Don't bring your computer here…read more
ClickRight stays in business by mansplaining expensive, unnecessary 'solutions' to computer-illiterate customers.
I brought my main computer to ClickRight back when I was working two full-time jobs. I'm highly technically skilled, I build and program all my computers and servers myself- but at the time, I quite literally did not have a spare minute to repair my own computer. ClickRight was a few blocks away, and their hourly rate was affordabe.
I went in and I explained the exact work needed- one failing component needed to be upgraded. I figured this would be a simple, straightforward transaction. It would be a 2h job that would be handled while I was at work.
The technician looked at me dubiously and said they'd 'have to run tests' to be certain of the problem, as if I had no idea what I was talking about, but I had no time, so I left my computer with ClickRight and figured any tests they ran would correlate with my own diagnostics.
I didn't hear back from them for three days.
On the third day, I phoned them and asked what exactly was going on.
I was told that there was a whole assortment of issues with my computer, that my hard drives' data would need to be recovered, and most of my hardware replaced, a task that was going to cost $950+ with labour.
I actually started laughing, because I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The tech was dead serious. I decided to cut out of work immediately to retrieve my computer from the clutches of ClickRight.
When I got there, I demanded my computer back. The tech was reluctant to do so, and told me that I should leave my computer with them. I reiterated the simple problem, the timeframe it should have been completed in, and my frustration with the situation. Again, the tech told me, to my face, that I was wrong, and, not in so many words, that they knew more about the problem that I did.
So now I'm pissed; my time had been phenomenally wasted, my computer still unrepaired, and I'm being talked down to. I informed the tech I was leaving with my computer and that I would pay them two hours of their repair rate. The tech 'took pity on me' and didn't charge me at all, but patronizingly suggested I come back 'if' (when) I ran into difficulties.
I drove straight to NCIX Coquitlam, bought the necessary replacement parts for $120, went home and fixed things in less than an hour. My HDs didn't need recovering, my memory didn't need upgrading, no reinstalls or other parts were neded.
It seems to me that ClickRight's capitalizes on clientele with rudimentary computer knowledge, much like car repair shops insisting on a differential rebuild when you only came in for an oil change, because they're not making $$ on simple fixes.
I understand that in highly specialized fields, you can't always go with 'the customer is always right', but I was crystal clear about my level of expertise. I stated the exact problem, how to fix it, and even what part model I needed. If my computer knowledge was still questionable after all that, ClickRight could have confirmed my statement in under half an hour of testing. So they either didn't perform diagnostic tests at all, or they did, but felt they could 'upsell' the problem. Either way, that's terrible, and dishonest business practice.
Being in any kind of specialized service means you need to be able to effectively support customers of ALL skill levels, and not make any assumptions about your clients. And that's exactly where ClickRight falls short. In fact, I highly doubt their ability to handle any actual high-level tech diagnostics and repairs, especially if they were faced with a problematic non-Windows machine.
To those non-tech-savvy readers of this review- whether or not you choose to take your computers here, or anywhere, I highly recommend getting a second opinion on your repair job- every. single. time. It's very easy to be scared into making expensive, and unnecessary choices, especially when the phrase 'hard-drive failure' is tossed around. Don't fall for that scam.
I didn't really understand what a racket tech support services were until this charming incident. But now I do, and thanks to this, I've made it abundantly clear to all my friends and family that if they ever need tech help, I'm100% willing to assist, lest they end up going to ClickRight or the likes.
Vorsprung durch technik.