FAQ
1. How much does it cost?
See our pricing page for a broad outline of our pricing structure. We have kept our prices simple, taking the stress out of invoicing. Any software or hardware provided is charged separately. When we visit you and work on an agreeable contract we will develop a bespoke support program to match your needs.
2. Do you support ADSL?
Yes, we do provide full networking support. We are also looking at introducing our own ADSL service.
3. Where are you based? How long is response time?
We are based in the centre of St. Margarets, Twickenham. Our response time is usually measured in minutes for dealing with problems over the phone, and less than 4 hours for attending on-site (usually quicker).
4. Do your techies have any professional qualifications?
Yes. Our techies have a combination of a BSc in Electronic Engineering, an MSc in computing and various Microsoft qualifications. Field experience of our techies is over 15 years. We believe at TechDivision that experience far outweighs professional qualifications, although recognised qualifications can complement experience very nicely it is not always a requirement.
5. Do you provide support for non-Microsoft products?
Yes. We now provide support for Apple Macs, and we are beginning to move into supporting Linux-based systems.
6. How long has the company been in business?
Since May 2004, we are growing fast, with a sustainable business plan.
7. Does the company have liability insurance?
Yes and no. We have insurance against physical liabilities. Liability insurance for damage caused to data, and the business impact this would have, would probably double the cost of the service. We also have Professional Indemnity (PI) insurance.
8. Does your support include anti-virus software updating?
Yes, and checking of your firewall and security updates on a weekly basis.
9. Does the support contract include the patching and updating of software?
Usually. Critical patches are applied to servers as part of the weekly schedule, customers should be able to patch their own workstations (we can show you how). Large updates, such as Service Pack 3 for Windows XP which required 2 hours of time to apply, are chargeable as they are usually only an annual occurrence.
10. Getting references
We are able to provide references upon request, also see our testimonials here
11. What is your response time? Is this stated in the contract?
As above, minutes for telephone problems and within 4 hours for on-site support. For our larger professional users with mission critical networks, we will happily provide Service Level Agreements for as quick a response as 1 hour on-site under our fixed price maintenance agreements. We strongly believe you won’t find a quicker service in the whole of Richmond.
12. What are your hours of business?
Standard hours are 9-6 Monday to Friday. A hotline is operated 0800-2000 on all working days (and often at other times, but not guaranteed). All work carried out between 0800 and 1800 Monday to Friday is at normal rates. Scheduled work at weekends and outside the hours is by agreement, and often at normal rates. Emergency work outside of the normal working hours is charged at 150% of the normal rate.
13. Who is your normal supplier of PCs?
We use three main suppliers: HP/Compaq, IBM and Acer. We also build computers to order when a customer has very specific needs.
14. Do you monitor our systems remotely?
We have full remote monitoring in place for all of our contracted clients, but we prefer to also physically attend and talk to the staff that are using the computers, as this is more reliable in pre-empting problems than remote monitoring. We also use remote support to resolve problems, as this is often quicker and more cost effective than attending.
15. Do you provide a warranty for any hardware or software supplied?
We cannot provide a warranty against hardware or software provided from a third party supplier, in most cases a standard warranty is provided by the supplier.
16. Do you offer any credit terms?
Yes – if you are a contracted customer we give 30 days credit. All non-contracted work must be paid on receipt, unless otherwise discussed. We may ask for an advance payment on hardware and software provided, this is at our discretion.
17. What forms of payment do you take?
We accept cash, cheque, and bank transfer. Unfortunately, we can no longer accept credit cards, but a cheque with guarantee card or BACS transfer is fine. (Whilst it has no monetary value we also accept fashion advice)
18. Is there anything I need to bring when I drop off my computer for a repair?
If you’re bringing in a laptop for service, remember both your power cable and the system discs that came with the computer. For service of a desktop PC, just bring your system discs along, and the main unit (no need to bring keyboard, screen etc.). If in doubt, bring it all.
19. What is a Techie?
A Techie is a qualified computer engineer employed by TechDivision. Recognised by their pale skin caused by serious lack of sunlight throughout their youth and well into their adulthood. Can also be recognized by their severe lack of fashion sense and bad hair do’s. They can be sought out in dark places with flashing lights and the warm glow of a liquid crystal display. Their main ambition is to support the IT problems of their local community and to convert all civilians into spods.
20. How should I prepare for a techie visit?
To maximize on the call out fee which is a minimum of one hour, and to avoid repeat visits, you should list ALL your IT problems so that our techie can deal with as much as he/she can during their visit.
The Techie will need full access to the computer (s) and/or any other piece of hardware to be investigated. You should also be prepared to offer your full co-operation during the investigation, that will include a history of your usage and all work carried out prior to the failure of your equipment if necessary. Most details are relevant when investigating a problem – so even if you don’t think it’s relevant the Techie might need to know.
21. What is a TechMobil?
Fairly self explanatory, a TechMobil is the vehicle that the techie will use to get to your office or home, this can be in the form of a moped, car or in some cases a pushbike. In order to cut through traffic we like the moped the best, this is ideal for getting around town in the quickest time. We use a padded rear pannier to transport computers from location to location safely.
