Tel Aviv----November 23.....Nowadays with just about every home and business in Israel having at least one or more PC's, the need for qualified computer repair technicians has skyrocketed. In response to this need, there has been a virtual "explosion" onto the scene, of computer "fixit" guys - some more qualified, conscientious and experienced than others.

Because most Israeli users depend on their PC's for a wide variety of purposes - at home and at work and use them on a daily basis, it is critical that their computers function adequately and reliably and that their confidential and valuable, personal and business data remain safe, secure, and accessible.

If you should be unfortunate enough to experience problems with your computer, you would, no doubt, like to entrust it to a qualified, conscientious professional, who you know will give you and your computer the care and attention you both deserve. But how can you determine who is qualified and who is not in Israel?
Here's a little list of things to check for when seeking a PC computer sales or repair person whether you are in Tel Aviv, Ra'anana, Jerusalem, Haifa, Metulla or Eilat.

Ask about their certifications of training and experience in Israel and abroad.
Microsoft certified technicians are your best bet. As a Microsoft certified PC technician in Israel, I can tell you that I went through months of exhaustive training. And as a Microsoft certified technician I am accountable to Microsoft Israel and Microsoft worldwide for each and every PC repair I undertake.

Check the PC technicians references and make sure that past clients were satisfied with the sales, service and or repair.

Pay close attention to what questions that he or she may ask about your computer, itself, as well as how and what you use it for (particularly with respect to which, if any, types of data might need to be backed up). If the techie does not show sufficient interest to ask the appropriate questions, he or she may end up making undesired changes to your computer's operating system, programs or perhaps most importantly, to your irreplaceable personal data.

In order to be certain that the technician has the best possible understanding of the problem(s) you are having with your PC, as well as of how best to satisfactorily diagnose and resolve them, be sure to give him or her as full and detailed a description of the "symptoms" as you possibly can.

Of the above list, items 1 and 2 are quite important, but perhaps most essential to determining whether or not a particular technician is likely to do the best possible job of solving your specific problems, and cause no harm or damage to your computer beyond that which you already have, are items 3 and 4.

The importance of how many, as well as what types, of questions the technician asks you before taking on the job, about your computer, how you generally use it, and the nature of the malfunction(s) it is experiencing, cannot be stressed enough. Because, of course, the better idea the hi-tech professional has of what might be wrong with your machine, as well as what you, the customer, need or expect from him or her, the less chance there will be of data or program loss or damage, or other any potential misunderstandings as to what will need to be done, how best to do it, or how much it might cost.

And naturally, a professional PC technician and repair service professional will always inquire as to what applications you use, and what mission-critical data needs to be backed up, just on the contingency, should it arise, that it may be necessary to format your drive, re-install your operating system, or in the event of any number of other possible causes of data loss or corruption during the repair process. If a technician fails to ask you about these issues, this indicates a serious, if not a critical lack of concern on his or her part for your priceless personal information.

An additional important factor to be considered is the techie's willingness to spend time, not only listening to your description of your PC or MacIntosh computer problems, but also to explain anything relevant to your particular situation, such as pointing out various service repair options and their respective possible costs, or potential risks, that might not be clearly apparent to a "non-techie" type of customer.

With the economy in Israel as depressed as it is today, everyone is concerned with how much a PC or Internet repair job will cost them – but probably much more significant than the direct cost of the work, itself, is the quality and reliability of the work to done. Ultimately, a shoddy or unprofessional repair job can end up costing you much, much more, financially, as well as in terms of precious time and data lost as a result of improper or thoughtless workmanship.

Beau Schutz is referred to as "Israel's PC Doctor". He has over 14 years of experience providing professional PC service and support offering 24/7 expert, fast and full-service PC support. Schutz makes housecalls offering sales, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, Internet security assessments, Internet hookup and connection, training and instruction. He is Microsoft, CompTIA Certified. You can contact Beau at beau1@techie.com or enter his Yahoo community chat room at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IsraelPCdoctor

ISRAEL NEWS AGENCY