We recently connected with Randy Rheinschild and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Randy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

It was back in 2001 when 911 happened. I was working someplace in retail as an assistant manager making the equivalency to $150K and my two daughters were young. Both are under 10 at the time. The company filed bankruptcy after the investors pulled out to shore up their own debt. I was totally out of work and unemployment was a whopping 300$ a week. My father-in-law was looking into franchises for us to get into and work together, as he had just retired from the airlines as a pilot. We found a computer software help model to get involved with and we did that for a few years. We were supposed to help with the office suite basically….but our clients wanted us to work on the machines. Like hard drive errors, and operating system issues such as viruses. We dumped the franchise and set off on our own, each of us. I started Rhino Computer Services and he handled the clients at the “old folks home” as he liked to call it.

It was a huge jump for me as I’ve always punched a clock and never really thought of being a 1099 sub-contract worker where I wouldn’t know what I was making until the end of each week while having a young family.

Randy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Rhino Computer Services is a go-to solution for all your technology needs, catering to both individuals and businesses. Rhino offers a wide range of services, including hardware and software repair, office setup, and troubleshooting for smart devices like TVs and Alexa. Randy’s expertise extends to fixing printer issues, providing tech buying guidance, and assisting with setup—all tailored to your unique requirements. With mobile support and remote assistance, help is just a call away, no matter where you are.

I am a tech expert that comes to your home or small business and troubleshoots your IT issues on site. I can also offer remote services to see what’s going on. If you have a computer that won’t start up, I can pull the drive, find the budget and the desired computer, purchase it, set it up, and reload your data, and install your programs, printers, etc to provide a turn-key solution to “dead computer” issue.

I also can come setup a secure wifi network and join all your internet-based devices to it so you don’t have to deal with the frustration of the “easy” directions as they call them, which usually isn’t so straightforward. These devices are computers, printers, tv’s, Alexa, iPads, etc.

I’m not a tech personality person. I don’t tell my clients things that sound like ” the hamophramitz is connected to the squirlymajigger by producing a waffle signal” to their ears. That’s why they call on me to insulate them from the tech talk. I have some customers that have a simple issue that would involve calling a company’s tech support for a quick answer…. they just don’t want to make the call and have to try and decipher what they are being told.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

For me, it was just being me! Be on time, be communicative with your clients, find a positive solution for the client, charge them an agreed price, and when the job goes longer than say the computer itself is worth for any reason, DON’T OVERCHARGE THEM based on the hourly rate you were there. I always say “You can shear a sheep all you want, but you can skin them only once!” when it comes to charging on big or long hourly appointments.

You need to treat your clients like you’re going to one of your family’s homes to do work for them. It’s that simple to me.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Word of mouth has always been the way to grow my business in the past… not that it hasn’t become more social media-type advertising now. The point is, to do things in a way that people want “you” to be their person. While I’m there at their home or business while working, often I spend time talking about their family and interests. Developing relationships with my clients has always been the way to spread who I am and what I do. People often ask others “Who do you know that comes to your home or small business and fix your IT issues?”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rhinocomputerservices.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhinocompserv/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RhinoComputerServices/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rhinocomputerservices
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rhino-computer-services-gainesville?osq=rhino+computer+services&override_cta=Request+a+quote

Image Credits

Photo’s and artwork by Angela Todd