How To Open A Computer/Laptop Showroom: A Detailed Guide

How Can I Start A Computer Business?

The modern Indian economy is highly reformed from the past with more and more products and services being provided online.
The recent Covid-19 situation has even made it more digitised than ever.
You can now find almost all services online even the ones which were not earlier available like fitness coaching, dancing, and more.
The demand for computers and laptops is at an all-time high.
If you are looking to bank on this demand by starting your computer showroom, you have come to the right place.
Read on to know everything about how to open a computer/laptop showroom with the following simple steps.

Everything about a business starts with a plan.
If you want to open a Computer showroom, the first thing you need is a complete plan from scratch.
Include all the details from the tiniest parts to the major details in your plan.
You might want to start with a motive, as to why you want to open a computer showroom.
Then cover other details like how much are you willing to invest, locality, product line, and more.
Try to include all the following points in your plan too to make it precise.
You can also include more detailed steps in your plan if you wish.

Nothing beats good market research in any field.
Study the market for its demands, the type of systems that are in demand more than the other.
Get an idea of the supply side which has been fairly volatile in the pandemic time.
This will give you a proper idea of how much to spend and in which areas.
Identify the target customers and firms as well as your stakeholders.
Sound data will give you enough confidence to proceed further.
If required, you can take the help of market research professionals to provide you with accurate data.

Once you have the research data, the next thing you want to do is decide on your spending limit.
How much can you invest in your new showroom and the sources of these investments?
How much are you willing to spend on equipment in the 1st and then subsequent orders?
Employee salaries if any.
These are some things you need to decide at this stage.
If you have the required finances as your savings or financial support from your family and friends, you can skip the below step and move to the next.
Otherwise, you have to move to the next steps which are arranging for funds.

Also read: Computer Hardware Manufacturers In India

This may sound a bit difficult at first but nowadays, small businesses and start-ups have a lot of support from the Government and financial institutions, and lending has become more flexible than before.
Apply for loans at the banks with the least interest.
It usually takes less time in a private bank to get a loan than at a Government bank.
You can also find venture capitalists online and pitch your idea to get your finances sorted.
Once your funding is finalised you need some clearances from the local bodies.

This bit you can do yourself or hire professionals who help get these licenses from Government and Civic local bodies like the Municipal corporation and such.
This step requires a lot of time and patience as your application and place will be verified more at various steps.
You will need a bunch of licenses and clearances based on your location and the size of your showroom.
Following up is usually required and advised here as there are many such applications that the civic bodies get and have to verify.
It takes around a month to get these licenses cleared and ready to go ahead.

The acquiring of licenses gives your business the first push in reality.
What you need next is to safeguard your business as per companies, business laws in India.
Have proper registrations, and make sure all compliance laws are followed.
If you are going to have employees to help you, it should be with proper registration and laws of the land, in true terms.
You also need an insurance cover to safeguard your business from mishaps.
Once you have secured your business based on law, you are ready to find a place.

This is interesting as well as the challenging part.
You might need to contact local real estate property dealers to check out some amazing ‘To-Let’ places to open your computer showroom.
This can take a while or you might find it in a few days too.
Once you like a place suitable for your needs, you need to make a lease agreement with the owner to finalise it and make it up and running for your business.
Design the place as you want and move to the most important part.

Next, you need to find reliable and affordable suppliers for procuring your equipment.
This is significant as it will determine your overall cost.
Make sure you have some suppliers with a good market reputation for providing authentic and original OEMs and not fake or duplicate items.
Figure out a deal with these vendors for a cost that suits you both.
Higher buying costs will increase your overall cost which in turn will either reduce your profit or customers.

This is the time to let the whole city know that a fantastic new computer showroom is being launched.
Consult a good marketing agency to take care of the launch and marketing of your showroom both online and print media to get comprehensive coverage.
There is no limit to it.
The greater number of people know about your showroom, the better are the chances for the launch to be a hit.
Offer opening discounts or goodies with launch day purchase if you wish!

Now that your business is up and running what else you should do?
Small businesses in India are informally part of a community in every area and what is best for you to do is to have a good rapport with fellow businesses.
Interaction with the local businesses is a must so you don’t feel left out and they don’t see you as an outsider trying to intrude in the local business.
A good relation with the local business community that you are a part of, is always beneficial in the long run.

Now that you have your Computer showroom up and running, you might be interested in some tips from experienced businesses in the field to make your business a great success.
Everything starts with customers.
No customers mean- no business altogether.
So, make sure you treat your customer like a king and offer them great service.
Know your products and software well because it will help you resolve the customer’s queries and requirements.
It won’t hurt if you have a couple of options to choose from in the name of brands, budget, colour, etc.
Apart from the computer configurations and technicalities too.