I laughed when I saw the business card Matthew Clem handed to me as we started the interview. It showed a computer with the old animation-style Xs across the “eyes” of the monitor, (to indicate a total knock out,) and a frown on the computer’s “face.” “Oh, man, my computer has certainly been in exactly that shape more than once,” I said.
He grinned back and said that his favorite computer challenge is a unit or system that is so dead that, as he says, “You mash on the button and it won’t come on,” let alone do anything. I thought, “Now, that’s confidence,” and I was intrigued to hear his story. Matthew is 33 years old, and like many GenY-ers/Millenials, he nearly cut his teeth on PCs. He “grew up” on a Packard Bell with Windows 3.1. Given the fact that Windows 10 is just now coming out, you don’t have to be a computer nerd to figure out just how much a person has had to do in order to keep up with all the changes. He took apart his own computer in order to fix it, and that is what got him started. “This was long before the days when students had laptops in connection with doing school work,” he said. “I begged my Mom to get a Toshiba laptop, (which back in the day cost a whopping $900,) and Matthew was essentially ahead of the game long before school systems were requiring computers for kids. “Everything always came natural,” he said.
He attended Virginia College to gain expertise in software/hardware maintenance and trouble shooting. “I especially loved the computer lab at Virginia College,” he said. And while he worked for a support company for UPS, he knew this is what he wanted to do, and ClemTech was born.
Matthew is on call with several commercial business owners, such as Cell-Touch here in Athens, and some individual clients. He also loves to tutor school-age kids struggling with acquiring their required computer skills. As the father of three kids, (including twins), he understands how important it is for 21st century students to have a good grasp on the subject in order to be competitive in their eventual careers. He also has a heart for the elderly who are trying to become comfortable with a subject that not all that long ago was only the domain of geniuses, and now is considered a basic skill. In addition, he told me that he loves doing personal errands for seniors who have a hard time getting around. Blending the two venues is a joy for him.
He takes care of dealing with the usual computer “diseases,” such as viruses, malware, spyware, and slow running units, but he also wants to teach his clients how to avoid picking “bugs” back up again and accidentally “re-infecting” them. “I take personal interest in my client’s understanding of their machine,” he told me. I asked him why, when I have choices, should I pick ClemTech as my “cyber super-hero.”
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One of his responses was, “Honesty. I am not interested in suggesting someone upgrade their system or storage capacities if they don’t really need it,” he said. He added, “I like to function as a consultant, and will advise them as to what they need, and why they need it.” He will also help with data recovery and back up, installation of complicated software at a fraction of the retail price, and network troubleshooting.
Another reason is pricing. Because Matthew is mobile, and does not have the overhead of a brick-and-mortar storefront, he can pass savings on to the customer. “They get the same quality of service for less,” he said. His motto is “tech support when you need it,” and he is able to come to you. You don’t have to dismantle anything and hope you brought all the right cords and equipment.
Here are some things that Matthew has to say about what he provides for his clients. “I treat everyone that calls as if I knew them all my life, and try to do my best to make them feel comfortable with me before making the first service call.” He says that he “loves new challenges,” which is certainly important in the computer repair and service industry. He tells his customers, new and old, “Trust me and give me a call, and make your tech life a whole lot easier and a lot less frustrating!”
ClemTech Computer Services
Phone: 256-497-5578
Email: gmclem81@gmail.com
Facebook: ClemTech Computer Service
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
