About Us: Lacey Computer Co., a Florida corporation, was founded in 1984 by  Tom  Lacey, Ph.D. Lacey Computer has always served everyone with the utmost integrity and consideration. We have not lost sight of our roots as an early computer pioneer. Our store is still the best place to have your computer serviced, upgraded, or simply to get objective and knowledgeable advice.

Customers: We have about 5,000 customers from all walks of life. Most are local, but we also have a number of snow birds and transplants scattered around the country. A few are on islands or live in other parts of the world.

Sales and Upgrades: We have always used the best quality parts in our systems and upgrades. We will customize and special order to your requirements. Please stop by for a quote. We do a straight no nonsense cost plus calculation based on daily wholesale prices. We do not call you back or bug you to buy.

Trade-Ins: We take trade-ins based on estimated used market value. We also offer these traded-in computers for sale. Please stop by to browse our selection. We test all of our used parts before reselling them (we do not buy anything off the street, but we take in a few consignment items, space permitting).

Service: We take care of orphans too! Most of our customers started out buying from discount stores and low ball sellers. They stay with us because they prefer a fair deal with no strings attached, no gimmicks. They trust our advise and consumer oriented business philosophy.

Classes: We have ongoing classes starting with the basics, Windows 95, the internet, making your web page, HTML and beyond. Classes are taught hands-on in our internet lab.

Internet Lab: Our internet lab offers public access to the internet. The cost is $5 per hour for students and $10 per hour for adults. Assisted use and Individual tutoring is available at extra cost. At home tutoring is also available. Call for rates and tutor info.

Web Mastering: We also do web page design and maintenance.

The philosophy we go by:

"Customers basically want you to fix the problem, not tell them it's broke."

"Computers are fun. Learning is fun. Life should be fun."

"Don't do unnecessary repairs."

"Don't push unwanted upgrades on people."

"We only sell computers we can service."

"People like a place they can take their computer and not worry."

"If computers were easy, I wouldn't be here." -- Tom Lacey

If you have a problem you would like to solve, or need information to make a computer related decision, please call us.

(Local calls only please unless you join our Customer Support Club.)

Kinds of Problems We Service:

Setting up devices to work with your computer, except networks.
Computer does not start or crashes.
Modem does not work.
Windows 95 is messed up.
I want more memory or bigger hard drive etc.
I want to rebuild/upgrade my computer.
Sound cards, video cards etc.
Don't know how to do something.
I want a new computer!

Service and Training Rates

In-store Service Rate: Basically, $50 per hour of actual time spent, plus parts. The maximum labor on any one problem is $100. Most repairs are between $50 and $100 for labor, plus parts. Multiple problems and really messed up systems are usually less than $150 total for labor, plus parts.

On-Site Service Repair Rate: $100 for first hour. $50 each additional hour. Travel time may be necessary if more than 15 minutes away. It may be necessary to take equipment back to shop for repair.

On-site Training Rate: $50 per hour.

On-site Delivery and Setup of New Equipment: Goes according to training rate, $50 per hour spent on premises, $25 minimum delivery charge by us.

Courier Service: We can recommend couriers for pickup and/or delivery of equipment.

Customer Support Club: For those who want to ask occasional questions, you can join our informal Customer Support Club. Membership is $100 per year. This is intended for brief periodic calls and does not include walking through on the phone. We basically give advise on what to do next or where to go. You can call back a couple of times for follow up, but not all day long. If the problem is too complicated or time consuming, you will be advised to bring the computer in for service or to seek local service if you live far away.

(Other dealers or tech support employees are not eligible -- no resale).

Q&A

Q. Do you do training?
A. Yes, we have some people who go on site for $50 per hour, $75 minimum per visit (1 1/2 hours). In store training is $50 per hour with $25 minimum (1/2 hour). We have an internet lab set up in the store.

Q. What should I bring in with my computer for repair?
A. Please bring in your Windows 95 CD and OEM number or key number. Bring in any driver disks you have for sound, video, and CD rom. No power cords please.

Q. What is your warranty?
A. We offer a one year warranty on new parts. Some parts have a three year manufacturer warranty, such as most hard drives and 15" monitors. Our labor warranty on a new system is one year.  Manufacturer part warranties do not cover  labor. We warranty used parts for 90 days. Service labor on non-warranty repairs is warranted for 30 days.

Q. Do you offer service contracts?
A. We do informal contracts, with no annual fee. Call us whenever you have a problem. Pay only for parts and labor as you go. Usually, people upgrade to a faster part when an old one breaks, which they were planning to do anyway. The only exception is monitors. But most 15" monitors come with a three year manufacturer warranty.

Q. Should I Buy a Commercial Service Contract:
A. Not unless it is very expensive and highly specialized equipment that can't be serviced by local computer stores. The high rate of technical obsolescence in computers favors saving your money to upgrade rather than replace something with the same type part (same speed). In practice, you usually only break even with a service contract, but you can suffer by using out of date equipment too long.
Service contracts are known in the industry to be a profit center.

Q. What about rebates?
A. I would only consider an instant rebate. I seldom get any reply to the rebate offers I send in, particularly if it is more than a few dollars. Many people also forget to send them in or do not meet the fine print requirements. I once pulled a $50 rebate ticket off an internal modem box that said in fine print it was only good on certain external models, and then only up to a date that was already past.  Many companies clearly have a pay only if you complain policy. Read the coupon before you buy, and keep records. Rebates are clearly used in an increasingly unethical manner to fool consumers. One customer bought something from a mass merchant that didn't work only to find out he couldn't return it because he had already sent in his sales receipt to the manufacturer for the rebate offer!

Q. What about Tech Support at Lacey Computer?
A. We have an informal support policy for our customers. We offer free system support for those who bought their system from us. We offer support limited to the parts that we install in your system for 30 days after installation.

Q. Can I still get tech support if I didn't buy my computer from you?
A. Sure, but you have to pay for it. Join our Customer Support Club. See above.
 
Q. What about long distance support?
A. This is always more difficult because you can't bring it in. You may also need to seek the advice of a local repair technician as we advise you. Few people do everything themselves.

Q. Do you sell computers too?
A. Yes, but only locally. If you live in the Tampa Bay area drop in to see us. Stop by to get a quote on a new system. Bring your old box to evaluate trade or upgrade alternatives.  Sorry, we don't have time for price shopping quotes by phone.

Q. Do you do web pages?
A.  Some of our  instructors do web page design and web mastering.

Q. What is the secret of your success?
A.  We deal with people honestly or not at all. We also fix all the problems we attempt (99% of the time). This requires patience and being clever. We are always learning and adapting to new things. Our customers keep coming back.

Q. As an economist, what is your  advise to anyone who wants to go into the computer business?
A. Don't go into hardware. Use your capital to buy Microsoft stock instead. Spend your time, your labor, on making software, writing, training, and consulting. Learn to install and support  networks or partner with good software companies, like Netscape, to provide solutions to businesses. Become a software value-added reseller (VAR) in the field you know. Learn Java and make web solutions, easy to start.
 
Disclaimer:  Lacey computer is not responsible for loss of data or any other kind of damages, consequential or inconsequential, and is to be held harmless. All advice is at your own risk.