Client demanding pirated software

[MauiTechGuy]

Not worth the liability, on top of that, you don't want to give him something to hold over you, i.e threatening to turn you in if you don't cater to him (free).

 

[JustInspired]

I've had these kinds of requests before and I always wonder who these people are...'secret shoppers' from Microsoft or whoever, out to see if we are legit? An undercover news reporter? A competitor trying to find a way to destroy us?
I am not usually a paranoid person, I swear!

 

[altrenda]

It's a dilemma when you don't have many customers and can't even afford to lose the bad ones.

The problem is this is not a customer, it's a problem waiting to happen.

You already know what you should do, it's just a bad thing when someone puts you in this position.

Tell him you don't work that way, it causes too many problems for you and him. If he accepts it, great, keep working with him. If he protests, or says everyone is doing it, tell him you don't work that way, and move on. You don't owe him an explanation. It's not the type of customer that is good for your business.

Don't worry about him, he'll find plenty of techs to help him out and take his money. good riddance.

 

[brandonkick]

The one thing about piracy though is that it's a "personless" crime.

It's not like stealing an old mans car and watching him have to walk four miles to town every day. Or looting someones house when their out.


Many people "view" it as taking something that no one will "miss".

I'd steer away from this anyways because even if you don't "support' it, you now know about it. If he goes down, he's going to say anything he can up to blaming you for it and if not saying you knew about it and didn't tell him it was illegal.

Drop this one, it's not worth it.

 

[drjones]

Thanks guys for all the replies. This isn't really a dilemma in that I wasn't going to help him pirate software; I was just curious if others have had such brazen requests from clients & how it was handled.

If it comes up again, I've now got a few more ideas of what to say.

Thanks!

 

[Choppie]

This is a pretty good one, and sometimes very true;

The pirated software could be packed with a few nice viruses, and why would you want that crap installed on your system....AND if not, it still may call home and get zapped by the owners, then your gonna have to pay me to do it again the right way......not worth it.

 

[16k_zx81]

The problem is this is not a customer, it's a problem waiting to happen.

You already know what you should do, it's just a bad thing when someone puts you in this position.

Tell him you don't work that way, it causes too many problems for you and him. If he accepts it, great, keep working with him. If he protests, or says everyone is doing it, tell him you don't work that way, and move on. You don't owe him an explanation. It's not the type of customer that is good for your business.

Don't worry about him, he'll find plenty of techs to help him out and take his money. good riddance.

Agreed. Right there, the guy would have voided any interest I would have in working for him. I appreciate Seedubya's response, and understand the motivation for keeping an iffy customer if you are broke. However, in my experience, the sort of person that would ask me to do this is just not worth the hassles they come with.

Granted, OP may turn this guy into a loyal, regular paydate. I hope he does!

I guess the reflex to walk away or negotiate will depend on how much OP needs the work, and how much time he is prepared to spend 'educating' the client, at the risk of losing the time investment on being replaced by another, less ethical, contractor.

Best of luck OP

Jim