Yelp has recently been a surprisingly good source of IT work for MarcB IT—even though I’m not actively advertising with them. Through Yelp’s “Nearby Job” feature, I can connect with potential clients for a small fee. Sometimes it’s a few dollars, other times I’ll see an unexpected monthly charge. But overall, it’s been worth it, as it continues to connect me with people who need tech help.
One of those clients was in Dobbs Ferry, Westchester County. She reached out with a video showing a problem with her Samsung laptop: the left hinge was protruding from the back of the device. Hinges are notoriously tricky to fix, but I decided to give it a try.
Armed with my iFixit toolkit, J-B epoxy paste, and a set of clamps, I carefully disassembled the laptop—first disconnecting the power supply and removing the underside cover. After applying epoxy to the hinge area, I clamped it down and let it cure overnight.
Unfortunately, when I returned the next morning, the bond hadn’t held. The hinge still wasn’t secure. That’s when I explained to the client my simple policy: No Fix, No Fee. I don’t charge if I can’t resolve the issue. In total, I spent about 3.5 hours on the repair attempt, but the right outcome for her was to send the laptop to Samsung for an official repair with replacement parts.
I was able to reassure her that Samsung turnaround times are relatively quick—I had recently sent in my own Samsung laptop for service, and it was returned within five business days.
The client mentioned that before sending her laptop away, she wanted to secure a replacement to keep using QuickBooks. I showed her my Surface Pro 11, though the price gave her pause. In a follow-up email, I recommended more budget-friendly options:
- Microsoft Surface Go – starting around $500, compatible with both QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online.
- Chromebook – starting around $250–$350, compatible with QuickBooks Online only.
I’m still waiting to hear what she decides, but the key takeaway from this experience is important: not every repair attempt leads to a successful fix. Still, I believe honesty, transparency, and guiding clients toward the best solution builds trust—and that’s just as valuable as a completed repair.
