Once you have decided to hire a local computer repair professional, you must figure out exactly what your computer’s problem is and how to explain it to the professional. Don’t worry if you don’t know where the issue or issues are coming from, just be sure you can talk about how your PC is malfunctioning. To say, “My computer doesn’t work” will not give your computer repair professional much to start with. You don’t have to be an expert to observe how your computer is operating. It’s extremely helpful to write down any error messages or specific problematic events so that you will have some sort of information on what might need to be fixed. Follow these tips to ensure that the professional you hired to fix your computer has a good understand or at least an idea of what the problem could be.

Plan to be Prepared; Before you visit or call

Before you pick up the phone to call a computer technician or decide to drop your computer off, it’s important that you’re prepared to explain your computer’s problem. When you’re prepared, you’ll be able to best describe the problem to the computer repair professional which will help he or she understand clearly, meaning that you’ll end up spending less on getting your computer fixed. The specific information you will need to have will vary depending on what your problem may be, but here are a few things to think about:

* If an error message comes up: What is the exact error message on the screen?
* If there is no error message: What exactly is the computer doing?
* When did the problem start occurring?
* Did anything else happen at the same time the problem started? (ex. Virus warning, blank screen, no sounds, etc.)
* What have you already done to try to fix the problem?
* Has the problem changed since it first started? (ex. Freezing more frequently, additional error messages, etc.)

Be sure to write everything down before you call or visit the computer repair professional.

Communication is Key

Communication is the most important factor in proper description of your computer’s issue to a computer repair professional. The whole purpose of your visit or phone call is to communicate with the professional about what the problem is so he or she can best resolve the problem.

Regular communication rules are used here just like anywhere else in life: Be sure to speak slowly, enunciate properly, and be polite! If you’re on the phone describing your problem, try to call from a fairly quiet area. Screaming children or barking dogs will make it difficult to explain your problem.