Peanuts to Profits With Thor Schrock
Peanuts to Profits With Thor Schrock

The audio for the August 7, 2010 Compute This Radio Show is now available online.

You can right click here to download the audio to your computer or MP3 player.

On this show, Thor and Chris touched on the following topics:

• How different types of computers are designed to be used in different ways
• The Smart Summer of Savings Sale at Schrock Innovations
• Needless babble about Submariners an d the tail end of a Navy guy joke 😉

Computer This airs on the following stations. Each show is a live broadcast and callers are always welcome:

• KFOR 1240 AM on Saturday from 10-11 AM – 489-1240
• KFAB 1110 AM on Sunday from 7-8 AM – 558-1110

Also, don’t miss the Living Digital Show on 1240 AM KFOR Saturdays from 2-5. Thor brings you the latest technology news from a non-technical perspective.

Things are coming along nicely for our Compute This! show that airs Sundays from 7-8 AM on 1110 KFAB.

Last week we had our first show and we were packed with great callers, interesting questions, and great information.

We got the online streaming bug resolved, so listeners should be able to listen online through the KFAB website or the iheart radio smartphone app.

Our show update page is alive and kicking on the KFAB website as well.

Take a look at this page to learn what we will be covering on the show this weekend. Of course, we will take calls and that can lead to all sorts of tangents, but you can get an idea of the thrust of the show there.

This week we will be giving away one $25 on each of our shows. Here is where you can listen and how you can win:

Saturday Show on KFOR:

1240 AM KFOR
Call in Numbers – 489-1240 or 800-825-5865
10-11 AM Saturday Mornings

1110 KFAB
Call in Numbers – 558-1110 or 1-800-543-1110
7-8 AM Sunday Mornings

The audio for the July 24, 2010 Compute This Radio Show is now available online.

You can right click here to download the audio to your computer or MP3 player.

On this show, Thor and Chris touched on the following topics:

• Launch of the Smart Summer of Savings Sale Event
• Examples of Great Schrock Service
• Lots of Callers With Great Questions

Computer This airs on the following stations. Each show is a live broadcast and callers are always welcome:

• KFOR 1240 AM on Saturday from 10-11 AM – 489-1240
• KFAB 1110 AM on Sunday from 7-8 AM – 558-1110 (coming August 1st)

Also, don’t miss the Living Digital Show on 1240 AM KFOR Saturdays from 2-5. Thor brings you the latest technology news from a non-technical perspective.

Schrock Innovations has been a staple in Nebraska’s computer repair industry for over 11 years. Testimonials like the one to the left explain how Schrock attained that position and how seriously we take our reputation in the community.

During that time, our Lincoln Service Center has won eight Best of Lincoln awards and this year we were honored as Nebraska’s #1 Customer Service company (out of all Nebraska businesses) by the Nebraska Retail Federation.

Although many of our successes have come from our Lincoln operation, Schrock is no stranger to the Omaha Metro area.

In 2005 we won a Best of Omaha award and we are presently building a $750,000 Service Center at Village Point Mall on 168th and Burke (scheduled for a September opening).

All promotional stuff aside, there are no computer repair businesses like Schrock Innovations in Omaha.

Most computer repair shops are focused on making a quick dollar. They are very willing to help people with their problems, for a price.

At Schrock Innovations we choose a different path. We want to build a relationship with you and earn your trust. Then, when you really need us, you can feel comfortable picking up the phone and asking for help.

That is why we offer a free hour of labor coupon for new customers (just mention it when you call 934-9423), that is why we recycle old computers free of charge, and that is why I get up every Sunday morning to do this show.

Compute This! and Schrock Innovations exist to help you make your computer do what you want it to do.

I am the 100% owner of Schrock Innovations, so when you hear me on the radio you know you are talking to a person who is in our Service Centers every day. I take pride in the fact I know my customers by name and I expect nothing but the best from my staff of trained technicians.

I wanted to start this show a few weeks before we opened our doors for business because building relationships takes time.

All I am asking from you is to listen every Sunday from 7-8 AM.

I promise that you will learn things about your computer that are genuinely interesting and useful. This is not a computer show for techies. This is a show for real people who just want their technology to work.

With that aside, let’s cover one promotional item for the show.

Every person who calls the show Sunday at 558-1110 with a question or comment will receive a free $50 Schrock gift card.

Just call, ask a question, and get a free $50. It’s that easy.

Normally we give away one $25 gift card PER SHOW, so $50 per caller is a VERY rare opportunity. Don’t miss out!

Tune in August 1 from 7-8 AM to Compute This!



Grant Mellor is one of Schrock Innovations‘ newest technicians. Typically a technician must work at Schrock for 90 days before we official assign them to one of the Service Centers.

In Grant’s case we did not have to wait that long to understand that we had a talented technician and a great guy on our hands.

After just a few weeks on the job, Grant has accumulated more customer compliments, thank you notes, and mentions on Compute This than I could possibly list here.

Because of his great technical efforts, his positive attitude, and his committment to providing excellent service, Schrock has assigned Grant to our new Omaha Service Center to help train and coordinate the next generation of Schrock Innovations staff.

Congratulations Grant and thank you for your excellent work!

It took a while for us to find just the right location, but after a lot of searching and negotiating Schrock Innovations will be locating its new Omaha Service Center at 168th and Burke in the Village Pointe South Development.

Village Point South is just across the street form the large Village Point Mall at 168th and Dodge. Some of our technology neighbors include Best Buy and the Apple Store.

Schrock will be occupying 2 bays in the development for a total of 2,400 square feet.

No More Moving!

Our Omaha customers might remember that we launched our first Omaha Service Center in 2003. Following the same model that has brought success in the Lincoln, NE market, we chose to advertise with a weekly radio show on Magic 590 AM.

Our first year was a success and we started hiring more employees and expanding the array of services we offered in Omaha. In the midst of our expansion, we received notice that Magic 590 was going to flip formats to become a sports talk station, and our show was canceled as a result.

We worked on a few other advertising mediums, but nothing produced like our radio show did. Eventually we were forced to lay off most of our Omaha staff and eventually, we closed our physical Omaha location and serviced our customers on-site exclusively in Omaha.

This new location is a 5-year lease and was selected specifically for its location and proximity to other technology companies who we already know we can outperform with our award-winning customer service.

New Radio Show

I make lots of mistakes, but I always learn from them. I knew there was only one AM station in Omaha that was going to bring the success that we needed to support a new Omaha Service Center, and that station was 1110 KFAB.

But getting on KFAB is not as easy as calling a sales rep and asking how much. When we lost our Magic 590 show we sent demo CDs into KFAB only to be turned down.

You have to understand that stations like KFAB are approached every day by people who want radio shows. Some are serious, and some are not, but most do not have any radio experience whatsoever. KFAB is a market leader and they need to have quality talent on their airwaves at all times.

After we were rejected in 2003 by KFAB I went to work honing my radio abilities on our Lincoln affiliate, KFOR 1240 AM. Things started going so well that in late 2009 KFOR and I developed a new 3-hour weekend show called the Living Digital Show.

With a LOT more experience under my belt and a home-based studio to boot, we approached KFAB again and they agreed to grant us a 1-year contract for Compute This on KFAB.

The new show starts August 1, 2010 and airs every Sunday morning between 7-8 AM.

Construction Begins

Our new bay is a bare shell. It has never had any other business in it before, so that means we get to design the space to meet our unique needs. I may be good with computers, but I am definately not a measure twice cut once kind of guy. We needed a General contractor to keep our build out on track.

We plan on signing a letter of intent with a contractor tomorrow and we should be open for business by September.

Since our radio show starts in August and the shop won’t be ready until September, we have hired employees to do free pickups, drop-offs and on-site appointments in the meantime.

Nothing Like Schrock in Omaha

The thing that makes me excited the most is that there are no other companies like Schrock Innovations in Omaha. There are lots of places to get your computer fixed, but there are no service-leaders.

I am confident that our blend of ultra-talented technicians, radio fun (and a little marketing), and the Schrock dedication to customer service that we will do well in Omaha. Stay tuned for the grand opening party coming in September 🙂

The KZKX morning show is one of the most highly-rated morning shows in Lincoln, so you can understand how THRILLED we were when Schrock Computer Company was featured during their show today!

Carol and Mick said some kind words about us as they introduced us to their listeners and kindly mentioned that we give a free hour of labor to all new customers so they can experience what real service feels like.

Have a listen to what they had to say about us!

Tim and the Animal took a couple minutes during the Morning Show today to throw a few kind words toward Schrock Innovations Computer Company.

We have done a LOT of work for Animal’s computers over the past few months and no matter what he sounds like on the air, he is one of the most good-hearted, caring person that I know. Tim is a true tech lover and he and I would talk for hours about the latest cameras and audio technology if the boss wasn’t around to break it up.

Have a listen to what they said about Schrock on the air. Thanks guys!

Schrock Innovations Computer Company was mentioned on the KFRX morning show today.

Over the past few months I have had the opportunity to get to know the KFRX staff and their show is awesome.

I have a special appreciation for the talent required to pull off a morning show, and after you listen to how they wove Schrock into the content of their morning show, you will understand why!

Listen to what was said on KFRX

Omaha, NE is a very different beast from Lincoln, NE. Everything is more expensive, less available, and more regulated.

Despite the challenges, Schrock Innovations is planning a massive expansion into Omaha in 2010. Replicating what we have done in Lincoln for $850,000 we are planning to spend nearly $1.9 million to establish a presence in Omaha.

Didn’t Schrock Already Have an Omaha Location?

Schrock Innovations entered Omaha in 2004 with a small 1,500 sq foot expansion office on 84th and Maple Street. We had a radio show on the lightly listened to KOMJ Magic 590 AM, and we managed to generate a profitable first year of operation with a light staff and a lot of small-ticket repair work.

In 2006, Magic 590 was flipped to an all-sports format and re-branded as Big Sports 590. We lost our radio show, and with it the only means of marketing that we had cultivated in Omaha.

We tried to move to KKAR 1290, but after 6 months of radio we only had 2 new customers to show for it. KFAB did not have any available air slots, so we cut our losses and killed the Omaha radio show.

From a financial perspective we should have rolled up the Omaha physical location right then and there. From a moral perspective the right thing to do was to keep the store open to service the hundreds of warranties we had sold on new Modular PCs.

We tried to hedge our losses by locating our web development staff in Omaha and moving the location to a lower rent area on 93rd and Maple.

Our lease on that location expired in October of 2009, and our landlord had the opportunity to lease to a longer term tenant. I was not willing to sign a long-term lease in that space, so we rolled up the location in November 2009 and went to 100% mobile service in Omaha.

What is Going to Be Different This Time?

In a word, everything. The most basic barometer is money and the #1 reason our first entry into Omaha didn’t become a permanent fixture was capitalization.

On our original expedition into Omaha we spent just under $200,000 and managed to cross break even on all start-up costs by mid 2007. When we lost the radio show we did not have the time to develop and cultivate a new advertising medium while maintaining basic services.

This time we are entering the market with a few more factors on our side. First, we are capitalized. We are not borrowing one single penny to make this happen in Omaha.

Second, we have a primary and a secondary advertising medium developed and ready to launch. One model should be enough to gain penetration rapidly, but if it fails or falls short, we have a backup plan that we have been testing successfully in Lincoln for months.

Third, we have a staffing plan that will allow us to add new people to our Lincoln Service Center and train them there and then move some of our existing employees into the new Omaha Service Center to assist and train our new Omaha staff. This “culture graft” will help us maintain our normal service-focused edge as we bring in new people who may have been trained as technicians instead of service providers in the past.

When and Where Will it Be Opening?

We have narrowed our possible locations down to two possibilities – Village Point Mall at 168th and West Dodge Road, and The Shoppes at Legacy at 184th and West Center.

We are targeting September, 2010 as the opening date for the Service Center.

I will have more updates as we lock things in, but all in all this has been a VERY busy month and should be an interesting 4th quarter as well 🙂