Computer Services

Computer services keep devices and networks working for people and small firms. Start by learning the parts and the words.

• Name the parts: processor, memory, storage, screen, network card, power.
• Describe the difference between hardware, software and a network.
• Explain what a service ticket is and why every job gets one.
• List words: backup, update, password, router, malware.
• Compare a hard drive and a solid-state drive by speed and cost in plain words.
• Explain what an operating system does.
• Describe the path of a keystroke to the screen in four steps.

Activity. Open a spare computer or use a parts chart. Label eight parts and say what each does.

Standard to meet. Task: name computer parts. Condition: from a real or pictured device. Standard: eight parts named with one job each.

Good technicians do not guess. They ask, test one thing at a time and write down the result.

• Apply a fault method: ask what changed, reproduce, test one thing, record.
• Check the simple things first: power, cable, restart, free space, updates.
• Compare two possible causes and test the cheaper one first.
• Explain why you copy the user's files before you change anything.
• Record the exact error message before changing anything.
• Test with a second cable, port or user account to narrow the cause.
• Decide when to stop and refer: burning smell, swollen battery or water damage.

Activity. Fix three practice faults on a test machine and write the steps for each.

Standard to meet. Task: find a fault. Condition: practice machine. Standard: one change at a time with the result written after each.

Technicians handle private data, so laws about privacy, licences and electronic waste matter. Check with the local authority.

• Explain that federal and provincial privacy laws limit how personal data is collected and used; check which applies to your clients.
• Describe software licence rules: do not install unlicensed software.
• Check local rules for electronic waste; many provinces have recycling programs.
• Apply the rule that you do not look at private files unless the job needs it and the owner agrees.
• Ask the provincial e-waste program where drives and batteries go and write the drop-off address.
• Choose a drive-wipe method and get written approval before a drive leaves the client's hands.
• Check which privacy law applies when you handle staff records: federal or provincial.

Activity. Build a rules table for your province covering privacy, licensing and e-waste, with official pages.

Standard to meet. Task: map the rules. Condition: official pages only. Standard: each row has an enforcer, an action and a checked date.

Now do real set-up work to a written method.

• Build a new device set-up checklist: updates, user accounts, backup, security, printer, Wi-Fi.
• Apply a home or office network plan: router, strong Wi-Fi password, guest network.
• Install and test backups, including one restore test.
• Record every setting you change so you can undo it.
• Compare wired and wireless connections for an office by speed and reliability.
• Test the signal in three rooms and move the router to improve the weakest one.
• Draw a network map showing devices and label the cables.

Activity. Set up a test computer and a test Wi-Fi network from the checklist and do one backup restore.

Standard to meet. Task: set up a device. Condition: written checklist. Standard: every item ticked and a restore test passed.

Most problems come from weak sign-in, old software and phishing. Fix these first.

• Apply strong passwords, a password manager and two-step sign-in.
• Check for phishing: odd sender, rush, link that does not match.
• Explain least access: each user gets only what they need.
• Create a breach plan: who is told, what is switched off, when.
• Apply automatic updates and check that they actually ran.
• Restore one file from backup once a month to prove it works.
• Teach three staff how to report a suspicious email.

Activity. Run a 20-minute safety talk for three people and a phishing quiz of five examples.

Standard to meet. Task: improve client security. Condition: small office or home. Standard: two-step sign-in on key accounts and a written breach plan.

Technicians often under-price. Count travel, waiting and learning time.

• Compute your hourly cost: tools, insurance, vehicle, software, unpaid time.
• Compare fee types: per hour, per job, monthly support plan.
• Build a day plan with travel and a buffer for jobs that run long.
• Evaluate which jobs pay well and which waste time.
• Calculate the hourly rate as yearly costs plus wanted income divided by billable hours.
• Compare a monthly support plan with per-job pricing for a client who calls often.
• Calculate unbilled time: travel, quotes and notes.

Activity. Build a cost sheet and a price list for five common jobs.

Standard to meet. Task: price jobs. Condition: all costs counted. Standard: break-even hours correct and shown with units.

Clients return when you explain clearly, keep promises and leave good notes.

• Explain faults in plain words, without blame or jargon.
• Write a job report: problem, work done, parts, cost, advice.
• Apply a follow-up check three days after each job to confirm the fix still works.
• Handle a complaint: listen, restate, fix or refund as agreed.
• Write next-step advice in three lines the client can follow.
• Keep a log of repeat faults per client to find a deeper cause.
• Identify the repeat faults from the pilot jobs and write one lasting fix for each.

Activity. Write five job reports from practice jobs and call a practice client for a follow-up.

Standard to meet. Task: finish a job properly. Condition: practice job. Standard: client can read the report and knows what to do next.

Now run your service with real clients, support plans and a growth plan.

• Run a 60-day pilot with at least five clients or a volunteer help desk.
• Review weekly: jobs, time per job, repeats, client feedback.
• Create a 12-month plan with training goals and tools budget.
• Lead others: write the checklists so a helper can repeat your standard.
• Calculate average time per job and hours paid at the end of the pilot.
• Compare client feedback with the stop rule.
• Create a checklist for a helper and test it on one job.

Activity. Run the pilot, write the review and present your plan to three people.

Standard to meet. Task: run a computer service pilot. Condition: 60 days, real clients. Standard: results compared with the stop rule and privacy rules re-checked.

L1: Digital aware learner. You can define: name the main terms, people and rules of computer Services. Focus module: Know computers and the service job (Understand, 6 h). Computer services keep devices and networks working for people and small firms. Start by learning the parts and the words. Key points: Name the parts: processor, memory, storage, screen, network card, power. Describe the difference between hardware, software and a network. Explain what a service ticket is and why every job gets one. List words: backup, update, password, router, malware. Compare a hard drive and a solid-state drive by speed and cost in plain words. Explain what an operating system does. Describe the path of a keystroke to the screen in four steps.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A laptop is slow. The ticket says: user, device, problem, date, steps taken, result. A 500 GB disk was 98% full (490 GB used); after moving 185 GB of old files to an external drive, 305 GB are used, which is 61%. Then set the activity: Open a spare computer or use a parts chart. Label eight parts and say what each does. Mark against the standard: Task: name computer parts. Condition: from a real or pictured device. Standard: eight parts named with one job each. Check at this level: What is a service ticket? Model answer: A written record of the user, device, problem, steps and result. Level note: Start here if new. Evidence: a one-page glossary and a visit or interview note.

L2: Support assistant. You can describe: explain how computer Services works from first contact to result. Focus module: Find faults step by step (Apply, 6 h). Good technicians do not guess. They ask, test one thing at a time and write down the result. Key points: Apply a fault method: ask what changed, reproduce, test one thing, record. Check the simple things first: power, cable, restart, free space, updates. Compare two possible causes and test the cheaper one first. Explain why you copy the user's files before you change anything. Record the exact error message before changing anything. Test with a second cable, port or user account to narrow the cause. Decide when to stop and refer: burning smell, swollen battery or water damage.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. No internet on one laptop. Other devices work, so the router is fine. Wi-Fi was switched off on the laptop. Fixed in one minute; ticket updated. When two causes are possible, test the cheaper one first: a 5-minute cable swap before a 60-minute reinstall. Then set the activity: Fix three practice faults on a test machine and write the steps for each. Mark against the standard: Task: find a fault. Condition: practice machine. Standard: one change at a time with the result written after each. Check at this level: Why test one thing at a time? Model answer: So you know which change fixed or caused the problem. Level note: Evidence: a flow chart and a two-minute spoken explanation.

L3: Junior developer or analyst. You can apply: carry out a routine task in computer Services to a written standard. Focus module: Follow the rules in Canada (Apply, 10 h). Technicians handle private data, so laws about privacy, licences and electronic waste matter. Check with the local authority. Key points: Explain that federal and provincial privacy laws limit how personal data is collected and used; check which applies to your clients. Describe software licence rules: do not install unlicensed software. Check local rules for electronic waste; many provinces have recycling programs. Apply the rule that you do not look at private files unless the job needs it and the owner agrees. Ask the provincial e-waste program where drives and batteries go and write the drop-off address. Choose a drive-wipe method and get written approval before a drive leaves the client's hands. Check which privacy law applies when you handle staff records: federal or provincial.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Rules table row: Personal data | privacy regulator | collect only what the job needs | every job | signed consent kept. If a drive holds staff records, open only the files the job needs and note which ones. Then set the activity: Build a rules table for your province covering privacy, licensing and e-waste, with official pages. Mark against the standard: Task: map the rules. Condition: official pages only. Standard: each row has an enforcer, an action and a checked date. Check at this level: What do you do about unlicensed software? Model answer: Do not install it. Level note: Evidence: a supervised task record that meets the standard once.

L4: Developer, consultant or builder. You can analyse: diagnose why a computer Services result missed its target and fix it. Focus module: Set up and fix devices and networks (Evaluate, 8 h). Now do real set-up work to a written method. Key points: Build a new device set-up checklist: updates, user accounts, backup, security, printer, Wi-Fi. Apply a home or office network plan: router, strong Wi-Fi password, guest network. Install and test backups, including one restore test. Record every setting you change so you can undo it. Compare wired and wireless connections for an office by speed and reliability. Test the signal in three rooms and move the router to improve the weakest one. Draw a network map showing devices and label the cables.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Set-up checklist for a new office laptop: update, create user, turn on disk encryption, install approved software, set backup, test restore, give password rules to the user. Planned time: 30 + 10 + 20 + 20 + 10 = 90 minutes for updates, accounts, backup, restore test and handover. Then set the activity: Set up a test computer and a test Wi-Fi network from the checklist and do one backup restore. Mark against the standard: Task: set up a device. Condition: written checklist. Standard: every item ticked and a restore test passed. Check at this level: Why do a restore test? Model answer: A backup is only proven when you can restore from it. Level note: Evidence: a fault or gap analysis with a fix and a repeat test. This course targets this level.

L5: Senior specialist or team lead. You can evaluate: judge options for computer Services against cost, risk and quality. Focus module: Price your work and plan your time (Create, 6 h). Technicians often under-price. Count travel, waiting and learning time. Key points: Compute your hourly cost: tools, insurance, vehicle, software, unpaid time. Compare fee types: per hour, per job, monthly support plan. Build a day plan with travel and a buffer for jobs that run long. Evaluate which jobs pay well and which waste time. Calculate the hourly rate as yearly costs plus wanted income divided by billable hours. Compare a monthly support plan with per-job pricing for a client who calls often. Calculate unbilled time: travel, quotes and notes.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Price 85 per hour, direct cost 10. Margin 75 per hour. If fixed costs are 1,200 a month, break-even is 1,200 / 75 = 16 hours. A 2-hour job with 1 unpaid hour of travel earns 2 x 75 = 150 over 3 hours, or 50 per hour. Teaching numbers only. Then set the activity: Build a cost sheet and a price list for five common jobs. Mark against the standard: Task: price jobs. Condition: all costs counted. Standard: break-even hours correct and shown with units. Check at this level: How do you find break-even hours? Model answer: Fixed cost divided by margin per hour. Level note: Evidence: an options paper with numbers and a recommendation defended to a panel.

L6: Delivery or product manager. You can create: design and pilot a new offer or process in computer Services. Focus module: Serve clients and keep records (Evaluate, 6 h). Clients return when you explain clearly, keep promises and leave good notes. Key points: Explain faults in plain words, without blame or jargon. Write a job report: problem, work done, parts, cost, advice. Apply a follow-up check three days after each job to confirm the fix still works. Handle a complaint: listen, restate, fix or refund as agreed. Write next-step advice in three lines the client can follow. Keep a log of repeat faults per client to find a deeper cause. Identify the repeat faults from the pilot jobs and write one lasting fix for each.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Job report: Printer would not connect. Cause: new Wi-Fi password. Work: re-connected, tested a print. Advice: write the new password in the office safe. Cost: one hour. A follow-up call on day 3 confirms it still works. Then set the activity: Write five job reports from practice jobs and call a practice client for a follow-up. Mark against the standard: Task: finish a job properly. Condition: practice job. Standard: client can read the report and knows what to do next. Check at this level: What goes in a job report? Model answer: Problem, work done, parts, cost and advice. Level note: Evidence: a pilot with measured results over at least 30 days.

L7: Digital director or founder. You can lead: run a team or business in computer Services and develop others. Focus module: Run the service for real (Create, 8 h). Now run your service with real clients, support plans and a growth plan. Key points: Run a 60-day pilot with at least five clients or a volunteer help desk. Review weekly: jobs, time per job, repeats, client feedback. Create a 12-month plan with training goals and tools budget. Lead others: write the checklists so a helper can repeat your standard. Calculate average time per job and hours paid at the end of the pilot. Compare client feedback with the stop rule. Create a checklist for a helper and test it on one job.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Stop rule: if fewer than 20 paid hours in 60 days, stop and write lessons. Result: 34 hours x 75 = 2,550 in margin, minus 2,400 fixed costs for two months = 150, and two monthly support clients; add a second service. Then set the activity: Run the pilot, write the review and present your plan to three people. Mark against the standard: Task: run a computer service pilot. Condition: 60 days, real clients. Standard: results compared with the stop rule and privacy rules re-checked. Check at this level (this question is covered in module 4: Set up and fix devices and networks): Why do a restore test? Model answer: A backup is only proven when you can restore from it. Level note: Evidence: a record of results over a year and of people you have coached to a higher level.