I am still here to help!
I never seem to get time to write on this blog, but I thought I should just pop on to say I am still here.
I’m happy to say FowlerWeb is still going strong, and I’m approaching my twelfth year of providing computer support in the Woodbridge area.
Do call if you need help with your computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone or other gadgets in your home.
Perhaps I shall get time one of these days to update my website – I made it in 2005 so it looks a little dated now!
Happy customer – moved from ancient laptop to iPad
You may have seen me post this image on Twitter last week. I was given the job of moving someone from their 15 year old laptop (yes, 15!) to their iPad. The iPad needed to be brought up to date, upgrading it to iOS 5 so the customer could use the apps she needed. I did this while recovering years of work from her laptop – an interesting job with no USB ports or even a CD drive! I had to remove the laptop’s hard drive and hook it up to my computer with special cables (as pictured).
Once the iPad was updated and the data recovered, I took everything back to my customer. We set her up with a better way of accessing her emails on the iPad (she’d not been able to access her Hotmail folders before) and also went through several time saving techniques. She can now work completely from her iPad, and even print wirelessly from it.
Here’s what she sent me in an email a few days later – presumably from her iPad!
My thanks to you for your knowledgeable, helpful and, above all, effective service. I am delighted with the results and the opportunities that I am now able to make use of. Your achievements have been noted in most of my recent emails to friends. With best wishes, and my thanks again.
Feedback after improving a computer
I’ve just had the following feedback from a couple in Martlesham after improving their Windows XP desktop last week:
“Thank you very very much for coming to sort out our computer. It was very good of you to come at such short notice and also do such an excellent job. It really is working extremely well. Everything is so quick. The email comes on instantly. Everything has been very good. We are very very very pleased and certainly it will last us a little while longer. We’re absolutely thrilled to bits; you turn it on and everything is just there. It has made a lot of difference to us. Thank you very much indeed.”
Lovely!
Still providing computer support around Woodbridge every weekday
My full time job is fixing computers and helping people use them. Each weekday is spent visiting personal computer users and small businesses east of Ipswich in Suffolk. I have been doing this for over six years and have now helped over a thousand people in the Woodbridge area with their computers and other technologies.
I created this blog with the intention of adding regular updates to give examples of the work I do, and offer useful advice to Suffolk computer users. The only trouble is, I’m always too busy to post anything! As most of my days are spent out and about problem solving, or repairing machines at my office in Pettistree, any spare time is usually spent trying to catch up on all the admin that comes from running my own business!
So, I’m sorry you don’t see as many posts here as I’d intended. Do rest assured, however, that I am very much still in action, and am ready and able to help you with your computing needs as and when they arise. Although my diary gets fully booked most weeks, I pride myself on being very responsive to those in need and am always happy to take on new customers.
Another busy day
Today has been a fairly typical day for me. I’ve been to five different homes east of Ipswich to help with the owners’ computers.
I started the day with two new customers in Woodbridge – a long retired couple who wanted advice about getting online for the first time. They’ve owned an old Windows ME desktop computer for many years. While it still works fine as a word processor, we all agreed they really needed a new machine for their new online life. We discussed options and by the time I left, they knew exactly what they needed to buy and what broadband to order. I shall be returning soon to set up the new laptop and broadband when ready, teaching them how to use it all as well.
After catching up on missed calls, I drove to my next customer, in Ufford – another new one from a personal recommendation. This was quite a rushed visit as I had to be in Rushmere St Andrew by 11.30, but within thirty five minutes her antivirus and email problems were solved.
On to my next customer, I listened to missed calls but had no time to respond. An hour later I was back in my car, having secured a wireless router and sorted out a few software issues on two PCs.
I just had enough time to grab some lunch at home in Kesgrave before dashing off to Bromeswell for a teaching session. I had been to see this customer ten days ago after a friend of hers suggested she give me a call. She has owned a computer for a year but never really become comfortable with it and felt she needed someone to help her understand it better. In our first session we covered email and printing. I also fixed her sound problem and helped order new printer ink cartridges online. Today I installed one of the cartridges for her, explaining as I went. We did some ‘advanced’ printing and I taught her a few tricks for browsing websites more effectively. I left after finishing with a brief explanation of Twitter and Facebook.
My last customer of the day was in Great Bealings. Again, someone I had been to before, this was a follow up visit. I’d been called out originally because the laptop she runs her business on was getting very slow. Immediately on that first visit, I set up a reliable backup system, just in case the hard drive was giving up the ghost. I pointed out that a lack of RAM was the more likely cause and ordered a suitable upgrade. My return today saw me fit the additional RAM, which really did improve the performance. It was also a good opportunity to test the backup system, which I’m pleased to say was working flawlessly. Before leaving, I also installed Internet Explorer 8 and updates to Java and Adobe programs.
Arriving home at 5:25 (half an hour earlier than usual) I was able to catch up on the day’s missed calls. Looking back on the day, I’ve realised every customer I’ve dealt with has come to me via word of mouth, which is very satisfying.
Next week is going to be even more tightly packed. Already most of it is booked up, so I’m going to have to get through jobs very quickly in order to squeeze in the urgent requests for help that will inevitably come in the next few days. I’ve not had time to get to my office once this week, and only look likely to on Thursday next week, as I’ve booked a PC repair in then.
There’s one thing to say about being a computer expert; you’ll never run out of work!