argh coworker and IT issues

[slackerinabox]

jumping to cliffs:

1. i started a new job in real estate and someone noticed my it skills, a fellow new agent
2. he asked for help for a website and I told him I don't do web design anymore, but I didn't want to burn bridges and offered barter service (he's a new age healer ion the side and my mom has arthritis). I offered him a website for a healilng session, mostly because I was humoring him - being nice while not asking for my usual rate because I know he can't afford $65 an hour (I worked for 3 years as a web manager/drupal dev and years prior as a freelance video editor and web dev/designer).

3. SOMEHOW "make your website" turned into him demanding that I fix his mac, that has a virus.

4. Instead of just saying "website not equal at home computer service," i was stupid and stopped by his place and ran a virus scan, warning him that some trojans require a system cleaning and that scanning/removal was the first step. I left after the scan and told him to monitor the situation and get back to me.

5. Of course, he got the virus again and sent me a blistering email about how his services are valuable and how I didn't fix the issue

6. I'm prepared to tell him to fuck off - he's a terrible real estate agent, does not listen (asked the same questions the trainer just answered, I don't trust people who do that)

NOW he's a contact worth zippo to me but my mom took his one lame session and said she doesn't believe in that hippy shit and will no longer go. I already spent more on his hosting and domain registration than his session is worth, but I may just throw him moeny for the session adn tell him to fuck off, that my it services are not included with web design. My plan is to finish his site and tell him that's it, and he can go fuck himself or I can pay him for his bullshit healing session - he can pick.

Bad idea? Good idea? thoughts?

Yes, I never should have gotten into this and I only offer my help to family and close friends, I just started a new job and let down my gaurd in exchange for good will.. That worked out great!

 

[IronWing]

Cut it off. Also, always be careful about bringing skills into the open when they can end up derailing your chosen career path. I've watched too many budding professionals getting pushed from line roles into support positions simply because they possessed technical skills in computers/databases/GIS etc. Strategic incompetence is often key to workplace advancement.

 

[sourceninja]

Exactly, I'd just tell him your mother doesn't want the services, you deliver on what services were already rendered (or pay him, whatever) then cut it off.

Also, your mom sounds like a smart lady, cause (using my Penn & Teller voice) new age healing is bullshit.

 

[Tim]

In before "theflyingpig" with his regular douchebag sounding comment followed by "everyone knows this".

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Tell him you read his system logs and discovered the source of his virus is all the midget porn sites he has been surfing. Problem solved.

 

[alkemyst]

Sounds like a case of the OP thinking he is worth more than he is though.

Getting a virus on a mac leads me to believe a tiny yellow bus takes these people to work each day.

 

[child of wonder]

Should have presented him with your $65/hr rate then let him decide whether he could afford it or not. Your time and skills are just as valuable as his.

Tell him to get bent, you never agreed to swap computer support for a "healing" session, just the web work.

 

[Vette73]

Yea I had to start charging friends for car repairs when they kept coming even for oil changes I knew they could do.

I now have a rule. If my hands get dirty, I better have some green backs to clean them off with when I am done.

 

[child of wonder]

In before "theflyingpig" with his regular douchebag sounding comment followed by "everyone knows this".

TheFlyingPig seeds his magical happiness dust on any thread deemed worthy of his attention. We must all come to appreciate and cherish his handiwork. Everyone knows this.

 

[isekii]

Why would you even bother working on his mac ?

 

[slackerinabox]

Why would you even bother working on his mac ?

It was a mistake - I should not have agreed but thought I'd swing by on sunday as a positive gesture, now he believes it was part of the deal. Here's the pissy email I just sent him to reply to his pissy email (he's not at work yet, he tends to sleep in):

Hi xxx,
I've decided that I'm going to stick to what was originally stated as the offer:

My rate for Web Design/Web dev is $65/hour. WAIVED for that one session as barter, my mother will not be using further sessions

1. Web Services - design and program xxx.COM: 7-10 work hours: Programming and design complete, content will be laid out and site will go live once agreement accepted.

2. Integrate Facebook with website/blog (allows you to easily repost information to your facebook account)- 1 hour work, completed

3. Constant Contact integration with website (allows users to add themselves to your mailing list) - 1 hours work, completed

4. Create @XXXXXX.com email address - 15 min work, completed. You can add up to 5 additional email addresses if you'd like

5. Domain registration - $10/year: paid

6. Website Hosting - $120/year: paid

Total Web Service hours: 12.5 Hours
Total Fees (at $65/hour): $812.50
Total web expenses (domain registry/hosting): $130.00
Total Invoice Amount: $942.50
Barter ammount: One healing session

I.T. work, especially on site, is not included with this agreement. Billing for onsite I.T. work is $100/hour plus travel and parking expensses. I went to your house as a courtesy, I apologize for your misunderstanding. I suggest calling Apple Care at 1-800-275-2273 for those concerns, or Best Buy's geek squad for door to door service.

Web work is done offsite, though I will throw in 1 hour of telephone consultation time for WEBSITE related issues DIRECTLY related to xxxx.com project, not third party sites (hotmal, constantcontact, etc.). Please contact those vendors directly for all questions concerning their serivces.

If this does not seem fair to you I'll pay for my mother's session and dissolve this contract. Please let me know if this is acceptable - work on your website will be completed after your confirmation of acceptance, and will launch 48 hours after said confirmation.

 

[slackerinabox]

Cut it off. Also, always be careful about bringing skills into the open when they can end up derailing your chosen career path. I've watched too many budding professionals getting pushed from line roles into support positions simply because they possessed technical skills in computers/databases/GIS etc. Strategic incompetence is often key to workplace advancement.

Thank you - I'm very aware now how dangerous and stifling to a career mentioning, even in small talk, I.T. Skills. I spent the first week deflecting computer issues that should have been raised with our on staff tech support department, time I should have spent learning the field! I have learned my lesson, you are absolutely right!

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I would've never bartered IT services for some hokey "healing session" at any rate. Tell him to use his "healing powers" to solve his Mac issues.

 

[Ancalagon44]

Its sad that it went down to this level. What is it with people and expecting anyone with IT knowledge to magically be able to fix any and all problems? Do they expect their friends who are highly skilled in other areas, such as law, health matters and mechanical problems, to help them for free?

Why did you agree to help him setup a website for free? Thats way, way, way above the barter value of quackery.

Also, hes a faith healer, by definition hes an idiot. I bet he'll sue you over this.

 

[slackerinabox]

Sounds like a case of the OP thinking he is worth more than he is though.

Getting a virus on a mac leads me to believe a tiny yellow bus takes these people to work each day.

I actually have an ironically thriving web design/video editing/consultation business - I have clients that I have to turn away now because I want to concentrate on real estae. I hate hate hate hate hate web/computer work in general. I went to film school, a completely useless endeavor admittedly, and worked in IT only to pay the bills, and quit mostly because I'm completely tired of clients who blame me for their incompetence, and get frustrated at me because they don't know things I thought were pretty basic, like Flash being required at times.. "I get a black box with a flash error message.. What did YOU do wrong? YOU broke it!" As if it's my fault that they don't know simple shit. Yes, flash or quicktime, etc. is required for web video - how do you not know this? Have you never gone to youtube?!?? Are you from the past?.. I hate IT clients, even major corporations have idiots making their decisions!

 

[Phoenix86]

Thanks for the laugh OP.

Probably re-read the thread later, it's Monday... I could use more laughs.

 

[slackerinabox]

Its sad that it went down to this level. What is it with people and expecting anyone with IT knowledge to magically be able to fix any and all problems? Do they expect their friends who are highly skilled in other areas, such as law, health matters and mechanical problems, to help them for free?

Why did you agree to help him setup a website for free? Thats way, way, way above the barter value of quackery.

Also, hes a faith healer, by definition hes an idiot. I bet he'll sue you over this.

I honestly did it because he was asking so many questions during training, distracting me from learning my new skill, that going home to set up a drupal or wordpress install was the best way I thought of deflecting it, and a barter seemed like it would limit my liability, which was absolutely wrong and stupid on my part.

How he thought I would go to his house to fix his computer was beyond me, but I stopped by in order to just get it over with, which was a very bad decision.

 

[slackerinabox]

Exactly, I'd just tell him your mother doesn't want the services, you deliver on what services were already rendered (or pay him, whatever) then cut it off.

Also, your mom sounds like a smart lady, cause (using my Penn & Teller voice) new age healing is bullshit.

Ha - my mom is very smart, but she's willing to try accupuncture, etc. just as a pain relief method, not a cure. I don't live with my mom, I'm 29 and married but I do feel awful that she suffers from arthritis and thought it could be a win/win situation. Heck, I was hoping my mom could get a nice massage out of it, and to ignore the hippy b.s.. He didn't even do that, he chanted over her which was a complete waste of her time - and she's retired!

 

[fulltilt39]

tell him your mom isn't healed so why should his mac be fine?

 

[IndyColtsFan]

tell him your mom isn't healed so why should his mac be fine?

Great point.

 

[Koing]

So you were willing to do 15hrs worth of work for a healing faith session? wtf?! HUGE MISTAKE man.....

Lesson learnt for next time.

Please let us know his reply

Koing

 

[edro]

Your services have greatly outweighed his.
You are doing the right thing.
We await his response and anticipate lulz.

 

[krylon]

Aren't you black?

 

[fulltilt39]

Great point.

thank you ()

 

[chusteczka]

Do not allow yourself to get derailed while at work. Stay focused on the job. You seem to need to learn how to manage people in their interactions with you.

If someone is talking to you for too long while you are busy, you tactfully manage them by politely excusing yourself so you can get back to work.

If someone is treating you poorly, you tactfully redirect them and excuse yourself. Or you redirect their attitude. Do not accept their behavior but manage them tactfully. This allows you to take back control of your life.

Proper communication is the most important method in dealing with people. It seems you were at training, getting sidetracked by IT support issues. Stay focused. Do not let others get in the way of your training and development.

Communicate to this person the level of your skills and your normal pay for performing them. This other person may not know.

I choose who I give IT support to. I break ties with pretentious or needy people that do not understand or appreciate my services. You need to do the same. He does not appreciate your services and you need to stop helping him. Become "too busy" with other work. Your time is valuable.

I have never had an issue with career derailment or even seen such a thing happening. Maybe I do not recognize it. At my last job, I provided tech recommendations that my workcenter needed but they had no interest in me doing the actual work since they had a functional tech support group.

I have done similar with fixing the computer of an acupuncturist focused on the healing arts. She has a master's degree in oriental medicine. I communicated to her the monetary worth of my time and she communicated the monetary worth of her time. We found an understanding. I rebuilt her laptop last fall that had problems due to viruses and cooling issues due to dog hair in the CPU heatsink. But at the time I did not need her healing services and she did not have the cash to pay me back. I did not ask. This past spring, I tore my calf muscle while running. She felt that she owed me, which she did, and she has been providing free treatments for my leg which have proven more useful than an actual doctor of western medicine. Helping people can pay later but you need to choose those who are worth your time. The person in your situation seems not to be worth your time since he proves of no worth to your mom and does not appreciate you.

It is time to break ties with him. Do not finish your work with him. He does not value your skills or time. However, you may need to remove that virus again and it will definitely help to communicate to him why he is getting the virus and how to prevent it.

I like your letter. It communicates well.