Question about a situation my brother is in....

[fataIerror]

My brother sold a real estate agent his computer about a month ago. Since then she has called about 2 times a day wanting help with anything and everything. Only one time did my brother feel it was his fault and it was because she was having problems with the floppy and he forgot he unhooked it. It was sold through a local paper and there was no mention of this kind of service that she wants. Who is in the right in this situation, my brother is still high school and works full time and sold his computer to buy a new truck and doesn't have time for this when it wasn't stated. Who is right in this situation, the buyer or the seller? Any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks,
Joshua

 

[pyonir]

i can't say i understand what you are talking about.

but if i have it straight, the problems he is having is lack of computer knowledge and is asking for basic tech support? then your brother doesn't owe him anything. but if you brother has done all kinds of things to the computer and didn't clean it up before he sold it, he should at least help the customer.

 

[amnesiac]

If the computer is *faulty* (i.e she's calling b/c things aren't working, etc) your brother *should* have it fixed if it was a pre-existing problem. If this lady is bugging you b/c she's a stupid n00b, tell her to go suck an egg. It's her problem she can't use it. It's like someone buying a car and then calling the seller asking them how to drive.

 

[gopunk]

bro should only help if problem is his fault, otherwise, unless it was specified in the ad, no tech support.

 

[FoBoT]

yeah, this is the problem with selling used stuff to (L)users/newbies

back in '95-'97 i built systems and sold them through my local want ad paper, but customers like this made me stop, they don't just want a cheap box, they want 24/7 customer support like they see advertised for Dell/Gateway etc

he just has to tell her that he doesn't do tech support for the Opertating System/Software. if the hardware is working, she's on her own

 

[sheselectric]

i don't think your bro owes her any tech support...but if he knows a lot about computer services maybe he could help her find someone else to complain to.

 

[fataIerror]

Yes you have it correct. And it is not because of my brother, it is because this lady is computer illiterate. He formatted the computer beforehand and loaded all the appropriate drivers. It just drives me nuts that she calls at 7 in the morning and is asking for help with her computer!

 

[pyonir]

tell her the deal is done and NOT to call back. block her number if you have to.

 

[no0b]

<< i don't think your bro owes her any tech support...but if he knows a lot about computer services maybe he could help her find someone else to complain to. >>


...........or maybe charge her for it but I doubt it will fly

 

[fataIerror]

And it's a really annoying lady. When she calls this is how the conversation goes...this was the conversation from this morning.

Me (half asleep at 8 in the frickin morning) - Hello.
Her - Is Daniel there?
Me - No, he's not home at the moment.
Her - Well where is he?
Me - Who is this?
Her - This is <name>. I bought a computer from him and I'm having problems with my scanner (which didn't even come with the computer, it was hers)
Me - Ok, he's left for school. I didn't know he had a scanner.
Her - Well you have to understand that my job depends on being able to scan photos and it's not working.
Me - Well I'll have him give you a call when he gets home and you two can discuss it.

The computer was in perfect working condition, I helped him build it and I've been building them for years. He even bought a new mouse/mousepad/speakers/keyboard when he gave it to her and went to her business place and hooked everything up for her.

 

[StageLeft]

He is obviously in the right to tell her to stop calling him.

 

[StageLeft]

<< And it's a really annoying lady. When she calls this is how the conversation goes...this was the conversation from this morning.

Me (half asleep at 8 in the frickin morning) - Hello.
Her - Is Daniel there?
Me - No, he's not home at the moment.
Her - Well where is he?
Me - Who is this?
Her - This is <name>. I bought a computer from him and I'm having problems with my scanner (which didn't even come with the computer, it was hers)
Me - Ok, he's left for school. I didn't know he had a scanner.
Her - Well you have to understand that my job depends on being able to scan photos and it's not working.
Me - Well I'll have him give you a call when he gets home and you two can discuss it.

The computer was in perfect working condition, I helped him build it and I've been building them for years. He even bought a new mouse/mousepad/speakers/keyboard when he gave it to her and went to her business place and hooked everything up for her. >>

You're going to have to tell him to be very very frank with her and tell her he is not going to give any more free customer support. F**king ridiculous. WHy do people think this? If you buy a paint kit from a store you wouldn't think you can call twice a day to ask how to paint a picture or painting tricks and tips.

 

[fataIerror]

That's what I figured I just wanted to make sure there wasn't some way that he was legally bound to giving the tech support to her since it was not brought up during the sale.

Does this follow the old saying "Buyer beware"?

 

[BuckleDownBen]

You need say the computer works fine, and if you want your questions answered you need to pay me X dollars an hour.

 

[Orsorum]

<< You need say the computer works fine, and if you want your questions answered you need to pay me X dollars an hour. >>



Exactly. If she wants additional support (for extra peripherals, software, etc), then it's extra. Just like any other service.

Same thing that happens in most companies for tech support - i.e. if an employee (in my case, teachers), buy extra peripherals or software with their own money, we don't provide support. Period. Their issue.

 

[kranky]

Ah! "My job depends on..." is his way out.

He should go over (don't use the phone for this) and explain that he will be glad to help her, but he will need to charge her in the future. Explain politely that he spent a month answering all her questions, and there is no doubt the system works fine. However, it's only fair that she pay for tech support just like any other company would. He should say he understands how important the computer is to her job and he'll make every effort to help her when she needs it, but he will need to charge $25 per hour (or per call, if the call is under an hour).

She might say "You're nuts!". In which case, he should say please do not call me again, because I will not be able to help you in the future. We both know the system works fine, it has been working for a month now, and that is the end of my obligation.

Or, she might figure he has her over a barrel. If she really is dependent on the computer, she might agree to pay. If he wouldn't mind doing it for the money, everyone is happy.

If he doesn't want the money in any event, use the "You're nuts!" reply.

 

[Orsorum]

<< Ah! "My job depends on..." is his way out.

He should go over (don't use the phone for this) and explain that he will be glad to help her, but he will need to charge her in the future. Explain politely that he spent a month answering all her questions, and there is no doubt the system works fine. However, it's only fair that she pay for tech support just like any other company would. He should say he understands how important the computer is to her job and he'll make every effort to help her when she needs it, but he will need to charge $25 per hour (or per call, if the call is under an hour).

She might say "You're nuts!". In which case, he should say please do not call me again, because I will not be able to help you in the future. We both know the system works fine, it has been working for a month now, and that is the end of my obligation.

Or, she might figure he has her over a barrel. If she really is dependent on the computer, she might agree to pay. If he wouldn't mind doing it for the money, everyone is happy.

If he doesn't want the money in any event, use the "You're nuts!" reply. >>



lol

Good advice.

 

[fataIerror]

<< Ah! "My job depends on..." is his way out.

He should go over (don't use the phone for this) and explain that he will be glad to help her, but he will need to charge her in the future. Explain politely that he spent a month answering all her questions, and there is no doubt the system works fine. However, it's only fair that she pay for tech support just like any other company would. He should say he understands how important the computer is to her job and he'll make every effort to help her when she needs it, but he will need to charge $25 per hour (or per call, if the call is under an hour).

She might say "You're nuts!". In which case, he should say please do not call me again, because I will not be able to help you in the future. We both know the system works fine, it has been working for a month now, and that is the end of my obligation.

Or, she might figure he has her over a barrel. If she really is dependent on the computer, she might agree to pay. If he wouldn't mind doing it for the money, everyone is happy.

If he doesn't want the money in any event, use the "You're nuts!" reply. >>




Thanks for the great advice!
I'll relay it to him so she'll stop waking my a$$ up at all hours of the morning

 

[Alex]

id explain to her really nicely and honestly that its not his responsability... he sold it to her...hes not her computer guy... if she wants help she can start by paying him 50bucks an hour or something

 

[Red Dawn]

She's a Real Estate Agent. She's used to using people and milking them for all they can. The only less trustworthy people are Palestinian Presidents. I was a Property Manager and a R.E Agent and that sounds typical of a R.E. Agent. If her job depended on it she would have bought a new system (she can right it off) She's just trying to get out of payi8ng a tech to set up her equipment plain and simple.

 

[Lithium381]

<< If the computer is *faulty* (i.e she's calling b/c things aren't working, etc) your brother *should* have it fixed if it was a pre-existing problem. If this lady is bugging you b/c she's a stupid n00b, tell her to go suck an egg. It's her problem she can't use it. It's like someone buying a car and then calling the seller asking them how to drive. >>



very well put! bam, i think she isn't in the right here, and he has no obligation to help her anymore than if it's his fault directly.

 

[GooberPHX420]

People like that freaking drive me nuts. About a year ago I had an old 500mhz celery in a compaq case just sittin in my garage. Then my dad happened to tell his landscaper that I mess with comps a lot. So this dude brings over his comp and wants me to clean it up cuz he is running slow and its out of room. So yeah it was a 100 mhz pentium pooper, with a whopping 1.1 gb of space. Fire it up and see porn dialers all over, accompanied by bonzi buddy and yada yada. So Im like fuuuuuuck this. Then my dad is like "hey, dont you have a compaq ur not using?!" Im like "uhhh yeah wtf this guy makes $3 a year like he can afford to buy it" So my dad is like "Sell it to him, you're not using it! Tell him $200!" Im like uggh wtf! Cuz this BEAST had a 40gig HD, nic, 56k, soundblaster, pci gef2mx 32mb, and 512mb PC100. So Im like "Dad ur sh|ttin me, right?" and he said no..so uggh I say $200. So he offers to pay me $100 per paycheck for his next 2 paychecks. Im like whatever. So blah blah go to his house, set it up, config the webcam, the scanner, and the printer. Runs like a champ with win2k. Set up the securities, antivirus and user names on the comp, configured his cable and reconfiged his outlook express. Anyways, so make a long story short, doofy only paid me $100, and still asks for help all the time. NEVER SELL ANY COMPUTER PRODUCTS TO PEOPLE WHO DONT READ/SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH.

I feel guilty takin money from the guy, he is a landscaper and certainly cant make more than like $500 every two weeks, 4 kids and a wife to feed

 

[SCSIfreek]

tell her to ask the guys at CompUSA to help hook up anything.

--Scsi

 

[Red Dawn]

<< NEVER SELL ANY COMPUTER PRODUCTS TO PEOPLE WHO DONT READ/SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH. >>

OK, I guess I won't be selling you a system soon!

 

[FelixDeCat]

Tell her to go jump in the lake. The purpose of the ad was to sell the computer, not a service. He has done his part in good faith. Now he can tell her to leave him alone.