Several times over the last 18 months I have sung the praises of Mays Computer Company on the front page of Athens Now, each time from the perspective of being what is known as a “raving fan customer.” I send everyone one in need of a new or rebuilt computer, a rescue from picking up a nasty virus or getting “phished,” (as what happened to me,) a tune up, or anything else computer related straight to their store, which is located in Athens in the Chevron station complex on the corner of Capshaw and East Limestone.
And, I am pleased to report, good news from the lips of satisfied customers travels fast, and business is continuing to boom in what’s coming up on the 3 years since start up. Not bad for beating back the recession through the power of the local market!
Steve Mays got his start buying stuff off of Ebay, repairing or refurbishing it, and re-selling it at a more than fair price. The Ebay days are long gone, but the commitment to pass fairly priced outstanding overstock on to customers, coupled with speedy, stellar local support and same day repair service has only increased. If your computer is “sick,” in most cases, anything dropped off into the careful hands of the Mays Computer “digital docs” can be sent home with a “clean bill of health” by close of business the same day. Because Mays Computer Company is family owned and operated, there is a charming blend of old fashioned service coupled with the resource and expertise of a staff that is highly trained and continues to upgrade their level of IT education. Somehow they manage to more than keep pace with the latest of technological advancements, and not snow you with “geek speak” in the process.
This is something important to me on several levels. In my line of work, a computer is integral to producing Athens Now. I am really only moderately computer literate, and the Mays men have always treated me with respect and more than met my needs as a consumer, whether it has been applying the “jaws of life” to my crashed computer, or getting me a whole new laptop.
I deliver the paper to these guys every two weeks, and often there are frantic customers, (many times elderly folks,) who are in the shop needing help. It has always touched and impressed me to watch how they take care of sometimes difficult and demanding people, and it’s one of the reasons I recommend them so highly.
So, how can Mays Computer make the claim that “every day is Black Friday,” and additionally, what’s new for the holidays? Because they are local and do all their own procuring and repairs, the middle man is eliminated, as well as the resulting costs. If you need help, you will be speaking to someone here in Athens, rather than have your call outsourced to a faraway land. All computers and accessories, whether new or overstock, are personally selected and inspected. “We have the best prices,” said Steve Mays with confidence. “We also have better software.” When I replaced my trusty li’l Acer with a much more upscale Dell,they loaded it with software that normally would have been out of my price range. This summer that same Dell with which I have been so pleased picked up a bug from an infected email unknowingly sent by a friend. They got the problem fixed quickly as they always have, and, as they say, “no harm, no foul.”
Mays Computer Company is just as adept with Macs as they are with PCs, and they have the “latest and greatest” of all things Apple. There are tablets, IPads, and they are now carrying IPhones. If you go into a local franchise cell phone store to activate your I Phone and customize your apps, you’ll be saving a bundle. IPads start at $399, and Mays will beat anyone’s prices. Another item that has continued to be “hot,” especially for the holidays, has been the gaming system. They have large screen HD monitors that are dazzling in their clarity and realism, and they have the ability to network several systems for serious gamers. You also don’t have to be a gamer to enjoy the difference it makes to have a larger monitor with the aforementioned HD quality, and if all you desire is a new monitor, there are plenty available.
If your current system is just fine and does not need to be repaired or replaced, there are a number of things you can do to make it hum along even better. You can update your hard drive, increase your RAM storage space, get better sound cards, upgrade your operating system, or increase the quality of your videos by upgrading your video card.
Mays Computer Company is also all about recycling, both in terms of having parts available for repair as well as helping the environment. But please, don’t drop off some old unit in the dark on their doorstep, and expect them to pay the 12 dollars required to dispose of an old system that has mercury in it. That would not be exactly in keeping with the holiday spirit! However, if you have a question as to whether or not your unit does have parts which contain mercury in them, they will be glad to look at it and tell you the truth.
If you are a holiday shopper that is courageous enough to brave the Black Friday crowds, you can beat the crowds and the prices by going to Mays Computer Company any day of the week. You will receive the best of care, the best of prices, and support our local economy at the friendliest computer store in Northern Alabama.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
