by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
A local computer consulting and repair company is taking steps to become a full service business and to be prepared when the economy fully recovers.
For just over 10 years, MacPc Tech Pro has been a contributor in keeping the information technology (IT) industry humming in Jacksonville. The Murray Hill-based business on Edgewood Avenue sells, services and repairs computers as well as networking, data recovery and upgrades. The company also provides 24-hour emergency service.
“The businesses that are going to survive this economy are the ones that offer the best customer service,” said Darren Dillinger, 41, who co-owns the business with wife, Shay, 29. “That’s what sets us apart.”
MacPc Tech Pro has primarily provided IT support and service for small to mid-sized companies and nonprofit organizations since the late 1990’s. The Dillingers bought the business in 1998 when it was just Mac Tech Pro.
“We continuously adjust the business to meet our customers’ needs,” said Dillinger. “When we were Mac Tech Pro, we discovered that a lot of our customers also had PCs, so we added PCs to our company to better serve our customers.”
The company also sells Mac and Hewlett-Packard (HP) computer equipment, but on a smaller scale than an electronics store might.
“HP was the most Mac-friendly PC company out there, so we decided to pick them up,” said Dillinger. “We don’t focus on equipment sales, but we have customers that come in and find out that their computer is broken and they need something up and running that day. That’s why we stock Apple and HP products.”
This was just one of the changes that have occurred at the Murray Hill business and more are on the way. The company is looking to attract “end users” as well as businesses for its consulting and repair services. “End users” is a term to describe people using computers at home. The company is transforming its lobby to include two “speed benches” that will be able to diagnose common problems that don’t require a customer to leave their computer overnight.
“The benches are for that 80 percent,” said Dillinger. “About 80 percent of computer problems that come in will be able to be fixed shortly after a customer walks in the door and we want to equip these benches to offer that quick, quality service.”
The services offered will also include iPhone and iPod repair.
“We won’t make a lot of money on it, but it is a service that will help us to be that full service provider for our customers,” said Dillinger. “It can help people save money. If people have a battery, power connector or screen problem, it is usually worth the repair. An iPhone with water damage is generally not worth repairing.”
As Apple welcomes its 4G iPhone next year, more and more businesses are offering repair services to the previously released iPhones. Dillinger warned that customers should be careful about who they allow to work on their electronics because of the personal information stored on the devices.
“There is more regulation for someone who cuts hair for a living then there is in the IT industry,” said Dillinger. “Check businesses out with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and ask them if they perform background checks on their employees. People have a right to know these things if they are letting strangers into their homes and their personal information.”
MacPc Tech Pro has been accredited by the BBB since 2001 and currently holds an A+ rating, its highest. The company also subjects its employees to three different background checks before being offered employment.
Good employees and a commitment to customer service aren’t the only parts of the company’s business plan. They have also undergone a redesign of the company logo and begun a rebranding campaign.
“Every business worth their salt is going through a top to bottom inventory of their services, infrastructure and their business,” said Dillinger. “We’ve gone through our own, and the byproduct of that is what we are doing now. We’ve hired an advertising agency and we are creating some new ideas for marketing.”
Gone are the days of spending a chunk of the advertising budget on directory listings, Talking Yellow Pages and AT&T Real Yellow Pages. The company is looking at new marketing opportunities including the Riverside Arts Market, where the company provides free WiFi; setting up booths at conventions, and doing targeted marketing.
“We are actually spending more in marketing dollars then we were before,” said Dillinger, “but we are being smart in where we spend it.”
The success of the business has also depended on not spending.
“We’ve always operated as a debt-free company,” said Shay Dillinger. “We also have taken advantage of different resources that are available. The Jacksonville Women’s Business Center has been a big help for me. I really don’t have the time to go to college classes, but I can attend programs at the business center and learn different ways to help the business. We are never stagnant. We are always learning and improving.”
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