“At Neighbourhood Nerds it is our primary objective to deliver system stability and reliability to our customers.  We achieve this by communicating and teaching all the principles we have applied in resolving their problem.”  - Brenton Ward, principal NERD.

• Our technicians adhere to a strict regimen of processes and procedures to ensure that you receive the highest quality of service each and every time.

Having an action plan

For each job, a technician will prepare an action plan to solve the given issues. We understand you are busy, but it is important that the Technician has time to sit down with the you and discuss the action plan.  Computer problems can be complex and can be tackled a number of different ways depending on the resources you have available (ie time and money).  The technician will discuss the possible hurdles and the likely outcomes. As the customer, you will need to make decision that bests fits you budget and desired outcome.   Our workshop manager may also be consulted to get a second opinion on the matter if you are at all concerned with the action plan.

The Technician will discuss:

• Issues to be addressed
• Proposed plan of attack for each issue (process of elimination task tree)
• Possible and likely hurdles that will slow the job down (and add extra time)
• Any hardware, software or additional equipment required
• Likely time frame for each issue to be addressed.

Backup and Formatting

When a computer system has suffered significant malfunction or damage a fresh installation is often the only reliable method of restoring the system.  A fresh installation would typically involve a "format" of the existing drive DELETING everything on the disk.  It is the policy of Neighbourhood Nerds that it is the customer’s responsibility to back ALL their data prior to a format.  However, backing up data (ie moving it from one place to another) is an VERY unrealiable and risky process that can involve significant human and machine error:

• One cannot possibly know all the locations and the importance of specific data.  Some may inadvertently be left behind.
• It is easy to forget what data was actually present at the time of formatting.
• Data can be corrupted or lost in the process of moving, copying or transferring.
• The backup location and/or data may fail.

DATA loss can be catastrophic to a business or individual.   Business documents, contracts, agreements, emails, photo's etc could cause a significant loss if they were damaged, deleted or lost.  For the cost of our consultation it is prohibitive to engage in this high risk activity and bear the responsibility for such a loss. As a result, it is our PHILOSOPHY to never touch YOUR data.  Instead it is Neighbourhoood Nerds policy to supply a brand new, clean hard drive with a fresh operating system install.  There are several advantages of this policy:

• NO increase in risk of data loss.
• None of your data is moved from it's original location.  Data Integrity is maintained at all times.
• We always have the original location in case data transfer is unsuccessful.
• Hard drives typically only last 3 or 4 years. This way ensures you get a brand new drive with a manufacturers warranty (parts only)
• Data backup takes time. In most cases, a new drive will cost less than the time it takes our technicians to transfer ALL your data to a secure location.

Customer Complaints

Neighbourhood Nerds take all customer complaints very seriously. Should you have any concerns about our workmanship or performance, please contact our Workshop Manager.

VIRUSES and MALICIOUS SOFTWARE

We provide the customer with important, "must read" information called the VIRUS REMOVAL INFORMATION SHEET

Low cost approaches, such as running virus scanner or malware removers are temporary approaches only. This DOES NOT fix the damage that a virus has caused, and once a virus or malware has been detected, even if it is removed the SYSTEM IS STILL COMPROMISED.

While our technicians may use a number diagnostic tools that temporarily disable or remove the apparent infection, it DOES NOT mean that the PC is repaired.  Unexplained crashing, general instability, pop-ups, advertising, slow speed, or the virus re-occurring and propagating are all still possible and probable occurrences. In no way can Neighbourhood Nerds prevent this behaviour without a fresh installation of the operating system.

Maintenance

A PC is not a static environment. Like any piece of working machinery (yes, electronics is still machinery), it deteriorates and changes over time and requires maintenance. Any FIX is not permanent, and it is important to understand that keeping the Equipment in working order requires MAINTENANCE.  Operating systems change and continually update, therefore drivers need updating and some programs stop working if not updated. Operating systems bloat over time. Human interaction means that things change even if the user is not aware of it.

 COST vs RELIABILITY –

"the most reliable option is not always the cheapest"

Every technician must weigh up the COST vs RELIABILITY of a given solution. However, we cannot do it alone, because it is YOUR money and reliability at stake. As part of our job we need to get a clear understanding of what your expectations are, bearing in mind that it is our goal to deliver a reliable and stable system.

Reliability comes at a cost. In some cases the most reliable solution is the MOST expensive one, and customers must be aware that a cheap or quick fix will not offer long term stability or necessarily be cost effective.  Our technicians have the experience and foresight to take you through these options, identify the risks and possible outcomes to help you decide on the appropriate action.

NOTE: By choosing methods other than “the most reliable option” we are jeopardizing reliability at the expense of cost.  At Neighbourhood Nerds it is our philiosophy that anything other than the “most reliable option” brings with it the risk of probable failure.  We realise that the whole reason you have called us is to avoid the ongoing frustration associated with the problem.