The Doctor Is In: Ron Elkin Saves the Day

By Margaret Leahy

For many of us living in this day and age, our computers are extensions of our bodies. Whether we conduct most of our business on our phones, iPads, or personal computers, that glowing screen is our window into the rest of the world. We use these devices to communicate with our children, close business deals, or learn about life on the other side of the globe. And like our bodies, if we mistreat our computers, we pay for it down the road. As your medical doctor will tell you, preventative measures are the key to optimal health.  For computer systems the Computer Doctor wants you to focus on; virus protection, regular maintenance, and calling at the first sign of something “off” to  save you myriad headaches in your relationship with your computer. For the best of times and the worst of times, the Computer Doctor is at your service.

Ron Elkin is the Computer Doctor, based in Ipswich and servicing the North Shore and beyond for over twenty years. The medical language surrounding his business is no accident: “I went to college with the intention of going to pharmacy school; all my family were pharmacists,” he explains. “I like the medical reference. Our tagline is, ‘Your prescription for computing health.’” Although he ‘did it for fun since the mid-90’s’, he started the Computer Doctor company fulltime, in late 2001, in a year that he recalls was “a big negative in terms of technology,” considering the spate of layoffs due to the poor economy. Ron had been working for the Digital Equipment Corporation, the leading vendor of computer systems in the 1990s, where he had led the Y2K changeover program. Early in 2001, Ron himself was laid off, along with many others, when Hewlett-Packard acquired ownership of DEC from Compaq.

Ron spent that summer sailing his boat and brainstorming. He possessed a business degree, and knew there was a need for highly-skilled computer whizzes to help those at the mercy of Dell or Verizon customer service representatives solving their tech problems. During his stint in the corporate world, he had performed computer-doctoring services for friends and family on the weekends. At the time, many people had desktop computers, and the thought of lugging them anywhere to be serviced was daunting. The idea for a computer doctor that made house calls was born. To this day, house calls are the Computer Doctor’s claim to fame. Ron has a team of five PC and MAC service specialists, but he performs most of the house calls himself.

“I pride myself on being calm, patient, and having the ability to sift through the morass of stuff and get right to the issue,” says Ron. “You have to get the customer to focus on the right thing.” Most of the distress calls he gets stem from a lack of knowledge of how these machines work or need to be maintained. According to Ron, there is a lot of incomplete information online, which is where most people will look initially for help. Even when a call is made to Verizon or HP, the representatives themselves are relative novices, and will merely read the handbook back to the customer. Even though much of what Ron sees are simple fixes for him, there are times when his team or additional outside expertise is called upon to solve a unique situation. 

“Our main goal is self-sufficiency,” Ron says of his clients. “We really want to spend time with the client and train them to try to do some initial problem solving on their own. We want people to be smarter about their applications.” When meeting a new client, Ron must feel out for how much knowledge they have, as he wants to meet them on their level; conversely, he needs to find out how much misinformation they’ve received from the internet or other sources. Some of his customers ask a lot of questions and write everything down, looking over his shoulder while he works; others are just as happy to have him fix the problem without knowing the nuts and bolts. Ron finds that people are innately curious, and want to know how he does what he does, so that they can fix the problem the next time it arises. It makes him happy when people try to fix issues on their own, and gives them a nod for initiative—but if it all goes up in flames, he’s just a phone call away.

The Computer Doctor team strives to be as accommodating as possible. There are three drop-off locations for devices in Beverly, Danvers, and Newburyport if a house call cannot be done, and drivers will meet clients anywhere for pick-ups (within reason). Ron has several staff who are Apple product-specific. There is no minimum charge for Computer Doctor services; quick fixes and colossal conundrums receive equal attention. The business is highly service-oriented, which results in a base of loyal clients. Ron offers classes, group training, and one-on-one instruction, in homes or area community centers (a great idea for holiday gift-giving, hint hint) or in your own business location.

Speaking of the holiday season: “We would love people to consider an additional computer for their environment,” Ron suggests. “It’s very important to get your children off your work computer, or to create another account that’s not an administrative account,” so there are no accidental deletions or virus downloads. The Doctor sells new and used computers too, and will do your technology shopping for you! Just let them know your desired screen size, function, and budget, and they’ll work their magic with the best brand in your price range. “The important thing to note is that we understand the technology, so the client won’t get oversold by the guys at the retail store,” Ron explains. “The customer won’t get more than what they need, and we have distributors we work with, so we get really good pricing.” The team aims to make the process as easy as possible for the customer, so that all they have to do is turn on their device and use it right away.

As adept as you may think you are at using your own devices, the truth is that technology moves very quickly. Integration of your phone, table, desktop and laptop systems into your useable world can be a daunting task. Ron and his team are constantly reading up on and getting ahold of new technology, building upon past experience and current knowledge to learn new nuances. And just as globalization is making the world smaller, integrated technologies are making circles of communication tighter. Ron works to make the ever-evolving relationship between man and machine as smooth as possible for his clients, by teaching them how to best use their devices to ensure optimal health. Often, the problems he runs into require very easy fixes, but for people who don’t speak the language of computers, a locked e-mail account can be just as scary as a virus.

“It makes us feel good that people have this trust in us to come into their homes and help them,” says Ron. “We just want to be there.”

Have a tech catastrophe, conundrum, or question? Call 978-312-1261 today, or check out www.computerdoctorusa.net for more information.

Computer Doctor
25 Market St, Ipswich, MA 01938
(508) 364-6939

www.computerdoctorusa.net