Computer Shops and The Licensed and Bonded Lie
There is a growing trend in the computing industry for repair shops to claim they are licensed and bonded. The problem with this tactic is it quickly reveals the true nature of the shop and person you are dealing with. There is no licensing authority in the computer business like there is with roofers, plumbers, and electricians.
So you have an immediate indicator that shows that you are dealing with a person that doesn't mind misleading you into a false sense of security. They will swear its true, but in reality all businesses with a location should have a Business License, but that is not what most people think when they hear the phrase licensed and bonded.
A business license doesn't show you that the state has done any more than take the business owners application and fee to issue a license to do business in the state and if needed to collect sales tax. There are no tests, no education requirements, no back ground checks performed. This is true for any required business license for the city, county, or economic zone.
So if you see on a web site or hear a shop indicating they are licensed and bonded, ask what kind of license. And don't let them throw certifications up as if they are the license. A+ is a certification gained from a private testing company (CompTIA) and is not a license. It is a certification that they took a test and passed it, indicating a knowledge level of six months in the computer industry. That's correct, six (6) months. As seen on CompTIA's website:
"CompTIA A+ Essentials measures the necessary competencies of an entry-level IT professional with a recommended 500 hours of hands-on experience in the lab or field. It tests for technical understanding of computer technology, networking and security, as well as the communication skills and professionalism now required of all entry-level IT professionals."
If you do the math, an 8 hour day divided into the supposed 500 hours equates to 62.5 working days. Passing the exam and getting the certificate means more often than not that they crammed for the exam and passed. The guy that used to do yard work, then inherited his dad's landscaping business, then went into the furniture business, that then got bored and took a A+ class and passed the exam doesn't now have ten years of computer experience. He barely has two months.
A+ folks usually can talk the talk just well enough to pull the wool over your eyes and take money from you to do basic repairs and little else. Oh there's no doubt that if someone wants a career in computers today, they must have at least A+, and its a starting point that is little more than a baby stepping stone towards the real experience they will need to make it in the IT world.
As an example, would you want a 20 year old that just became a licensed electrician rewiring your house, or someone that has an established reputation with 20 years of experience rewiring your house. Both are human and both can make errors, but which is the least likely to make a mistake? I'd bet on experience every time.
This lack of experience and the underlying insecurity it brings, usually makes the younger and newer technicians more apt to braggadociosness. The worst mistake they can possibly make, in my opinion, is the ultimate lie. "we get it right the first time, every time" I've read several Bibles, and there has been no credible archeological or genealogical evidence that Jesus had any children. And since I've never seen a computer tech walk on water, I seriously doubt that they are perfect. We all make mistakes, so its more important to know what will be done when a mistake is made.
Unfortunately there will always be those who take advantage of others lack of knowledge for financial gain. You can follow here and at our Facebook page for examples and videos of many of these scams so you can be better prepared. So remember our motto - its ok to be computer illiterate, but you don't have to be (scammed by someone who is) CyberStupid
