Idea for my PC Repair company, need opinions...
 

I have a small local PC Repair company, Im thinking about having techs drive around and look for unsecure wifi spots. Once they find one they knock on the door and give them the speech:

"Hey My names Blah From Blahblah, we are offering our services for free for resedences' that have unsecure wireless networks. The dangers of leaving your network unsecure are blahblah."

They get in and lock up the wireless for them, and in the mean time chances are the people have hellish spyware problems, 80% of people we service do, and they say

"hey this is running pretty slow for a fairly new dell. Would you like to scheduale an apointment some time next week to have one of us come out and clean this up for you?"

I need to look into the legalities of all this and the liability the techs would have by working on the pc to lock up the wireless. But I think we would be offering a valuable service for free, and we should make a good ROI. If nothing else its great advertisement. Could get news paper to write about the company saying how we've locked up 500 unsecure networks in the area etc.

Please discuss pros and cons...

AC

some people like to leave their network free for all to use

http://www.nodedb.com/

I have a huge penis

it could be a good idea though, but also people (like me) might get a little freaked and slam the door....a cold call on the doorstep is kind of creepy, like jehovas witness of techies and shit

CON:

You have to think about the trust factor. If a strange guy knocked on my door there is no way I would let him in to "have a look" at my computer. Even in a company vehicle, with a uniform on, people are VERY cautious of strangers these days and rightfully so, that could work against your efforts in the longrun.


PRO:

Lonely housewife home alone. :)

I think alot of people wont believe you and will just think you are hustling.

Best way to promote it would be via an advertourial (<- did I spell that right?) in a local newspaper.

the fuck if I would let someone to check on my computer. Unless your company is known in your community most people will not trust you.

i agree..

Yeah... that pitch will prolly freak a lot of people out...

You might get savaged by dogs and have buckets of pee chucked ta ya...............cold phone calling would be safer lol

Side note, i have been thinking of doing something similar in the OC area, kind of GeekSquad style, slightly modified... hit me up... lets talk...

I dunno, I think that most people aren't computer savvy enough to not allow someone to look at their computer if they tell them it could run faster. I mean, look at what some people download to help them keep track of the weather and play streaming media, all the while these programs are watching what they do. It sounds like a good idea to me, give it a try.

I think that is a good idea but kinda like a roofer coming around and saying your roof is about to fly off..That is soliciting.I would send out a bunch of flyers introducing your service and talk about your benefits..I know a few companies just going nuts with the similar style of business

hehhe.... That is why I leave my Wireless network open. I watch my neighbors using it all the time (Sniff, Sniff, heheh). Good for them... :)

I have a PIX515 firewall protecting my PCs behind the "public" WIFI network :)

LOL

Ya but if they search for CP your IP is the one the feds will come to.

For you that think no one will let us in, you have to remember these arent webmasters, this is your 2nd cousin that has 1,324 viruses and 2,432 peices of spyware running on thier dell deminsion, that hooked up the linksys router with factory settings and dont have a clue about shit :). These people are a lot more receptive then you would think when you start telling them how thier security is at risk. Walking up to someones door with a laptop thats online in your hand and saying "this is your internet that you pay for, that others are accessing for free" will turn a lot of heads and open a lot of doors

AC

That's actually a damn good idea for some quick buck. Why don't you give it a shot and see the response? I'd start with offices that have open networks, as I think home users would be less likely to let you in and "fix" something they never knew was broken.

Once you're "in" you can also upsell tons of shit (virus removal service, etc.) and get future clients for other computer repair issues.

EDIT: just saw that you mentioned this possibility in your original post :thumbsup

thats exactly the idea, get in, fix inet, then say "whoa this pc is running waaaaay slower then it should. How about we have someone come out next week to have this puppy running good as the day you bought it?"

AC

over 30 open wifis with in golf carts reach from my house right now.

law of numbers says that a % of that 30 is going to let you in.

do it as a free service to get your name out.

You would be surprised how many people do not have a clue what spyware actually does to their box.Usually older people who aren't up on the shit.They are willing to pay 120 bucks + to do a reformat and add a couple free spyware removal programs.It is quite a lucrative venture.Making it mobile is a plus

The best way would be to put flyers in the houses around an open network. Chances are, you wont be able to tell exactly which person has the network open unless houses are far apart.

Read how Mark Cuban started his PC business back in the day:

http://www.changethis.com/5.SuccessMotivation

Definately a good idea. :thumbsup

Get a hot blonde wearing a tight Hooters-style shirt with your logo on it do this kind of work. Trustworthy and HOT. Guys would pay her $200 for a 30-minute fomat.

VERY good point, only prob with the flyer, im scared if we said "you or someone near you has an unsecure wireless connection" if this is you contact us blahblah

1 of 2 things could happen, 1. Someone could be like shit, im bout to steal that morons inet, 2. They will fix the problem themselves.

Better just to hit the 3 or 4 possible houses

AC

If the person with the open network says no, try to sell this intel to one of the neighbours ("this is the internet the guy upstairs pays for.. you can use it and get rid of your $35 DSL") :1orglaugh

What if a girl ansers the door ;)

AC

think housewifes. how many dads are home alone?

I only know one ;)

AC

You usually know the type of router that they use.. so you can say "Do you happen to have a Linksys xxx wireless router around?" This will help to filter out those with the secure network

True true

AC

any one have some links to known wifi issues with security, like horror stories that I could repeat to these people? To make them def want to lock up

AC

The housewife probably has no clue a wireless router even exists around the house :winkwink: And if she does - I'd think she would be more likely to trust a cute blonde than a guy who came out of nowhere claiming to be fixing the internet.

its not a problem pinpointing where the hotspot is at all. this door right here is the owner.

even in apt complexs, you might have to knock 2 doors

You should know that it's legal to FIND the open wireless networks, but illegal to make use of them.

Get one of these: http://www.wifiseeker.com/ This way you need to open the laptop only when you find one.. much easier.

I'd just leave a note in their mailbox and let them call me if they wanted me to secure their wireless.

already got some on order thanks :)

AC

would take them minimal effort to figure out how to lock it, wed lose 90% of customers that way ;\

AC