FAQs
There aren't any stupid questions - just common ones! Below, please find a list of some of our most "frequently asked questions" from the 1,000+ clients we serve.
General Questions
Of course! Telephone and remote support is billable in half hour increments at our regular rate, and many problems can be resolved immediately this way.
Our goal is to arrive within no more than one business hour of your call! We know that your time is valuable and that a computer malfunction can wreak havoc on your day; so, we always aim to resolve your issues as soon as possible.
Our average onsite appointment takes about 2-3 hours. That said, each circumstance is different and may present unique challenges. Factors such as the severity of the issue(s), the speed of your computer(s), and many other considerations impact the appointment duration. Accordingly, we can’t promise to be “in and out” within a finite period of time.
We respect your time and try to provide you with no more than a one hour arrival window for your onsite appointment. If our technicians are running late due to a prior dispatch, we’ll be sure to call you promptly and keep you posted.
Our main office is located at 2350 Franklin Road, Suite 120, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. We are just north of the intersection of Franklin Road and Square Lake Road, near Telegraph Road.
We are officially open from 9 AM – 5 PM ET, Monday through Friday. However, we do offer emergency support outside of these hours. Feel free to call or e-mail us at any time!
Yes, please. This helps to ensure that our staff is prepped to receive your system and fill out the necessary paperwork.
Once in a great while, we sell used computers, but usually not. If you are interested in used equipment (which generally includes desktops, laptops, servers, and peripherals), reach out to our partner/end-user focused company, The Tech Bench of Birmingham.
Usually not. Our partner/end-user focused company, The Tech Bench of Birmingham, is sometimes able to repair broken LCD screens and sell them when they are in stock. They come with a 30-day warranty.
Yes, we offer data recovery services, including cases of extreme hardware damage (fire, flood, or mechanical failure). Please contact us for details!
Our goal is to deliver the highest quality of service to our clients, as quickly as possible. As such, we cannot guarantee that the same technician always will be assigned to your requests. We pride ourselves in avoiding “single point of failure” scenarios; therefore, each team member is held to the same rigorous standards and is responsible for taking copious notes while performing work, allowing information about your account to flow seamlessly amongst all Concise technicians. We share a unified ticketing system where all issues are triaged and optimally allocated, ensuring that no single technician is overburdened or risks “dropping the ball” on your case due to illness or absence. If you’re particularly fond of one of our technicians, please let us know – we’d love to hear what he/she is doing right so that we can train the rest of our staff accordingly!
Sometimes we can, and sometimes we can’t! There are two scenarios that are most common when replacing a computer:
- The first option is to install a fresh operating system on the new PC. In this case, all of your data (e.g. documents, photos, etc.) can be transferred, but programs would need to be reinstalled.
- The second option is to perform a system image from the old computer to the new. Using this method, the operating system, and all programs and data from the old computer would be identical on the new computer.
In either case, we’re always careful to transfer every bit of client data when upgrading from an old computer to a replacement system. Be sure to have your software licensing information readily available – this facilitates the process considerably!
Support Questions
For your convenience, here are telephone numbers for common service providers:
- Acronis Technical Support: 877-669-9749
- ACS Technologies TimeClock Plus Support: 325-223-9300
- America Online Technical Support: 800-827-6364
- APC by Schneider Electric Technical Support: 800-555-2725
- AT&T / SBC / Yahoo DSL Technical Support: 877-722-3755
- AT&T UVERSE: 866-915-6188 or 1-800-288-2020
- AT&T Reverse DNS Department: 800-833-2120, Option 1
- Blackberry Technical Support: 877-255-2377
- BrightHouse High Speed Internet Commercial Technical Support: 734-437-3347
- Cisco TAC Support: 1-800-553-2447
- Cisco Meraki Support: 415-937-6671
- Clarity Communications Technical Support: 248-327-4390
- Comcast High Speed Internet (Residential) Technical Support: 888-COM-CAST or 800-316-1619
- Comcast High Speed Internet (Commercial) Technical Support: 800-391-3000
- Cyberoam Technical Support: 877-777-0368
- Dell Alienware: 800-254-3692
- Dell Credit Card Operations: 877-819-3355
- Dell Customer Care: 888-242-0938
- Dell Enterprise Triage: 800-624-9896 (“Server Support; Server”)
- Dell Enterprise Technical Support: 800-945-3355
- Dell Hardware Pro Support: 866-876-3355
- Dell Small & Medium Business: 800-456-3355
- Dell Outlet Sales & Support Business & Education: 888-518-3355
- DigiPOS Technical Support: 866-847-2767
- EarthLink Technical Support: 888-EARTHLINK (888-327-8454)
- Elo Touch Solutions Technical Support: 800-557-1458
- Genius Solutions (eThomas) Technical Support: 586-751-9080
- Google Enterprise Support Customer PIN Required: 877-355-5787
- Harms Software Millenium Technical Support: 973-402-8801
- Henry Schein Dental (Easy Dental) Sales & Support: 800-824-6375
- IBM / Lenovo Technical Support: 800-426-7378 or 800-932-0465
- Intuit (Makers of Quicken and QuickBooks) Enterprise: 866-340-7237
- Logitech Support: 646-454-3200
- Logitech Sales: 800-231-7717
- Microsoft Fee-Based Support Line: 800-936-4900
- Microsoft Microsoft Product Activation Support: 888-571-2048
- Microsoft Office 365 Concierge Department (for Microsoft Partners): 800-636-7914
- Microsoft Sales & Partner Information Line: 800-426-9400
- Sage (ACT!) Registration/Activation Line: 866-903-0003
- Sage (ACT!) Technical Support: 866-903-0006
- Sage (50 Accounting) Technical Support: 866-996-7243
- Thompson-Reuters Tax & Accounting Technical Support File: 800-968-0600 (Cabinet CS – Option 2, 2, 1)
- Verizon Technical Support: 888-269-6816
- Yahoo! Small Business Web Site & E-mail Technical Support: 800-318-0783
- Watchguard Technical Support: 800-734-9905
If your battery backup alarm is sounding, this means you may have a voltage problem (electrical noise), or a power outage. If you do not have a power outage, then the battery backup is beeping for one of the following reasons:
1. Battery backup is overloaded, or
2. Battery needs to be replaced (if it is more than 3 years old)
What to do:
1. Call the manufacturer of the battery backup to see if it is under warranty .
2. Perform a self-test using the battery backup software on your computer.
For Desktop Computers we only need the “tower.” Please do not bring any cables or peripherals with the tower, unless you specifically need the peripherals to be tested.
For Laptops please bring the AC power adapter, as well.
Several things can be done to improve the speed and performance of your computer. This could range from a software clean-up to a memory or solid state hard drive upgrade. Our experts are standing by to help deliver the best solution for your specific circumstance and budget.
Some computer infections are virtually unavoidable; however, it’s a good practice to avoid opening e-mails from senders you don’t know or browsing to suspicious websites. We know it’s trite, but an ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure; so, your best bet is to have up-to-date antivirus and anti-malware software installed on your system. Also, staying on top of security updates for your OS is another helpful defense. Please contact us with any questions regarding virus protection, and we’ll be happy to help!
Unless you are deleting a program folder from a utility you use often, you are generally safe in removing any programs you’re sure you do not need or use. The general rule of thumb is if you don’t recognize the program or haven’t used it in over 6 months, you probably don’t need it. Of course, feel free to ask us if you have any questions. The Windows Add/Remove program feature in Control Panel can give you information on the amount of use you get out of a program, including the last date used.
This is no problem at all! Simply click on this link for instructions on how to install the Concise Remote Access software. Once you have installed the software, we’ll be able to see your screen and assist you with many issues through the internet. You may disable the remote access software at any time.
Billing Questions
We are committed to your satisfaction! While the nature of computers is such that we can’t place a true “warranty” on our service (e.g. we remove one virus and an unrelated one crops up a week later), we strive to make sure that your problems are fixed properly the first time. Unlike others in the industry, we don’t make our money from nickel-and-diming our clients – our success comes from keeping our clients happy. So, if you ever believe that an issue has been left unresolved, let us know, and we’ll be sure to make it right!
Through our website, we accept all major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and debit cards. Of course, cash or check at time of service work well, too! In addition, we are also able to process ACH payments.
Please note that all receipts are sent electronically via e-mail or e-Fax, because here at Concise we strive to minimize our environmental footprint. We also feel that electronic receipts are a lot more efficient than sending out paper via snail mail!
Yes, we do offer credit services to qualified clients. Please contact us for an application form and further details.