How to Develop Contingency Plans with A Computer Repair Business

If you’re saying, “It’s time to get my computer repair business off the ground,” then you need to think seriously about contingency plans.

When hearing the phrase contingency planning, many in the computer repair business and small business IT industry automatically think of hot spares, off-site business continuity, data replication, and diesel generators. And sure these are all important areas for you to work on with your clients. However what about protecting your new computer repair business from even more certain non-IT-related business-interruptions?

Contingency plans are absolutely critical for first-year business success. If you have a contingency plan, you’ll be able to deal with the curve balls that get thrown at you; because even if you do great research and plan diligently, you’re going to encounter a mixture of good and bad surprises.

You don’t want to get caught without a contingency plan. Positive and negative things will happen, and you need to be able to weather the ups and downs of your business. The more thought and time you put into a contingency plan, the more you will be on track for success and be able to avoid getting derailed as you make the definitive choice and say, “I am ready to start my computer repair business!”

Now normally this kind of contingency planning is part of writing a business plan, under the heading of Risks. However since writing a business plan gets the kind of procrastination typically only reserved for the elliptical machine you bought for your family room, that's now serving as a coat rack. Or the vacation home you splurged on that sits empty 53 weeks a year. It probably makes sense to tackle your contingency planning right now.

When you create a plan to handle business curve balls, you need to list out anything you can think of that will negatively impact or threaten your business. A thorough contingency plan address 15 - 20 reasonable possibilities that could affect your ability to remain profitable, or even in business and are outside your control. The following are 4 of the areas that must be included in a solid contingency plan.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Changes in Your Niche

2. Labor Market Issues

3. Comfort Level with Software

4. Strategic Alliances Between Competitors

Tips & Warnings

• Changes in Your Niche. Most computer repair professionals find great success when they focus on a specific industry niche and solving its unique IT problems. But what do you do if your niche dries up or turns out to be unable to support your business? Think about VARs focusing on real estate as the market imploded in 2008 ... or solution providers catering to automotive dealers that are currently on government subsidized life-support. You need to have an alternative plan of action to roll with the punches if you can’t find sufficient client projects within your originally-chosen niche or niches.
• Labor Market Issues. If you’ve said, “Now’s the time to start my computer repair business,” you need to think about who will help you deliver your services to your valued clients as your company grows. You have to plan for a lack of availability of contract workers or employees. You need to be able to continue to provide solutions to your clients, even if you find yourself short staffed.
• Comfort Level with Software. What do you do if you decide to work with a specific type of business that uses a particular software… but then find out this particular market does not really need the solutions you provide? You need to be able to branch out into different target markets if one of your chosen specialties ends up not being a great profit center. This means you need to include working with other types of clients in your contingency plan, which often will mean knowing about more than just one type of software.
• Strategic Alliances Between Competitors. While you need to focus on the concept of “my computer repair business,” you also need to pay attention to your competitors. How will you keep your business alive if there are mergers or alliances within your industry that affect your ability to attract clients? You need to think about your competitors as you develop a plan for the future of your business and be prepared when the business climate changes.