While the cost of laptop and desktop computers continue to decrease, fixing them can still cost you an arm and a leg. We’re going to show you 7 easy steps for finding professional and affordable computer repair services in your area.

1). Stay Away From the Yellow Pages and Storefront Businesses

The reason for this is simple. Even a business card size advertisement in the Yellow Pages can set a business back somewhere between $1000-1500 per month or more depending on the city. A small storefront will also add a few thousand dollars per month of overhead and when factoring in the cost of utilities and other expense you’ve got a hefty sum of money required every month to keep a business up and running.

For these traditional businesses to remain profitable they need to pass the prices onto the consumer. You see that flashy half page color ad in the Yellow Pages? You’ll be the one paying for it if you take your computer there.

2). Search on Google

The Yellow Pages are a thing of the past. These days, whatever you’re looking for, Google will find it. Type in "computer repair [your city]" or "laptop repair [your city]" into Google and you’ll immediately find a list of businesses in your area including maps, place pages, customer reviews, and more.

Getting onto the results page of these searches isn’t a question of money. No business can pay Google to appear on organic search results. Who appears on this list is determined by a number of algorithms that objectively judge how relevant a business or website is to what you’re looking for.

3). Search on Cragistlist.org / Kijiji.ca / eBayClassifieds.com

There are plenty of online classified ad websites where you can find cheap computer repair services and the three websites listed above are a great place to start. Advertising here is free, so they tend to attract smaller businesses that are willing to work harder for less money.

4). Ask For Qualifications

If you contact a computer technician you found on Cragistlsit or any other online classified ad, always ask "What makes you qualified to fix my computer?" Online classifieds are a great way to find talented and affordable computer technicians, but because advertising here is free it always attracts more than a few kids with little to no experience who are looking experiment at your expense. With a few simple questions you can quickly weed out the professionals from the pretenders.

"Are you running this business full time?"

"Have you worked in the computer industry before? Where and how long?"

"Do you have a website?"

"Do you hold an A+ Certification?"

"How long have you been in business?"

If they are comfortable answering a few easy questions, they likely have real experience running a business and dealing with customers and are likely the real deal. If they don’t have much to say or are caught by surprise, you should look somewhere else.

5). Ask About Guarantees

Before dropping off your laptop or desktop computer to a technician, ask about their guarantees. If they cannot fix the problem, will you still have to pay for the service? If you are quoted 2 hours of labor but the problem takes 5 hours to fix, will they honor the original quote or charge you more? What’s the average turnaround time and can they guarantee to fix your problem within a reasonable time frame?

6). You Get What You Pay For

Paying too much doesn’t guarantee you good service. In the case of storefront companies, their large overhead prevents them from hiring real professionals and they have to resort to hiring young kids for $10-15 per hour and charge the customer $100-$150 per hour for their work. You definitely won’t get your money’s worth there.

However, technicians that charge too little for their service can also be a disaster. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. If the average price for in-shop computer service at most storefronts in your area is $75.00 - $100.00 per hour, except to pay $30.00 - $50.00 per hour for a good technician working out of his home. It is no different than hiring a plumber or electrician.

Advertisements such as: "Will fix any computer problem for $25.00 flat rate" is something you really want to stay away from. These are kids with little to no training or experience. Without anything substantial to offer or leverage, all they can compete on is the lowest price. You wouldn’t take your car to a mechanic willing to work for $25.00 flat rate would you? Your computer is no different.

7). Build A Good Relationship

The truth is that problems will continue to pop up from time to time. Your computer will need continual maintenance to keep running smooth, fast, and error free. If you find a good computer technician make sure to establish a good relationship. If they provide you with excellent computer service at a good price, be sure to show your appreciation. Offer to write a quick review or testimonial. Ask for some business cards and send a few references their way. Doing a little extra for them will ensure that they will do a little extra for you next time you have a problem that needs to be fixed.