Feature ArticleSeptember 12, 2001
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Business profile - Grand Computer Servicesby David Brison
Julie and Jamie Grand opened their computer
business in Flinton on August 1, 2000 and since that time the store
has moved three times from a side room in their home, to the front
room, and finally in May to the garage about five feet away, which
Jamie made over into a very attractive store.
Their two-year-old daughter, Emma, wanders in and out of the store, and whoever isnt busy looks after her. She has some of her toys stored in a drawer in one of the display cabinets, and amuses herself when her parents are busy. It probably wont be long before she is waiting on customers.
Breaking down the barriers between their home and work place and wanting to be part of a close-knit community were two things the Grands were looking for when they decided to start their own business. They had both been employed by a computer company near Napanee she as general manager, and he as service manager. Emma had just been born.
We didnt like where we were as a place to live with a child. We could have gone to a city where Jamie would have made plenty of money as an experienced computer service man, but that didnt appeal to us. Jamie had relatives here and we liked the area, Julie said.
Another reason for choosing the area was that there wasnt any other computer sales and service businesses in the immediate area. They needed a technician here, and Jamie is a good one, Julie added.
They both find that they are working much harder now that they own their own business than they did when they were employed. We look after our customers we try to be good to people and as a result the community has been very supportive, Jamie said.
Jamie services computer equipment in the store and he also visits homes and offices. They spend a lot of time on the road. I often dont charge anything if it is something simple like they couldnt start their computer because they had a disk in the drive, said Jamie.
The Grands planned ahead carefully and there havent been many surprises in their first year of operation. They were both confident that the service side was needed in the area and would take off. However, they have been surprised at the level of sales of computers and computer-related equipment. We didnt expect to do as well in sales as we have, said Julie.
As to the future, Jamie and Julie both know from experience that the computer industry changes very quickly, and it is difficult to predict what their business will be doing in the years ahead. One new development is home networking. Several computers in the same home can be linked up to one phone line and be used simultaneously.
Jamie is confident that they will be able to keep up with the changes in the field. He has already experienced tremendous changes he worked on an old Osborne computer early in his career, and has, in rapid succession, seen the progression from 386 to 486 to 586 and now to the Pentium 1, 2, and 3 (and beyond). The new Windows XP and LCD technology monitors are other new developments that will affect their business.
We know we will have to work as hard
to maintain the business as we did to establish it, says Julie. Juggling home and business is going to be more of a chore for
both of them in the near future, as Julie is expecting another child
in December.
