is a half an hour. This means that if we look at your computer and find out the problem was that you didn't have the wire plugged into the right hole, we will still charge a half an hour. | ||||
| » I work for a non-profit group, can you help us? | ||||
| We take great pride in our dedication to help non-profit organizations. We realize that how hard it is to get good computer help when you have very little money. Many times on-profits turn to family and friends for help, and it leaves the situation in even worse shape. We offer help to non-profits and a significantly reduced rate. Contact us to find out just how much we can help your non-profit. | ||||
| » What are your hours of business? | ||||
Our hours are as follows:
Emergency hours are as needed by the client. |
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| How long will it take you to fix my problem? | ||||
| Of course that is a difficult question, and we make no guarantees. But experience has showed us that if we can nail the source of your problem down right away then your computer can be fixed the same day. Sometimes, though, we have to spend time performing advanced troubleshooting techniques. If this is the case then somebody from our company will call and give you an estimate on the time. It is in your best interest that we take a little longer if needed. We want to get the problem fixed right the first time, so rushing and guess-and-check are something we try to avoid. | ||||
| » What do I have to bring with me when I drop a computer off? | ||||
| When you bring us a computer to repair, there are a few things that we want you to bring. We would like you to give us all of the problematic parts. This means that if you can't get any sound, we want you to bring in both your computers and speakers. Unless the problem involves your keyboard, mouse, or monitor, it is not necessary to bring these parts in. We also would like to have all of the documentation and disks that came with your computer. A lot of our time is wasted researching products and downloading drivers. If we were given all of the paper work and disks at the start then we wouldn't need to go to download anything ourselves. If you aren't sure which papers and disks to bring in then just bring them all in. Its better to give us too much information, then let us determine what we need. | ||||
| » What do I need for a network? | ||||
| Networks are actually fairly simple to get started; the process is similar to how your home phone system works. The computers you want on the network all need to have a hardware network card installed. Then you need Cat 5 Ethernet cable run from a central location to each computer. At that central location a small box called a hub would be placed, and this box will allow all of your Cat 5 Ethernet cables to be connected together. Usually the biggest problem in getting a network started is running the Cat 5 Ethernet cables. It a fairly labor intensive job to run these cables through the ceilings, around the furniture, and into the walls. Its not a job involving rocket science, but its one that most clients would not like to do themselves. If you would like a network set up in your business contact us and we make it happen for you. | ||||
| » Okay, I'm interested. How do I get a price? | ||||
| Just contact us and we'll get a quote out to you. Our quotes are just an estimate, but our experience has taught us how to make our estimates a good indication of the total price. | ||||
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2569 Housley Road Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: 410-224-3100 Fax: 410-224-3100 sales@microperformance.com |
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