| ||||
Updated RecentlyGeeks On Call America vs PC-ER Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Geeks On Call America vs PC-ER including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
||
| Investment | $53,400 - $82,200 | $17,500 - $22,500 |
| Franchise Fee | $25,000 | $7,500 |
| Royalty Fee | 11% | 2% |
| Advertising Fee | - | Varies |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2007 |
| Year Franchised | 2001 | 2014 |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 2 years |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 2 years |
| Renewal Fee | - | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
||
| Experience | All franchisees should be A+ certified and/or the equivalent in experience. If not when signed they will be expected to complete this and a couple other certifications within the 1st 6 months of owning the franchise. For special cost benefits a Veteran and or their family can operate this franchise for as little as $7500. |
|
Financing Options |
||
| In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
| Franchise Fees | No/Yes | -/- |
| Start-up Costs | No/Yes | -/- |
| Equipment | No/Yes | -/- |
| Inventory | No/Yes | -/- |
| Receivables | No/No | -/- |
| Payroll | No/No | -/- |
Training & Support |
||
| Training | - | A franchisee should be at least A+ certified prior to entering this arrangement. There is a prescreening test provided to help us make sure we aren't setting the franchisee up for failure. We want success for us and them alike. We also have arranged a 30 hour, pre-franchise signing, Entrepreneurial training to help them make sure they know what goes into running a business. This is designed to help them write their own Business Plan and provide a mentoring coach over the next 12 months. |
| Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives | Our home location has technicians on staff available to assist in problem areas. |
| Marketing | Regional advertising | - |
| Operations |
Franchise can be run from home. 30% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 1 - 2
Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (50% of current franchisees are owner/operators) | Each PC-ER inside Walmart is responsible for store opening for 70 hours a week. I know this may sound like a lot but we are working on the premise that they are providing 3000+ walk by traffic daily. The franchisee can choose to hire someone support staff if necessary and adjustments can be made to their scheduled opening provided it is approved by PC-ER, LLC and Walmart prior to making the change. |
Expansion Plans |
||
| US Expansion | Yes | Yes |
| Canada Expansion | No | - |
| International Expansion | No | - |
Company Overviews
About Geeks On Call America
The nation’s premier provider of on-site computer service, Geeks On Call was founded in 1999 and started franchising in 2001. Currently we have over 340 independently owned and operated franchises in the United States, with new locations opening regularly. Instantly recognizable by our certified, trained, and tested technicians driving blue Chrysler PT Cruisers, we are one of the fastest-growing franchise companies according to Entrepreneur and Franchise Times.Geeks On Call pioneered the concept of Computer Solutions At Your Home & Business and, in many locations, we also offer same-day on-site computer support. Our services include system security and online privacy solutions, hardware and software repairs and troubleshooting, wireless equipment and network installations, spyware and virus prevention and removal, data backups and transfers, and other forms of on-site computer support that meet today’s increasing demand. The Geeks On Call franchise owners and technicians also serve as high-tech experts for news stories, and have been featured in USA Today, NBC Nightly News, and hundreds of local newspapers and television stations in the cities where we work and live.
About PC-ER
PC-ER (Personal Computer and Electronic Repair) is a Veteran (and/or Veteran's family) owned business location within designated large retail locations. We will be providing service and repair to computers, laptops, tablets and cell phones. We will also provide warranty work for large retail locations as well as providing additional services to their customers regarding the use of their electronics. Franchisees will own and operate their own business within the franchise guidelines from the PC-ER, LLC. The operation of this franchise has been tested over the past 7 years with successful locations inside of large retail locations since. We have been granted a "pilot" with large retail locations which means we get 20 stores opened in 3 month intervals until we get to 100 locations, then they offer larger numbers of stores per 3 month window. It is our intent to be inside every available large retail location in the US within 5 years. For special cost benefits a Veteran and or their family can operate this franchise for as little as $7500.