About Marple Tech Help
Your local tech problem-solver
I’m Martyn, and I run Marple Tech Help.
I help people solve everyday technology problems, choose and set up new devices, look after the digital things that matter to them and make sense of technology when it becomes confusing.
That might mean fixing a laptop or printer, sorting out Wi-Fi or email, recovering family photos, helping after a scam, digitising old video tapes or simply working out whether something is actually worth replacing.
There’s no call centre and no sales team. From your first message to the final handover, you deal with me.
- Based in Marple
- Fully insured
- Fixed prices for most jobs
- 5-star local reviews
What makes Marple Tech Help different
My route into running a tech business has been a slightly unusual one.
I started my working life in IT, then spent five years practising as a solicitor before retraining as a teacher and spending around ten years in education.
Eventually I found myself coming back to technology. The part I had always enjoyed was still the same: working out what’s wrong, finding a sensible solution and helping somebody get back in control of something that had become frustrating or confusing.
Marple Tech Help grew from that, and I brought quite a lot from those other careers with me.
IT
Back in the dot-com years, I worked in user support, building and repairing PCs, servers and software testing. Most importantly, it taught me how to troubleshoot when something doesn’t behave as expected.
That curiosity about how technology works never really went away.
Law
I qualified as a solicitor and worked in areas including wills, probate and commercial property. It taught me to investigate properly, pay attention to detail and separate facts from assumptions.
It also reinforced how seriously you need to take responsibility when somebody entrusts you with their personal information, documents, money or security.
Those skills are surprisingly useful when you’re diagnosing an unusual technical problem, recovering someone’s data or helping someone work out what happened after a scam.
Teaching
I taught in the UK and Asia, and teaching showed me how to explain complicated things clearly and patiently.
You don’t need to know the right technical words before you contact me, and you certainly shouldn’t feel embarrassed because something that seems simple to somebody else doesn’t make sense to you.
A big part of good tech support isn’t just fixing something. It’s making sure the person using it understands what happened and feels comfortable with what happens next.
Keeping up with technology
I’m currently studying for an MSc in Computer Science. Technology never stands still, and neither does the learning that goes with it.
It’s an unusual combination of experience, but it shapes almost everything about how I run Marple Tech Help.
How I work
Diagnose first
I’d rather understand the problem properly than sell you the wrong fix.
Sometimes what initially looks like a hardware fault turns out to be software. Sometimes the problem isn’t the computer at all. And sometimes the sensible answer is simply to leave things alone.
No unnecessary spending
If something isn’t worth repairing, I’ll tell you. If the computer you already own is perfectly good for what you need, I’ll tell you that too.
I’m not tied to a particular computer manufacturer, antivirus company, broadband provider or retailer. The aim is to find the solution that makes the most sense for you, not the one that results in the biggest sale.
Sometimes the best advice really is: don’t spend the money. Keep what you’ve got.
Clear costs
Most of my work is offered at a fixed price, so you’ll normally know what something is going to cost before I start.
If I discover something that changes the job significantly, I’ll explain it before going any further.
One person throughout
The person you speak to is the person doing the work.
You don’t have to explain the same problem to three different people or wonder who is dealing with it.
I take responsibility for the job from the first conversation through to the final handover.
No judgement
Technology can be frustrating, confusing and occasionally intimidating.
There is no such thing as a stupid question here.
Just tell me what’s happening in your own words and we’ll work it out from there.
What clients say about working with me
“Martyn is knowledgable without being a ‘geek’. He is able to explain things in every day language and makes it easy to understand.”
“The PC problems were identified and analysed then fully reported on. Martyn then discussed available solutions in detail together with a break down of costings before any further work was undertaken.”
“What really impressed me was that Martyn managed to find me better quality equipment for less money than I was being quoted in the shops.”
What I do
Most of my work is practical, everyday technology help for people in and around Marple and Stockport.
Tech Rescue
When something has gone wrong, I’ll investigate the problem, make practical improvements where I can and give you clear options for anything that needs doing next.
That includes computers, laptops, printers, email, Wi-Fi, software, data problems and plenty of those strange problems that don’t fit neatly into a category.
Tech Concierge
Buying technology shouldn’t mean trying to decipher dozens of almost-identical models, specifications and sales claims.
I can help you work out what you actually need, recommend suitable options and then set everything up properly once it arrives.
Because I don’t sell the hardware myself, the recommendation isn’t based on what I happen to have sitting on a shelf.
Marple Memories
Old technology often contains things that are irreplaceable.
Through Marple Memories, I digitise VHS, VHS-C, Video8, Hi8, MiniDV and other video formats, as well as audio cassettes, DVDs, photo and data CDs, photographs, negatives and slides.
The technology may be obsolete. The memories aren’t.
Digital Legacy
Our lives now contain years of online accounts, photographs, documents, subscriptions and important information.
Digital Legacy helps bring that information together so the people you trust know what exists, where to find it and what needs dealing with if you are ever unable to do it yourself.
I also take on selected website, domain, email and other technology projects where I think I can genuinely add value.
Useful help doesn’t always come with an invoice
Not every technology problem needs a paid appointment.
That’s why Marple Tech Help also has a growing collection of free resources.
The Help Hub
The MTH Help Hub contains practical guides covering common technology problems, buying decisions, online safety and the everyday digital issues that regularly catch people out.
They’re written to be useful even if you never become a customer.
Scam First Aid
If you think you may have been scammed, the first few minutes can matter.
Scam First Aid gives clear, step-by-step guidance on what to do first, what to secure and who may need contacting, without panic or scare tactics.
No Shame in Asking
People regularly start conversations with me by saying: “Sorry, this is probably a stupid question…” It almost never is.
That’s the thinking behind No Shame in Asking, an idea that started here in Marple to encourage businesses and organisations to make it clear that people are welcome to ask questions without feeling embarrassed.
Marple Tech Help became the first No Shame in Asking place.
Sometimes these free resources lead to somebody becoming a client. Sometimes they help someone solve the problem themselves.
Both are good outcomes.
Small, local and on your side
I grew up near Marple and now live and work here, helping people across Marple, Stockport and the surrounding area.
Marple Tech Help is deliberately small. The person you contact is the person who investigates the problem, does the work and takes responsibility for the outcome.
Sometimes that means repairing something. Sometimes it means recommending something new. And sometimes it means telling you that you don’t need to spend anything at all.
Whatever the problem, the starting point is the same: understand what is actually going on and find the most sensible way forward.
Local tech help, from someone who’s actually on your side.
Get in touch →Get in touch
Ready to get it sorted?
Message me any time. It’s me you’ll speak to, and I usually reply within one working day.
Best message to send:
- Device + problem (1–2 lines)
- Photo of any error message (if there is one)
- Your postcode (so I can confirm I cover you)