FAQs

Support

Q. I think my computer has a problem. What should I do?

A. Call us on 0845 458 9304 and try to give us as much detail about the problem as possible. We need to know the following:

• What operating system are you using (e.g. Windows 98, Windows XP, Macintosh OS 9, OSX)?
• How old is your system?
• What is happening to make you think that there may be a problem?
• If you connect to the internet, do you use dialup or broadband?
• Do you have anti-virus software installed on your PC? Has it been regularly updated? Have you performed a scan recently?
• Do you have anti-spyware software on your PC? Have you performed a scan recently?
• Have you installed anything recently? This may have changed the settings of the computer and caused the fault.

Once we have this information we will either arrange a visit to fix your machine onsite or take it into our workshop to diagnose and fix the problem.

Q. What happens if you can’t fix a technical problem?

A. If we’re not able to fix a technical problem, we won’t charge you for the work we’ve done.

Charges

Q. How much do you charge?

A. For IT support we charge an hourly rate of:

• £58.75 (£50 + VAT) for everyone

For software development and general consultancy we charge between £350 - £550 per day depending on the job / project. However most software development is quoted on a per-project basis.

For telephone and email support we charge £40 per month.

All prices include VAT.

Q. If you buy equipment or parts for me, do you add a mark-up?

A. When you need new equipment or parts, we offer you a choice:

• We’ll take care of everything for you, sourcing the best deal and arranging delivery.
• We’ll make recommendations and point you in the right direction. Once you’ve found what you want, you can handle the purchase and delivery yourself, or let us know and we’ll do it for you.

Though we don’t add a mark-up to the parts and equipment, we do charge for our time. However, this often pays for itself, through the cost savings we make. And it saves you the time spent researching and weighing up all the options.

Q. Why do you charge small businesses more for your support services?

A. Our charges reflect the higher level of service we offer.

Technical problems can stop small businesses doing any business at all, and very soon the costs of the incident start mounting. So we offer equipment pickup and delivery, faster response times and two months’ telephone and email support on all work done.

This higher level of service means faster resolution of problems and less downtime, which is critical for small businesses.

Q. If the job takes only 30 minutes, will I have to pay for a whole hour

A. Our minimum charge period is an hour. Very few jobs take less than an hour.

Q. What methods of payment do you accept?

A. We accept payment by cash or cheque.

Q. What are your payment terms?

A. For home users we ask for immediate payment when the work is completed. For small businesses and not-for-profit organisations, we issue an invoice which is payable within 15 days.

Q. Are you VAT registered?

A. Yes. Our VAT registration number is 840 481 537.

The Company

Q. You say you are an ethical business. What does that mean?

A. Being an ethical company means that we always try to ‘do the right thing’. This is not an idle boast or empty claim. It’s something that we believe passionately, and that influences everything we do.

In practical terms, this means we:

• respect the environment, recycling whenever possible and choosing products that are environmentally friendly
• treat clients fairly and give honest, independent advice
• actively seek out, and work with, companies and individuals whose approach and beliefs are compatible with ours
• use as little fuel as possible, and take public transport whenever we can
• choose products that are from sustainable sources
• support charitable and voluntary organisations

Q. What areas do you cover?

A. For IT support, we cover the Guildford, Farnham and Haslemere areas of Surrey. For software development, our customers come from all over the UK. If you’d like to talk about a specific project, call us on 0845 458 9034.

Q. What experience do you have?

A. We have 20 years’ experience in all aspects of IT: support, development, training and consultancy.

Q. Can I see some examples of your development work?

A. Most of the work we do is customised for individual clients. The development section shows some of the solutions we’ve created. We’re more than happy to provide references from clients we’ve developed solutions for.