In 2008 Richard Keeling set up his Stone based business, Home Computer Support Services (HCSS), and we caught up with him to talk about his 14-year-anniversary.
After working for Staffordshire County Council for several years, Richard had the urge to set up his own business to support individuals and local businesses with IT support and training.
Richard told A Little Bit of Stone:
“I went into setting up my new business completely green; I had no idea what I was doing apart from the actual work!
Accounts, records, and dealing with people on a professional front were all foreign to me.
It was a massive but worthwhile learning curve, and it took around five years, I would say, to feel settled.”
Richard shared the journey his Stone business has been on:
“When I first started HCSS, I worked with a Stafford based IT company, helping them out part-time. That was so useful as my bills still had to be paid.
Once my client base had grown, I had to leave the company, but I still see some of the team to this day. You make some great contacts and friends running your own business, certainly in my experience anyway.
Having lived in Stone since 1994, I always envisioned and hoped my main customer base would be local, and that indeed came to fruition. Stone people, and the town itself, are wonderful.”
Technology is moving at a rapid pace, and Richard was keen to tell us how things had evolved in terms of his offering:
“Technology never stops changing, and its rate of change never slows down.
New things are coming out all the time, and I think it crazy that the year before I started my business, the very first iPhone was released to an unsuspecting world, offering a new way of using a phone that no one knew they wanted until they had one. It truly revolutionised the industry.
Computers are massively more capable, portable and efficient even compared to just five years ago. We now have devices we can talk to that can control our smart homes or tell us the weather!
TV technology is in a different league compared to a few years ago. It never stops, and I love that!”
Richard went on to explain some of the services that HCSS offers:
“Over the years, our services have changed but we currently provide remote, on-site or drop-off/collect computer maintenance. Upgrades, repairs, clean-ups. Printer, scanner, etc. set-ups.
More and more, we are providing advice and support on gadgets, mobile phones, TV and audio/visual.
Our services are tailored to home users and local small businesses. HCSS serve Stone, Stafford, Barlaston, and Trentham – we do cover further afield areas subject to a small travelling surcharge.”
When no two days are the same, we asked Richard what he likes most about running his own Stone business:
“Without doubt, the two best things to come from running HCSS are coming across fantastic people and seeing how computers can really help people.
For example, I will never forget the time I saw the smile on one of my customer’s faces when I set up her computer to use Skype so that she could see her grandchildren in Los Angeles for the first time ever. Priceless!
I would like to thank all of my customers: past, present and future for their support. I very much appreciate it and never take it for granted. My goal is to continue to provide a reliable, affordable service to existing and new customers alike, and I look forward to marking many more anniversaries in the future.”
If you’d like to find out more, then you can visit HCSS via the following channels:
- Landline: 01785 336380
- Mobile 07875013036
- Email: support@hc-ss.co.uk
- Website: www.hc-ss.co.uk
