Question

Topic: Branding

Computer Support Company For Sme & Individuals

Posted by Anonymous on 9/28/2006 at 6:51 AM ET 2500 Points
We are setting up a computer company called Internet Heroes where our Hero's can fix any PC problem anytime, anywhere and be your Hero.

Our Heroes mission is to alleviate the world's computer villains, educate people to embrace technology and practice the art of heroism.

Our 24 Hour Hero Helpline genuine heroes provide emergency service 24 hours a day.

Whether you need upgrades, repairs or spy ware and virus removal (or even just a lesson in how to use the new digital camera you scored for your birthday) we have the tools, knowledge and capability to help you maneuver through your technology-fueled life.

Help is just a phone call away at 1 800 INTERNET HEROES (1 800 XXX XXXX ).

Our Heroes can:

End unruly computer activity
Repair crashed hard drives
Make non printing printers print
Help you get on the internet
Contain virus outbreaks
Remove prying spy ware
Install preemptive virus and spy ware security measures
Provide one-on-one training
Connect home or office wireless networks
Secure networks from intruders
Assess home or office computer security threats
Help protect and back up important data
Perform system checkups and maintenance
Bring your computer up-to-date

Why Internet Heroes?
Our philosophy is that every agent is a Hero for our clients, he or she rescues our clients from the villains of everyday computer life i.e. Spy ware , Virus etc etc.— No matter where you purchased your PC, Agents can help you

Service guarantee — If you're not completely satisfied with our service, the problem is remedied fast and free

Nationwide coverage

Flat rates — Agents remove the nauseating pain and discomfort often associated with billing by the hour

No time windows. Just on time — When you schedule us for 1PM, we'll be there at 1PM

Not third party — Any Hero who enters your home or office or that you see at our the Internet Heroes Studio is a genuine hero.

Have your network come to you — Hero’s carry a broad assortment of networking technology and can deliver, install and secure your new wireless network

I need advise on the following :

1. How do you like the concept?
2. Is the name appropriate www.internetheroes.com
3. CAn we get help from experts to help develop the concept.
4. Any ideas would be welcome.
5. The idea is about creating a complete movie set so our CEO would be the Director our sound card repair engineer would be the Sound Director.

Looking forward to some positive feedback and finding some experts who can help us put this together.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Rachel

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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 9/28/2006 at 7:03 AM Accepted
    Rachel,
    It is a good idea and an idea that until recently has been ignored. Today, in the US, you face competition from the geek squad of best buy, and the network of computer repair folks set up by dell. An independent would certainly be welcome. Here are a few issues you will need to develop further, how to recruit your technicians once you get outside of the primary markets. A nation wide network requires some amount of infrastructure to run - and a quality control system to insure top service everywhere.
    Flat rates - are a good thing... but i suggest you add a charge for "waiting time". Waiting for the owner to arrive, waiting for the saleman to return with his laptop, waiting for a big job to run on the printer before installing the new card, etc.
    The no third party insinuates these people would all be your employees... that translates to hundreds of employees. Downtime will be expensive. When not fixing computers, they will still cost you.

    These are all logistic issues.. Your marketing concept is a good one.
  • Posted by telemoxie on 9/28/2006 at 7:59 AM Accepted
    I agree with Frank that your primary issues will be logistical. I would be willing to bet my house that your technicians will not always be "on time". For example, if someone is working on my computer, and a serious problem develops which will take a half hour to fix, should he or she leave so they can be "on time" for the next appointment? Can you afford to have folks show up 15 minutes early for each appointment, so they can sit in their car waiting to be "on time"?

    A better option might be to give yourself penalties of some sort if you are late, maybe something similar to Dominos, i.e. within 30 minutes or it is free.

    Also, I wonder if it truly makes sense to use 100% employees, especially in start-up mode. The more efficient technique would be to staff up for major markets, and have relationships with individual technicians who could go in "under your flag" to handle overflow.

    One issue you may face in selecting "genuine heroes" is to avoid the bad apples. I know a person who is an expert in pre-employment screening and background checks, if you contact me by email (click my profile to the right) I'll be happy to refer you.
  • Posted by Harry Hallman on 9/28/2006 at 9:22 AM Accepted
    Taking the logistics part out and assuming you have a boat load of money to make the concept work I love the concept. I think your market is consumers and small business. Just yesterday a client asked me if I knew anyone who could come in and set up a small network. That is not my thing and I had to refer them to the Geek Squad. The one time someone I knew tried to use the Geek Squad it took them over a week to get there.

    I would assume you could also do over the phone repairs as well, especially using tools like GO To My Assist (https://www.gotoassist.com/). Anyway that being said here are my answers to your questions.

    1. How do you like the concept?

    Great concept and well needed in the US. You will need a lot of marketing money to
    build the brand and trust you need.

    2. Is the name appropriate www.internetheroes.com

    The name is perfect. When I am able to help a client with a complex Internet issue
    that’s what they think of me and have even said it. You just have to live up to it.

    3. Can we get help from experts to help develop the concept?

    Not sure what you mean, but of course you can get help. All you have to do is pay the
    consulting fees.


    4. Any ideas would be welcome.

    Again, this idea will take a lot of money. Hiring people and marketing will be expensive. I would start in a major city and move to more major cities as the idea catches on.
    You should also be able to get good PR for a concept like this.

    5. The idea is about creating a complete movie set so our CEO would be the Director our
    sound card repair engineer would be the Sound Director.

    I am not sure what you mean here. If it is a metaphor I get it and it is a good
    metaphor.


    Hope this helps.

    This is a big concept that will require a lot or strategy, work and money.

    Hallman
  • Posted by MANSING on 9/28/2006 at 1:33 PM Member
    Hi there!!

    Idea is great! But you have to start with basic ideas which make big difference in practical life. For example – Study the market? Customer? Competitor first? Marketing 4P – Price, Place, promotion and Product! It will also include your high tech skill and provider, staff and training and development.

    Do you have any facility you can do it online? Username/password/ get register with PC, laptop provider, it is only limited to PC or some thing else as well!!!!

    Think again, what you can provide different compare to your marketing leader. You should have some thing different to attract customer.

    If there is customer then there is business. Customer = Business = Profit – It happen only you have some what they are interested in….!

    Best Of luck! Like your concept.

    Regards,

    M Bhor
  • Posted by Harry Hallman on 9/29/2006 at 8:06 AM Member
    You can check my background out on my profile and my web site. If it's a fit I would be happy to talk to you.
  • Posted by kannanveeraiah on 9/29/2006 at 9:24 AM Accepted
    1. How do you like the concept?

    Conceptually sound. Most of the PC users do look for help at their doorstep to fix some or other problems related to PC or anything related to or connected to that. Service at short notice that too at the customers' location would always be welcome.

    2. Is the name appropriate www.internetheroes.com.

    Name does not sound to be very comprehensive particularly as you want to provide all the services & solutions for PCs. How do you like www.fixpcproblems.com or www.pctroubleshooters.com.

    3. CAn we get help from experts to help develop the concept.

    When you have enough funds you should find easily a number of experts to help you through from "concept" stage to "customer Satisfaction" stage.

    4. Any ideas would be welcome.

    Yes, initially welcome all ideas. Get the help of marketing experts to sift through all ideas, understand the marketing message from that and then concretise on a particular idea and then work around it.

    5. The idea is about creating a complete movie set so our CEO would be the Director our sound card repair engineer would be the Sound Director.

    It appears you are so facinated with the Movies and Movie making. But, business of providing solutions & services to PC users are much different than a movie making. Further, you can not have different engineers for servicing different parts of computers. Many a times customer may not be able to describe what exactly the problem is. When an engineer attends the customer he should be capable of providing the solution / service for any of the problem related to any of the parts (whether it is Motherboard, Harddisk, RAM, SMPS..etc) of computer, peripherals (key board, mouse etc), printers, modems and other equipments; and also he should be conversant with the operating systems (software) and with relevant driver softwares.

    So, though you can designate your CEO as Director you can not have separate Sound Director or Music Director and so on; but simply you need expert and customer friendly engineers.

  • Posted on 9/29/2006 at 6:20 PM Accepted
    How will your business be different from other services now available? Although the word "internet" seems unwisely limiting, the "heroes" idea is kind of fun and does give you lots of room for PR and marketing that could be entertaining. (They might dress like superheroes...they might leap tall buildings to get your problems solved...etc.) However, I share the questions others have about how you actually make this business pay. There are lots of independents and established businesses out there providing essentially the same thing. Maybe you've already done the research to show there's sufficient need and that the ROI would be there? I'm not understanding what you mean about the movie set and/or why it's relevant to the business, and this is a detail, but I'm not sold on flat rates that go up if the call takes more than an hour. That sounds more like a minimum than a flat rate. Anyway, this sounds like a marketing concept in need of good solid groundwork--who's the market? what are the real needs of that market? What is the unique benefit that is being offered? etc.-- if it can become a real business. Just my 2 cents. Good luck--
    Marge

  • Posted on 9/30/2006 at 1:42 PM Accepted
    hi rachel

    your idea is very nice

    One thing you must keep in mind is that when u are introducing a new service like this(i mean a new service frm ur co) -

    you make a few sacrifices on pricing (change the flat rate system and use skimming pricing appropriately) so that u retain the starting customers till the end( best way to create brand loyalty)

    Try giving best service to your customers so that they are satisfied (try promising less and offer more and delight them)

    You are competing in a large target market, so u better don directly compete with big merchants, try targeting a market were u can fully focus and give the best service

    Keep one thing in mind, what all sacrifices you make today are for future assurances.

    1. How do you like the concept?
    Very nice concept. But that 24/7 support is not a easy job for all. Better u promise less and give more so that u delight the customers(more than satisfaction)

    2.Is the name appropriate www.internetheroes.com.
    i feel u can change your brand name to a shorter ones, to build a big brand name try to keep a shorter and abbreviative one...

    3.Can we get help from experts to help develop the concept.
    Yes of course unless you pay guys like me(hehehehe...im jus a starter, so no money needed), think of appointing some big free lance marketer,.....
    - mail me if u want more help, i wil get u marketing Drs. in this regard

    4. Any ideas would be welcome.
    ya this is a good way to get free ideas and get jobs done.

    5. The idea is about creating a complete movie set so our CEO would be the Director our sound card repair engineer would be the Sound Director.
    Well this is not a big way to project your brand. i suggest u to show more that you are dominant than other competitors in ur field(something like u provide which others dont)

    Also change the name frm CEO to some other thing that will be diff in the market and very much attractive
    U form the organisation structure diff and attractive

    well im jus astudent, so i might have made some mistakes, still i wanted to assist u. if u find ma small pieces of advices then appreciate me, i wil be much motivated.....

    sorry if i have talked too much.....heheheh

    regards
    sundar
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