The Issues Plaguing Me & RAD Computers in 2024
on 2024-09-08 |
Reading Time: 6 minutes
Table of Contents
Thanks for Showing Interest
I Truly Appreciate You
In summer of 2023, and summer of 2024, you received some email surveys.
The May 2023 Survey was asking where people lived, so we could plan where to expand toward to better serve our customers.
The June 2024 Survey was asking what you wanted to learn. A plan to make online training courses for things like basic Cybersecurity, computer maintenance, Tips and Tricks, from a professional company you trust is/was planned.
But since the beginning of 2024, a series of unfortunate events has overtaken my life and business this year:
January through April
January through April
A Drop in Cashflow
We had a painfully slow start to this year, and our slowest March and April ever. Sales were down 7% January/Feb over 2023, and March/April was down a whopping ~28%. We’re usually up 10% Year-Over-Year, so this sudden lack of repair jobs was startling.
February 2024
February 2024
Our Operating Costs Went Up
In February, we received notification from several of the software vendors we rely on to perform our services that they were doing “marginal cost increases to combat the rising costs of the services THEY use”.
The cost of the tools we use to manage RAD Care Customers, RAD PREDATOR Business clients, and RAD Backup is now costing us about 25% more than what we were paying last year in 2023. Our profit margin for these services is basically diminished to nothing.
March
March
The Roommate, Part 1
I have a great roommate in my personal life. He’s hard-working, he’s courteous, and up through January, he’s lived with me for two years without any issues.
He left his job in January because the business owner (his uncle) stopped paying him consistently. My roommate moved out here from Texas and had nowhere to go.
I helped him find a job in March, but before he could start it, his car was repossessed.
I used my “Slow Summer” fund to help him get his car back and put him on a new payment plan to repay the loan on top of his rent.
This would have the summer fund back to me by Summertime, when it was needed.
April
April
Trying Out Advertising
I tried to counter the slow start to 2024, the drastically slow March, and the rising cost of our tools. In April, I tried out advertising.
Unfortunately, not only did it not work, it made the problem worse. We got NO customers from advertising in April.
“Maybe May will be better” I tried to tell myself. Again, it was not.
May, Part 1
May, Part 1
The Hand Surgery
I needed hand surgery in May on my dominant hand, a hand I’ve had surgery on before.
This time, it got infected, the surgery site re-opened and I had a prolonged healing time.
I couldn’t hold anything or even type much. I was out three weeks longer than I should have been and got backed up in both businesses (RAD Computers and RAD Websites)
May / The Roommate, Parts 2
May / The Roommate, Parts 2
A Disaster Strikes
My roommate, whom I love dearly, was almost killed in a car accident.
He has been unable to pay rent since.
His payments were really helping keeping the house and the business afloat, as our income this year was already being rocked by the lack of repairs coming in.
The Summer Season
The Summer Season
A Slow Time, Every Year
We entered our typical slow summer season. Historically, Summer and Winter are our slowest months, but having followed a slow start in 2024, this year it has been catastrophic.
I fell behind in both my mortgage and my shop rent, while desperately trying to keep afloat with the tools we use to actually run RAD Computers, utility costs, the rising cost of food and gas, etc to keep the business afloat, hoping for more people to come in.
July
July
A Family Member Incident
A family member that’s very close to me had a stroke in July, and it put part of our lives on hold (he’s doing better now).
The weight of the lack of incoming repairs and the roommate situation and the responsibilities as the head of household sinks my ability to focus and I become mostly scatterbrained.
August
August
Covering August
I had to cover the shop for the month of August, putting me even further behind in my web design company, work that could at least partially solve these issues.
Nobody is at fault here, our two free interns (which were placed at our facility and paid through their schools) contracts expired. It was just not the best timing.
Now
Now
You Are Here
And if you’re still reading this, thank you.
You may be curious how you can help, and if so, thank you.
How You Can Help
We Really Just Want to Do Our Job
If you’ve made it this far, thank you. I’m not asking for handouts, but please continue reading to understand my plan.
A few weeks ago, I was leaving a late-night service call at a church in Queen Creek, and forgot to give them their keys back. I wouldn’t have enough gas to get home after I returned to their location, and I didn’t have the money to buy gas. I broke down and cried in the car. They graciously provided me a gas card, and that’s what helped me form this idea.
I am deeply ashamed that I have to ask for help, but I’m running out of time and I’m already out of options. My family (girlfriend and godchild, and roommate) are counting on me to keep everything afloat or we’re going to be the next family on the street.
There’s a few things I’ve put into place to help us get out of this situation.
We Only Have ~30 Days To Fix This
First, know that I’ve already received a 30-day lockout notice from the landlord of the Mesa location, so this situation is a bit dire.
I have to have the past-due rent paid up by October 4th, or they’re changing locks until it’s brought current (which will be impossible without access to the building to do our jobs).
To get there, we need to raise around $12,000 in the next four weeks. Our rent is about $1600/month, plus they charge us 10% interest month over month. It’s about 5 months behind. I paid half a month’s rent in July, but that was all I could do, and it was barely enough to cover the interest at that point.
We’re Selling Gift Cards For Our Services
In our online store, we have $100 Gift Cards. You can use these for yourself, or assign them to anyone you want. They work same-as-cash. If you or anyone you know needs computer help or may need it in the future, please buy some gift cards to help us. If everyone that opens our emails bought one gift card, our problem would be solved.
Gift cards are good for anything we have in shop, whether it’s existing inventory or labor charges. You can apply these as credit to your account for future service, RAD Care, RAD PREDATOR, On-Site Services, etc.
Make a Donation
If you’re one of the people that have ever told us “You need to raise your prices!”, or we did a quick-fix that we didn’t charge for, or a computer we were going to send to recycling but gave it to you because you needed to apply for a job… Please consider buying a gift card and providing it to the next person in need.
Anyone that buys a gift card and tells us they want to use it to pay it forward to someone else in need, we will post them on our walls for people to use when needed. It’s a practice I see some restaurants adopting and it’s a beautiful act of kindness.
We Have Computers For Sale
But not everyone is going to buy a gift card. We also have refurbished Computers For Sale that would greatly help, and we even put what they’re best suited for in the descriptions to help people pick.
We don’t have enough inventory to completely fix our problem, but every little bit helps. If you need a custom or specialty computer, please call me at (480) 516-8724. I would love to build it for you.
RAD Computer Repair Training Enrollment
If you’re one of the many parents or people that have asked “Is there a place where people can go to learn computer repair?”, please consider signing up for our “Early Bird” sale of our RAD Computer Repair Training, introduced at a price of 50% OFF. If we had EIGHT signups for the full course (currently on sale for $1500 and can be 100% FINANCED AT CHECKOUT), our problem would go away.
Share Our Website with Friends / Family / Social Media
Lastly, not everyone has money to help, I get that. I’m suffering through that myself. If you can’t assist us financially, that’s ok. If you could help us by sharing our website on your Facebook account (1radpc.com), that is equally appreciated.
I tried advertising in April and May, and it doesn’t work for us. We’ve always relied on word-of-mouth. Telling your friends and family about us costs nothing but a little bit of time and would mean a world of difference
Thank you for all the help
I’m so sorry I have to ask for help. It’s not me, I’m the one that likes to help others. But I’ve helped and helped and helped. And I tried to avoid this, I really did, but now I’m the one needing help. For myself, for my business, and for my family. I’m asking, please help however you can.
About the Author: Mark Bush
Mark Bush is the CEO of RAD Computers. He's personally fixed over 10,000 computers since 2001. He created RAD Computers in 2010 and added Managed IT Services for businesses in 2018. He developed RAD Computers to over 700 5-star reviews using his expertise. His key to success is educating people about computer repair, maintenance, and security.
NOTE: Some links on this page may be affiliate links, and help support our business. These links do not alter the cost of the product, but provide a small percentage of the sale to us as the referral source.
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Mark,
I need a website built and have intended for several months to get in touch with you. Somehow I didn’t get your advertising so I am just learning about your “gumption traps.” You were a huge help to me a couple of years ago….so great a help I still tear up about it, It brings me joy I may be able to help a little. Please give me a call when it’s convenient.