David Leonard has over 25 years experience of PCs and over 30 years business experience.
He deals with Windows-based PC desktop and laptop machines, and their peripherals (eg printers, scanners, routers, modems, digital stills cameras).
Support is very "hands-on" and includes (but is not limited to) :
- Trouble-shooting
- Installation & configuration
- Graphical, DTP, & database design
- Google AdWords campaign management
- General data input work
- Upgrade management
- Training
- Internet (web and email)
- Online security (antivirus, firewalls, anti-spyware)
- Backups
David works with "stand-alone" computers and also with "peer to peer" networks. These are networks in which - typically - the computers can share each others' files, internet connection, and printers, but there is no centralised "server" holding all the information.
David does not support Apple Macs, Linux- or Unix-based machines, nor handheld devices (except a bit of ad hoc support for Windows Mobile devices, iPhones and Palms). David has no interest in games consoles of any sort.
Also, David is not a computer repair man. He can possibly assist and advise with some hardware issues, but if you need a new motherboard or something like that then you need a computer repair service.
Approach
David looks at situations from the user's point of view, using English - not "geek speak". He knows that your computer system is not your passion - it's a work tool (albeit a complicated one).
Unless you say otherwise, David assumes :-
- You need your computer system working properly so that you can get on with your real business. You are prepared to spend a reasonable sum to achieve that - and may even budget for it on an ongoing basis.
- You need to know you can trust your IT Professional - expertise, experience, reliability, accuracy, flexibility, communications skills, commitment, patience, punctuality, discretion, integrity and referrals/recommendations are all important to you
- You appreciate that a consultancy rate of £50 per hour is reasonable for over 25 years of real, hands-on, experience backed up with references. In some circumstances, discounts are available on these rates (see fees).
- You don't need/want to be bombarded with technical information and you are not interested in "megas" and "gigas" apart from feeling confident that the issues and needs at hand are understood by the person helping you.
- You are not prepared to trust valuable and sensitive data and systems to a fifteen year old - enthusiastic and technically savvy (today) but with no understanding of your ongoing needs, and no commitment to supporting you in the future*
David will be delighted to come and see you** to discuss how we can work together to make your Information Technology work better for you. This exploratory chat will be entirely without charge (unless any actual consultancy takes place during this visit, in which case a fee will be agreed before any invoices are raised).
If indicated, he can also carry out a complete computer systems Audit and Plan of Action - the entire cost of which is recoverable against subsequent work carried out.
* It's surprising how many professional people "got the son of a friend" to set up their computer system, and then feel helpless when that teenager moves on to other things and "no-one knows how he set it up". Is there any other area of your professional setup that you would entrust to a teenager who has no stake in supporting you?
** To ensure the best in personal service, response times, and costs, David can only service clients in the London area. There is no callout charge or charge for travelling time, except that there is a minimum charge (normally about £75) which is payable even if only 5 minutes of consultancy is needed. This is just to ensure that David does not spend 3 hours travelling for 5 minutes' fee. Consultancy at the normal rate is provided for this minimum fee. See Fees for further information.
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