We’ve heard a lot about the struggles of small businesses in northeast Alberta during the past year, so it’s pretty refreshing when we get a chance to celebrate an enterprise that has been doing quite well. Screenshot Computers and Supplies, a homegrown Lac La Biche small business, is doing just that.
Talk is Cheap… and Effective
Owners and operators Bonnie Collinge and Ryan Manca have worked hard to keep up with the growing demand for their products and services. They ran out of space at their old location and have moved to a more prominent and larger storefront at 10208 – 101 avenue. When asked about the secret to their success, they point to a focus on customer service and outstanding community support driven mainly through word-of-mouth marketing. Besides a growing inventory, space was also needed for additional staff. Collinge and Manca have hired an on-site technician to assist with the steady increase in business.
Screenshot has seen a lot of changes in their business in just a short time period. Besides the corporate clients who have traditionally been the backbone of their client base, there has been significant growth in walk-in traffic. Manca says that more folks walking in off the street encouraged them to increase their in-store inventory and feature some higher-priced items.
The Right Place at the Right Time
As far as the pandemic goes, Screenshot was in the right place at the right time. With more people working and learning at home, there was a significant increase in the number of individuals who needed help with technology. Conversely, companies transitioning to a distributed workforce required more assistance with technology, especially video conferencing. Manca points out that Portage College is an excellent example of a client who needed to make the best use of technology to serve both students and staff.
When asked how the business has evolved over the past couple of years, Bonnie and Ryan speak about an increase of work related to the audio-visual and multimedia side of things along with a new mobile phone repair service.
For more information, visit ScreenShot at their new location or visit them online at www.screenshotcomputers.com or give them a call at 780-623-4355.
