Currently the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of IT repairs business, Laptop Doctors, Sawan has pivotally transformed the SME over the last decade. He has raised the profile of the tech enterprise based in North London, receiving consistently stellar reviews on Google by operating mainly through Word of Mouth. “90% of our business is driven this way,” he commented. “The quality of service defines us.” Indeed, the famous Forbes magazine has commended this organic form of marketing as superior as ‘92% of consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising.’ Furthermore, ‘only 6%’ of marketing executives who have been aware of this fact ‘say they have actually mastered it.’
Effectually responding to recent modern demand then, Laptop Doctors combines speed and the attention paid to each individual case to authentically succeed. “We are a semi-personalised business where customer-care comes first. It’s crucial to have the technical know-how but so is being socially sensitive. This has been my focus as COO. We are honest, friendly communicative and helpful with our range of technological solutions e.g., we tell the customer what is cost-effective compared to pushing expensive options: we’d tell you if your machine was worth repairing or upgrading, and also help recommend a new machine if it was not. We generally treat people well, making sure they always know what’s happening, checking in and talking through the particular concerns with them. We drill into the requirements to get the best outcome for them.”
Laptop Doctors provide a plethora of practical techie support, from basic consultation and upgrades to repairing motherboards and setting up new laptops and installing more complex software. Here, Sawan has worked especially hard to accomplish an admirable business to come out proverbially on top. In charge of overlooking and actively running the company, the journey has been a personal challenge. In addition to facing a continually recovering economy, Laptop Doctors has had to adapt to administrative setbacks and work within a tight budget when it first attempted to grow. “We had transitioned to online before the virus to save money, forgoing a physical location. However, this worked out in the long run as more and more people convert to a digital life-style, working from home and shopping remotely.”
In fact, bigger businesses have struggled to keep customers at this tumultuous time with people prioritising their needs and relying purely on trust. Sawan’s model of organically built connection is favoured over the grandeur of corporate ads. When asked on his favourite computer brand, Gosrani aptly stated: “there’s no one perfect computer and so many types available. I see strengths across a variety of makes: Asus, HP, Dell etc. Rather, it’s about a sturdy machine that speaks specifically to you.” Indeed, one professional may value memory over lightweight design while another might choose aesthetics with unique apps. “In that way laptops can be like people: they have the same fundamental structure but vary externally! The human heart, liver and spine can be equated to the physical monitor, network and cables etc.: inbuilt for laptops.” And so, the technical reflecting the psychological, Gosrani’s down-to-earth approach ultimately emphasises the power of the local: a strong public relationship and immediate problem-solving are the overriding gain. “It’s great when you can put a smile on the client’s face. You’ve helped boost their day” and, who knows, much more…! Indeed, smoothly running devices give us contemporary peace of mind.
What are some common issues expressed by customers?
It varies. Generally, we’ll be dealing with slow or dead machines. There’s also overheating and problems with shutting down. Recently, there’s lots of liquid damage as people adjust to the home environment and try to balance work with the domestic, dropping hot drinks in an unfamiliar set up.
Overall, there’s a need for machines to do a lot more much faster. This includes facilitating Zoom meetings on regular and sometimes huge conference calls. We are very good with helping here.
What are the skills required to do well at tech?
Being technically savvy. You must have a knack for this. Also, an empathy for different situations – there are so many reasons why a machine is playing up. I learned on the job, carefully watching my superior at the time and asking relevant questions. Now, it’s fairly easy to understand what’s needed. Finally, you must be able to talk to people. Some customers are clued up and you can just chat freely while others might need more explanation…analogies are very useful!
What has been another challenge in running a local business?
The responsibility is huge when you’re running everything – that can be intense. However, if you are efficient, it’s definitely worth it.
How else have you socially connected with clients?
Through social media – making sure we are visible and easily accessible.
Finally, what do you envisage for the future of Laptop Doctors?
I definitely want to expand, but not necessarily in terms of a physical store. Over the years, it has been cheaper to run the business online and I’ve been able to do more pragmatically. You don’t need to stay in the shop for the sake it and can go out to work frequently. However, it would be good to have a workshop where I could also train others. A simple base for operation would be great. It would be good to focus on the management side with more help serving.
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