Factory-built, "off-the-shelf" desktop systems from companies such as Dell, Gateway, Compaq, IBM, and E-Machines often incorporate "proprietary" components from unknown and unproven vendors. But all desktop systems built by The Computer Guru employ industry-standard, premium-brand components from the leading manufacturers in the industry. The benefits to you are two-fold.
First, industry-standard systems are easily and quickly and economically upgraded and enhanced, so when it comes time to increase the performance or capabilities of your system, you needn’t throw the system out. In many cases, it is better to upgrade or enhance your system, keeping the basic system intact and simply adding onto it, when necessary. A system that seems attractive today may turn out to be a "white elephant" tomorrow, if that system is difficult or impossible to upgrade – which is often the case.
Second, a computer system that is built using the very best components from leading manufacturers will be more reliable, more robust, more compatible, and last longer than a system using unknown or unproven components. For example, even a respected manufacturer like IBM continues to use proprietary modem/sound systems from small, relatively-unknown manufacturers in its "Aptiva Systems." As a result, the Aptiva systems are far less reliable and harder to upgrade than systems built using, say, modems from U.S. Robotics and sound systems from Creative Labs.
The fun begins when you’ve purchased an off-the-shelf, factory-system and need help with it. Who do you call? If you’re lucky, you can call an 800 number and reach a tech support line, but you may still have to wait a long time, on-hold, before you can actually speak to a human being. And when you’ve reached that human being, how knowledgeable are they? How experienced are they at actually solving problems, in a hands-on manner? How much do they really know? A problem that takes hours to resolve on a telephone tech support line can often be solved by The Computer Guru in minutes.
The Computer Guru keeps every component used in its custom-built systems in stock at all times. That means, in critical situations, you can get a replacement component from The Computer Guru fast, seven days a week, any hour of the day (by appointment). No waiting for the Fedex truck or special shipments from the manufacturer. No questions about whether the part will actually work. And local warranty coverage means The Computer Guru will come to your residence or place of business and replace defective components promptly and efficiently, at no cost to you!
Henry Ford made a fortune selling people Model Ts in any color they wanted – as long as it was black! Most computer systems today present similar limitations, because standard systems are the norm and "custom" systems require additional wait times and additional expense – if available at all.
But every Computer Guru system is a custom-built system, which means you can have any system you want, delivered to your door, in three days or less, regardless of any additional options or accessories you may require. Want a Zip drive, or a DVD-ROM drive, or an extra-large hard drive, or a second printer port? No problem – you can have it your way, any way you want it, without having to wait for it.
Factory-built systems typically arrive in a box ("insert peg A into slot B"). But every new system sold by The Computer Guru includes delivery to your doorstep, complete on-site setup and installation of all necessary accessories and software programs, connection to the internet service provider of your choice, a thorough testing and final checkout of the system – even one hour of training and data transfer from your existing system.
No other vendor provides this level of service and support, but The Computer Guru wants to ensure that your system is set up and installed and configured and running perfectly from day one. Many if not most problems people experience with their machines are due to incorrect system setup and software glitches that lie dormant in your machine; problems that have been around since day one and rear their ugly heads at the most inopportune times. The Computer Guru works hard to ensure that these problems never, ever occur, and that your ownership experience is entirely positive and trouble-free.
Everybody and his brother is selling computers today; some day you may be able to buy them at fast food outlets like McDonalds. In the meantime, however, the consumer is faced with a variety of bewildering choices, and often does not know where to turn, or who to believe, or what system is best to buy.
The Computer Guru business was established as a response to the customer’s need for accurate, reliable, honest information -- and help -- and support. Computer hardware isn’t difficult to find. "Help" isn’t even that difficult to find. But helpful help – help that is truly helpful! – is what The Computer Guru works hard to provide, and knows how to provide. That means we sit down with you before the sale and talk – find out what your needs are – and configure the perfect system for you and your budget. We can even find buyers for your existing computer system, and put real money back into your pocket!
Because our systems are custom-built for you, we are not compelled to sell you what we have lying around or because we have to move existing products out the door. We don’t keep inventory (except for spare parts and accessories). We provide for you only what is best and brightest in the industry today – not products we are forced to sell by corporate edict in order to stay in business. Take Office Depot, which has for years sold "Packard-Bell" computers to the public in massive quantities, despite the fact that these systems rate very low in reliability and ease-of-repair and customer satisfaction (just visit any of the numerous "Packard Bell Hate Pages" on the Internet to see what we mean – some computer service organizations refuse to touch Packard-Bells!)…
…and yet Office Depot, and companies like Office Depot, will continue to sell Packard-Bell systems as long as they can continue to turn a profit on them…whereas The Computer Guru only sells systems that we know to be excellent, top-quality, reliable, durable, and proven systems.
It's an Old, Old Story...
When you purchase a custom-built computer system from The Computer Guru, you are purchasing both tangible and intangible goods. The tangible goods are represented by your fine new computer system. The intangible "goods" are The Computer Guru’s many years of industry expertise and hands-on computer smarts. You might say you get a piece of The Guru every time you buy a computer system from The Computer Guru – and that it is the intangibles that separate the good systems from the great systems.
Steven Salemi
The Computer Guru