*rant* This is why I hate people. (What do you think I should do about this?)

[blakeatwork]

If you sold them the router, buck up, install a new one for them, and RMA the busted one.

Shouldn't take more then 15 minutes to set it up. Assuming the workgroups and File sharing is fine, then you're done. If you/they buggered them up, then you'll have a bit more work to do.

Being that it was six months ago that you did the install, charging them for it is more then acceptable. If they're goin to bitch about MAC (Move, Add, Change) work, then tell'em to find another technician.

 

[Bryophyte]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Hell NIK I think everybody that has done tech work has experienced the BS you did with these folks. I know I have. I got so tired of it that I gave it up!

Yeah, me too. I used to charge a different shop rate for good non-business customers, bad non-business customers/good business customers, and bad business customers (typically 20/40/60 per hour.) The bad ones either stopped calling, or paid well (and I'd tolerate them, well, most of them.) A few customers, I just stopped returning calls. The best customers I still have, all these years later. They wait for me to be down in their area (over two hours away) to do non-emergency work.

 

[Bryophyte]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: deathkoba
....why couldn't you just walk into a local store and get them a router?

Their company is in Banks, Oregon. That town consists of a Jim's supermarket, a church, a school, a gas station at each end of town -which is probably about 20 seconds drive apart, a restaurant, a few street lights, and a dog.

Plus it was 9pm.

How could you forget the liquor store?!

Doesn't the Fred Meyer store near your house carry any routers? Overpriced, granted, but they should have one or two. They're open til 10.

 

[neonerd]

don't just tell them to screw off....a customer = $$, regardless of their behaviour. I however see a raise in your hourly rate for doing this kind of shiznat for them

 

[Bryophyte]

Originally posted by: neonerd
don't just tell them to screw off....a customer = $$, regardless of their behaviour. I however see a raise in your hourly rate for doing this kind of shiznat for them

Not necessarily. A few customers end up costing you money. They bitch and whine and want you to replace stuff that's not broken. Call you and email you constantly to get you to help them for free, do the same sh!t over and over and expect you to repeatedly fix it (no charge of course, duh, it's your fault it happens, isn't it?) Sometimes it's better to realize that it's just not worth the aggravation and cut your losses by dropping them as a customer.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: blakeatwork
If you sold them the router, buck up, install a new one for them, and RMA the busted one.

No sh|t. :roll:

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: Bryophyte

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: deathkoba
....why couldn't you just walk into a local store and get them a router?

Their company is in Banks, Oregon. That town consists of a Jim's supermarket, a church, a school, a gas station at each end of town -which is probably about 20 seconds drive apart, a restaurant, a few street lights, and a dog.

Plus it was 9pm.

How could you forget the liquor store?!

Doesn't the Fred Meyer store near your house carry any routers? Overpriced, granted, but they should have one or two. They're open til 10.

4-ports, yes. 8-ports no. Last time I checked was a month ago, though.

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: Nikamichi

Originally posted by: digitalsnare

Originally posted by: Nikamichi

well said

:beer:

So you guys are going to just ignore the whole post including my question about what to do, and thread crap? Seriously, I want your opinions on how I should handle this.

Increase your fees. Start charging an hourly rate. Stopping bending over backwards for these selfish creeps. Charge them what you are worth. You're offering your expertise to these people for way less than it is worth, and they are taking you for granted.

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: flamingelephant
uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh charge them next time?

if you are going to do tech support then you should work out fees or an hourly rate and tell them that. Just cause you set up the system doesn't mean you have to maintain it for free. They do run a business so they might understand. But, since you've done it free in the past it might be difficult to get them to accept paying for it now, but thats what you have to do

Exactly.

 

[syconub]

what you need is a steven hawkins style speech to text thing and just carry it on your belt loop, and rip it off as a receit. that will get everything into writing.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: flamingelephant
uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh charge them next time?

if you are going to do tech support then you should work out fees or an hourly rate and tell them that. Just cause you set up the system doesn't mean you have to maintain it for free. They do run a business so they might understand. But, since you've done it free in the past it might be difficult to get them to accept paying for it now, but thats what you have to do

Exactly.

Nobody ever said I wasn't being compensated for the work. In fact, it's been stated several times that I AM being compensated. The only free work I've done was for the original company that started the chain of people knocking on my door.

 

[RMSistight]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
That's why I don't volunteer to help anyone, (even or especially for money) and try to warn the dewy-eyed innocents in General Hardware about building computers for friends and acquaintances. Get them a Dell, dudes.

You might give them one more chance if you like the thought of helping orphaned kids get into good families. Explain as non-violently as you can that you told them the situation and they need to listen and pay attention when you explain a problem and what it will take to fix it.

AMEN. Sometimes you mean to volunteer your IT time but often times if you try to help and this is the type of thanks you get, then I totally agree with DaveSimmons to fvck it. I would build computers for people too but I hate how they would call me up if they have problems. It's not my job to run customer support. I seriously also agree with DaveSimmons on telling them to buy a Dell. Let them handle all the BS.

It's a little different for money though and it depends how much...it's also only for networking and not computer support.

 

[blakeatwork]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: blakeatwork
If you sold them the router, buck up, install a new one for them, and RMA the busted one.

No sh|t. :roll:

Awesome...

Without having read through the rest of the thread, and offering some advice, I get "no shyte, eyeroll"

MichaelD's got nothing on you for being the asshole of ATOT.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: blakeatwork

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: blakeatwork
If you sold them the router, buck up, install a new one for them, and RMA the busted one.

No sh|t. :roll:

Awesome...

Without having read through the rest of the thread, and offering some advice, I get "no shyte, eyeroll"

MichaelD's got nothing on you for being the asshole of ATOT.

It pisses me off when people come into these threads that already have a well-established conversation, not read the entire thread, and say stupid, captain-obvious-esque crap that's already been said that doesn't need to be said in the first place.

 

[shimsham]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: blakeatwork

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: blakeatwork
If you sold them the router, buck up, install a new one for them, and RMA the busted one.

No sh|t. :roll:

Awesome...

Without having read through the rest of the thread, and offering some advice, I get "no shyte, eyeroll"

MichaelD's got nothing on you for being the asshole of ATOT.

It pisses me off when people come into these threads that already have a well-established conversation, not read the entire thread, and say stupid, captain-obvious-esque crap that's already been said that doesn't need to be said in the first place.

issues man.....issues.....

by your reasoning, why start the thread? what do you do? well, general obvious, either its worth it and you put up with it, or its not worth it, and you dont. simple.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: shimsham

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: blakeatwork

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: blakeatwork
If you sold them the router, buck up, install a new one for them, and RMA the busted one.

No sh|t. :roll:

Awesome...

Without having read through the rest of the thread, and offering some advice, I get "no shyte, eyeroll"

MichaelD's got nothing on you for being the asshole of ATOT.

It pisses me off when people come into these threads that already have a well-established conversation, not read the entire thread, and say stupid, captain-obvious-esque crap that's already been said that doesn't need to be said in the first place.

issues man.....issues.....

by your reasoning, why start the thread? what do you do? well, general obvious, either its worth it and you put up with it, or its not worth it, and you dont. simple.

I started the thread for opinions, like I said in the OP. I KNOW what my options are. I want to know what other people would choose.

 

[shimsham]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: shimsham

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: blakeatwork

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: blakeatwork
If you sold them the router, buck up, install a new one for them, and RMA the busted one.

No sh|t. :roll:

Awesome...

Without having read through the rest of the thread, and offering some advice, I get "no shyte, eyeroll"

MichaelD's got nothing on you for being the asshole of ATOT.

It pisses me off when people come into these threads that already have a well-established conversation, not read the entire thread, and say stupid, captain-obvious-esque crap that's already been said that doesn't need to be said in the first place.

issues man.....issues.....

by your reasoning, why start the thread? what do you do? well, general obvious, either its worth it and you put up with it, or its not worth it, and you dont. simple.

I started the thread for opinions, like I said in the OP. I KNOW what my options are. I want to know what other people would choose.

so he gave his opinion on what he would do, like you asked. he read your op, just not the replies.

 

[Pacfanweb]

First rule of business, when you're the one who is dealing directly with people: Customers suck.
There's no two ways about it.
Bottom line, if you don't want to deal with this type of situation, you need to find another line of work.

Any kind of service work also involve servicing the client, not just the client's computer/car/plumbing, etc.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: shimsham

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: shimsham

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: blakeatwork

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: blakeatwork
If you sold them the router, buck up, install a new one for them, and RMA the busted one.

No sh|t. :roll:

Awesome...

Without having read through the rest of the thread, and offering some advice, I get "no shyte, eyeroll"

MichaelD's got nothing on you for being the asshole of ATOT.

It pisses me off when people come into these threads that already have a well-established conversation, not read the entire thread, and say stupid, captain-obvious-esque crap that's already been said that doesn't need to be said in the first place.

issues man.....issues.....

by your reasoning, why start the thread? what do you do? well, general obvious, either its worth it and you put up with it, or its not worth it, and you dont. simple.

I started the thread for opinions, like I said in the OP. I KNOW what my options are. I want to know what other people would choose.

so he gave his opinion on what he would do, like you asked. he read your op, just not the replies.

If he read the OP, he would have noted this line: "I'm going to get them up and running again, regardless." He also would have read these two lines: "However, would it be wrong of me to tell them that from now on they'll need to find someone else to work on their technology solutions? Or should I just put up with it and stick with them for future issues?"

Where in there does it say "What do I do to fix the the problem about the router?"

 

[vwtankgirl]

I'd jack up the prices for those bozos or just tell them not to call anymore. At the very least you need to tell them not to EVER call you at your day job.
Finish the job and call it done. If the jerk that keeps messing things up for big $$$ can do it, then you should ask for big $$$ to do the job right.
IMHO... but what do I know, I still do work for family and friends. Luckily most are much more apreciateve than they are.

 

[shimsham]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: shimsham

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: shimsham

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: blakeatwork

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: blakeatwork
If you sold them the router, buck up, install a new one for them, and RMA the busted one.

No sh|t. :roll:

Awesome...

Without having read through the rest of the thread, and offering some advice, I get "no shyte, eyeroll"

MichaelD's got nothing on you for being the asshole of ATOT.

It pisses me off when people come into these threads that already have a well-established conversation, not read the entire thread, and say stupid, captain-obvious-esque crap that's already been said that doesn't need to be said in the first place.

issues man.....issues.....

by your reasoning, why start the thread? what do you do? well, general obvious, either its worth it and you put up with it, or its not worth it, and you dont. simple.

I started the thread for opinions, like I said in the OP. I KNOW what my options are. I want to know what other people would choose.

so he gave his opinion on what he would do, like you asked. he read your op, just not the replies.

If he read the OP, he would have noted this line: "I'm going to get them up and running again, regardless." He also would have read these two lines: "However, would it be wrong of me to tell them that from now on they'll need to find someone else to work on their technology solutions? Or should I just put up with it and stick with them for future issues?"

Where in there does it say "What do I do to fix the the problem about the router?"

blakeatwork:

Being that it was six months ago that you did the install, charging them for it is more then acceptable. If they're goin to bitch about MAC (Move, Add, Change) work, then tell'em to find another technician.

thats his opinion on what you should do, not how to fix it. but youll leave that out, of course, because it may rain on your little rant parade about how stupid people are.

besides, hes not the only one who made a suggestion on how to fix the problem. others basically told you that it shouldve been a simple job...ie.: that you suck.


issues.....

 

[IGBT]

...you might try keeping a 24hour log book at their site and leave written advisories to the status of the syst.so they have a point of reference for verbal instructions or syst.conditions. Let them know it's there and encourage them to leave log entries ie.system failures or anomalies.

 

[Goosemaster]

This is the way it works: For busines cutomers, give them excelllent support and charge through the roof to keep it worthwhile.

What you should have done is gone to the store, immediately bought them a new router, set it up, asked for $300 upfront for labor and $100 to be paid later for the device.
They would have been set, You would have been set, and you could have used theat money save 15% on your car insurance with Geico and bought an ENITRE PACK of delicious Oreo cookies at your local Wawa or local 7-11 store.

Instead look at the mess you are in.

My business customers know that I am expensive, but they also know that everytime I leave, their problem WILL be RESOLVED in some fashion or another. Either way, they are business customers and you made the mistake of having them depend on themselves, and leaving them hanging.

 

[shimsham]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
This is the way it works: For busines cutomers, give them excelllent support and charge through the roof to keep it worthwhile.

What you should have done is gone to the store, immediately bought them a new router, set it up, asked for $300 upfront for labor and $100 to be paid later for the device.
They would have been set, You would have been set, and you could have used theat money save 15% on your car insurance with Geico and bought an ENITRE PACK of delicious Oreo cookies at your local Wawa or local 7-11 store.

Instead look at the mess you are in.

My business customers know that I am expensive, but they also know that everytime I leave, their problem WILL be RESOLVED in some fashion or another. Either way, they are business customers and you made the mistake of having them depend on themselves, and leaving them hanging.

so what youre saying is do what youre paid to do? that just makes too much sense, and gives no reason to post a cool rant.

 

[OutHouse]

And this is one of the reasons i am begining to hate working in the IT field.

I did some web work for a small coffee company about 5 years ago. I told them the price of setting up the site from ground up and getting them a e-commerce store for them. well after spending many many hours getting thier site up they were very very slow to pay me. Come to find out they were not going to pay me because they said that the traffic for web sales of their coffee was not enough to justify my fee.

I wrote them a long letter explaining to them traffic was not my problem, I gave them many many suggestions before hand to get more traffic to their site but they refused to pay for it, hence one or two orders a week. I also in formed them that they were paying for my skill and experience in getting them on the web not marketing. They paid me after that.

I have never done any side work since then and i refuse to work on friends computers because once you touch them they own you and call you for every fricken thing along with "Can i Pay you on the first?" then its like pulling teeth to get your money.

yip im really tired of working IT, but ill keep it up until i get canned at my current job or i just grow old and dusty.