The Aftershock advantage: How Singapore’s biggest custom PC Builder stays on top
The Aftershock advantage: How Singapore’s biggest custom PC Builder stays on top
The COVID-19 pandemic sent shockwaves across industries, affecting Singaporeans and companies alike. Yet, some companies like Aftershock PC found the grit and tenacity to thrive. In the past year alone, they’ve expanded regionally to a tune of 150 strong, renovated their service center, and stood steadfast in the face of a crisis that has affected so many other organizations.
But how has Aftershock PC managed to take it to the next level? “There’s no secret sauce, it’s our dedication to our craft, with a focus on quality and customer service,” says an enthused Marcus Wee, one of the CEO and co-founder behind the bespoke PC maker.
We’re not shy about it, and these principles are in our DNA. -- Marcus Wee, CEO and co-founder of Aftershock PC.
Behind the Scenes – The Devil is in the Details
Aftershock PC puts an immense amount of work and care into each build – believing that a high-performance PC shouldn’t just be powerful, but reliable as well. Each PC is constructed with precision by a highly trained team of builders and run through a series of stress tests before they're shipped out. "Every build is treated with the same care, from PCs that cost over S$10K to our more affordable offerings," Marcus adds.
Having achieved a PC building operation at this scale, some brands might have decided to sit on their laurels and enjoy the fruits of their labour, but not this one. Aftershock PC has since gone beyond merely constructing PCs according to customer requests – they’ve also expanded into creating pre-builds optimized for various purposes, essentially taking the guesswork out of the customer’s equation.
For example, if you’re looking for an Ultrabook with a sleek form factor, consider the Lunar 15 Max. But what if you want something way more eye-catching, decked out in RGB lighting and 8-bit graphics? Then the Aftershock Trixel is the PC for you. Essentially, the company has devised builds to serve distinct needs, and the company’s well-trained sales staff are always on hand should there be a need for recommendations or advice.
Taking Customer Service to the Next Level
Speaking of customer service, it's not just about adhering to basic industry standards. Aftershock PC understands that for many users, solving PC issues might be an immensely daunting and frustrating task especially when you are stuck at home, thus the need for a strong support team.
“Covid-19 forced us to re-look at many things.” Marcus Wee, says. “Restrictions cut our manpower by a third, and so, we were forced to adapt and overcome." Taking advantage of a bad situation, the company invested in expanding its customer service operations to almost triple its size and today, Aftershock PC prides itself in fielding one of the biggest team of technicians and support crew in Singapore. Not only is support available online via their website’s chat, but the team also operates six days out of a week.
And it’s not just about aftersales service, but also having a service rep prior to the purchase where they understand your needs and is able to guide you to pick the right system configuration that would fit your requirements to a T. So whether it’s a value-for-money rig for creators, a budget gaming desktop for Valorant or a showpiece to flaunt what you can own, Aftershock has you covered with the right gear and the right specialist to optimize it for you.
Adding it all up
In summary, Aftershock PC's business model sounds like a fairy tale: stellar service, great bang for your buck, and superb performance across their range of products. What's the catch?
"We maintain long-standing relationships with market-leading brands like Microsoft, ASUS, Gigabyte, Zotac, and others. This allows us to give our customers quality components for cheaper prices," says Joe, the other half of the co-founder duo. "It's a win-win relationship. Customers gain a massive range of customisation options and cutting-edge tech for lower prices, and Aftershock PC maintains its competitive edge against the rest."
The diverse range also ensures constant availability of parts, thus allowing Aftershock PC to fulfil the unique set of requirements each customer demands. At a time where GPUs and CPUs are seeing shortages in markets across the world, Aftershock PC's connections to various suppliers ensures that they can deliver high-end PCs with parts like the GeForce RTX 3070 or RTX 3080.
But it doesn't end there. Their quality assurance tests for these components also functions as a value-add to their services. With their access to a large pool of components and industry-leading testing tools, Aftershock PC benchmarks each and every PC against a rigorous set of standards to ensure performance and stability. Aftershock PC takes care of any hurdles before a customer switches their rig on for the first time. Should a part go rogue, the company's one-for-one parts exchange and optional doorstep pick-up service adds to the peace of mind for customers.
Now if all this sounds like it could make a dent on when you might be able to join your teammates in your next guild practice or ‘pilot’ the friendly skies in your shiny new rig, Aftershock even has “Ready to Ship” configurations that deliver these machines on the very same day of a customer’s purchase. Talk about slapping a nice bow to an already great offering, Aftershock knows what it takes to please its customers.
All bases covered
Accordingly, the 9-year-old company packages these efforts together into a stunningly efficient and comfortable bespoke PC buying experience. It's also worth noting that the company's dedication works both ways and extends to its industry partners as well. In the past, various industry shifts caused many companies to switch partner brands on the fly, but Aftershock PC remained steadfast and stuck by its existing partners to work out the kinks where necessary – a partnership that has since helped both parties to thrive and grow.
"We approach our products and partnerships in the same way, built to last," says Joe. And as the day ends where it started – the showroom that has expanded and evolved alongside the company’s growing reputation.
Aftershock PC as a brand has come to embody excellence in all respects, so it should come as no surprise that they bagged this year’s HardwareZone Tech Awards accolade for the Best Gaming Desktop PC Brand – an award that was voted by thousands of our readers. Indeed - it is this steadfast dedication to providing the best for its customers that has helped to fuel the company’s impressive growth, even amidst the current pandemic situation. Suffice to say that for them, going above and beyond isn’t so much a suggestion as it is an obligation, and the gorgeous Aftershock high-performance PCs that now reside in many of our homes and offices are definite proof of that.
To find out more or to build your ideal system, visit Aftershock PC here!