Cleared my 100th 'dust bunny' PC this morning

I just finished cleaning out a really old office computer (like, from 2012) and realized it was the 100th machine I've done that for this year. I keep a simple tally on a whiteboard in my shop. It's not a big deal, but it felt good to hit that number because it means I've stopped a lot of small problems before they became big ones. Most of these were for regular clients who just needed a basic check-up, and finding that layer of dust always explains why their machine was running so hot and slow. It's a small job, but doing it right every time builds trust. I've had three people this month alone come back because they remembered I did that free dust check. Anyone else find that these simple, consistent tasks end up being the backbone of your client list?

3 comments

3 Comments

xenarobinson2mo ago

That 100 number is actually a huge deal when you think about it. It means you probably added a couple years to the life of each machine, which saves your clients a ton of money and hassle down the road. That free check turns you from a fixer into their go to person for keeping things running, which is way more valuable. It's the perfect example of how doing the small, boring stuff right is what makes a business last.

ivanpatel2mo ago

You're right, @xenarobinson, that shift from fixing to preventing is everything. I read a piece once about how the most trusted mechanics did the same thing with free tire checks. It builds a kind of trust that just paying for a repair never can.

paulhernandez2mo ago

Wait, a hundred free checks? I mean, that's a crazy amount of time to just give away. Idk how you even find the hours for that without going broke. Maybe it's just me, but that seems like a huge risk to take on faith that it pays off later. It must have taken a ton of patience to stick with it.