Do you charge a data recovery attempt fee?

[Encrypted Existence]

Hello all. Do you charge a data recovery attempt fee even when you aren't able to recover any data? Thanks.

 

[Martyn]

No I don't generally.........I think people appreciate you don't kick someone when they're down. Normally you pick other work up from them somewhere along the line.

 

[mraikes]

Nope, me neither. No data no charge.

 

[16k_zx81]

Yes. My fee is split into two parts: assessment and recovery. Assessment is 50% of total, recovery constituting the other 50% of the fee.

Customers do not seem to mind. In fact, I dont recall anyone ever saying "no thanks" when I have told them thats how it works.

The reason I charge the fee is because it takes time to do the assessment and Im not interested in performing any tasks for free.

 

[pc-quebec]

I will not charge for an actual customer or a potential one, but for those Joe Kid who just come to see you when they have problem they can’t fix on their friend PC , no way, I will ask an advance deposit. I don't mind they go another place after.

 

[14049752]

We do, but only in special cases. Basically, we have three "levels" of data recovery.
"Level 1" is basically plugging the drive in and copying data. If that's not successful, we don't charge for the attempt. From there we usually try to give the customer a reasonable expectation if we'll be able to recover anything in the shop.
"Level 2" is if the drive is responding but unreadable, formatted, deleted files, etc. This usually involves us capturing an image of the drive and recovering from the image if possible. We do charge for that attempt, (50%, like 16k does) simply because of the amount of time it takes to work with the drive and the fact that it essentially makes one of our machines unavailable to us for a day (sometimes at a minimum). The real key is to give an honest expectation if we this we'll be successful...and if we don't, we usually don't even offer.
"Level 3" is when we send the drive out. If we've attempted level 2, and were unsuccessful, we waive any fees if they do this option.

 

[PCX]

We charge for a diagnostics up front. Most of the time when we have to do a data recovery, it is because a computers hard drive crashed and they wanted to repair it. The cost of that diagnostics always goes towards the cost of repairs or services. However, if someone were to bring in a HDD by itself, as long as I do not have to take it apart, I will not charge anything unless able to recover the data. If its an external and I have to take it apart, its going to be $50 for the time spent, which again will go towards the cost of the data recovery.

 

[Encrypted Existence]

Yes. My fee is split into two parts: assessment and recovery. Assessment is 50% of total, recovery constituting the other 50% of the fee.

Customers do not seem to mind. In fact, I dont recall anyone ever saying "no thanks" when I have told them thats how it works.

The reason I charge the fee is because it takes time to do the assessment and Im not interested in performing any tasks for free.

I like your approach. I would like to implement something similar into my pricing. I haven't officially "launched" my company yet but I will be sure to keep this in mind. As for the other responders...thanks for the input!

 

[PCX]

I like your approach. I would like to implement something similar into my pricing. I haven't officially "launched" my company yet but I will be sure to keep this in mind. As for the other responders...thanks for the input!

Yeah, I agree with 16k. However, if I try and mount a drive and it clearly wont mount or its clicking, then I wont charge a diagnostics or assessment fee.

 

[FoolishTech]

Examples of when I tell them no data, no charge:

• Old broke looking people.
• It is obvious I CANNOT get data from the drive the first minute I spent with it. Wouldn't want to be a scum bag and pretend I could do something I know I couldn't.
• It is obvious that I CAN get data from the drive the first minute I spent with it. Wouldn't want them to decide not to do data recovery just because they might not get the data and have to pay anyway.
• In many cases I already have retrieved the data before I even talk to the customer, so naturally I tell them no data/no charge!

Examples of when I tell them I'm charging regardless:

• They may fall into the first category above, however they are pressuring me about getting it done faster, stress it's importance to me repeatedly, hassle me with excessive phone calls and lengthy conversations, or are generally irritating for some other reason.
• I haven't spent ANY time with the PC yet, they just brought it in and they are backing me in a corner about my pricing before I can diagnose it.
• They admit that someone else tried already.
• and last but not least, I don't know if I can get data or not, for whatever reason, but I know that I'll spend more than a minor amount of time trying.

Even then, sometimes I don't charge especially if it's the very last reason in the list. But I did cover my butt in case I wanted to charge for whatever reason.

 

[ArtemusComputerTechnology]

1st step.....If the data recovery service is performed by in my shop. I do not charge. No data, no charge.

2nd and final step. If the data is very valuable to them. I will use Gillware Data Recovery to perform the data recovery service.

 

[Crgky127]

Examples of when I tell them no data, no charge:

• Old broke looking people.
• It is obvious I CANNOT get data from the drive the first minute I spent with it. Wouldn't want to be a scum bag and pretend I could do something I know I couldn't.
• It is obvious that I CAN get data from the drive the first minute I spent with it. Wouldn't want them to decide not to do data recovery just because they might not get the data and have to pay anyway.
• In many cases I already have retrieved the data before I even talk to the customer, so naturally I tell them no data/no charge!

Examples of when I tell them I'm charging regardless:

• They may fall into the first category above, however they are pressuring me about getting it done faster, stress it's importance to me repeatedly, hassle me with excessive phone calls and lengthy conversations, or are generally irritating for some other reason.
• I haven't spent ANY time with the PC yet, they just brought it in and they are backing me in a corner about my pricing before I can diagnose it.
• They admit that someone else tried already.
• and last but not least, I don't know if I can get data or not, for whatever reason, but I know that I'll spend more than a minor amount of time trying.

Even then, sometimes I don't charge especially if it's the very last reason in the list. But I did cover my butt in case I wanted to charge for whatever reason.

Previously I have said no data no fee, but I will be going with FoolishTech's approach moving forward, it makes a lot of sense.

 

[300DDR]

Examples of when I tell them I'm charging regardless:

• They may fall into the first category above, however they are pressuring me about getting it done faster, stress it's importance to me repeatedly, hassle me with excessive phone calls and lengthy conversations, or are generally irritating for some other reason.
• I haven't spent ANY time with the PC yet, they just brought it in and they are backing me in a corner about my pricing before I can diagnose it.
• They admit that someone else tried already.

• 
  This is hilarious and right on and I totally feel you! LOL
  
  **At $300 Data Recovery, we actually have a no-data-no-charge policy. One reason is that we got a receptionist (aka a "client firewall") and therefore the first two points no longer applied
  
  We also charge $50 up front if the cover has been opened (since the diagnosis is much more difficult and the drive has likely been further damaged beyond original problem). But if someone else just worked on it, although your chances decrease (and unless they opened the cover), it's probably still recoverable.

 

[rsarceno]

I don't charge diagnostic fee but I discuss my data recovery flat rate with the customer ($299 for operational drive and $599 for dead drive <2GB . I only do diag if they are willing to pay the recovery fee. Like most data recovery, I offer no data no pay but I already have retrieved the important data that I guarantee.

I also offer free shipping for data recovered if customer allows me to keep the bad drive as donor drive.

 

[300DDR]

Curious if you are using the same tools as us (or if not, what you are using)?

http://www.300dollardatarecovery.com/tools.html.

If not, please consider us before sending off to clean room.

 

[dominexsus]

Hello all. Do you charge a data recovery attempt fee even when you aren't able to recover any data? Thanks.

I never charge for unsuccessful attempt and I offer this no recover no fee to my potential customers over the phone and they appear in my shop next hour. every one like to pay and get something in return and we like to work and get something too but this is one of those things that you can see it as future investment for your business by keeping customer happy and maybe even get him kick some word of mouth for your business.

 

[300DDR]

Agreed. If you are looking for repeat business, I think this is important. No one will come twice if they paid for nothing the first time.

 

[Cornerstone Technologies]

My official policy used to be $100, which always bit me on the ass when someone was handed a recovery of most or all of their items. I always get the phone calls on how they find what they are looking for and how to copy them to their computer. This was especially the case when I worked with an older gentleman a few months back who had a completely corrupted HDD on a G5 iMac. The recovery software I used in that instance arranged it into files based on the file type, which is annoying, but it was just how it was written to operate. For a solid week, I got phone calls several times a day. Wasn't worth the $100.

Ive increased it to $200 that is payable upfront, though I usually discount this by half for university students as they tend to be one of my better demographics for referrals for this service. They almost never bother me.

Last week I had a client bring in a hdd that would spin, but not mount in any tool or OS. The PCB was burned as I discovered when I removed it. Luckily, I had an exact revision of this same hdd. As this was a local tax assessor with the only copy of his townships tax records and payments from the past ten years, he was more than willing to pay $300 for this.

In the cases that I am not able to get data back or if it looks pretty hopeless, I usually charge my bench fee at the least. I try to spend as much time on these cases and exhaust all available methods, so there is a time investment that should be compensated for. I am the owner and do 'no-charges' as I see fit, but it doesnt make good business sense to do this in general.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Hello all. Do you charge a data recovery attempt fee even when you aren't able to recover any data? Thanks.

We will attempt a backup free but after that its $250 for us to attempt to recover data with more effort than a normal backup.

We find that people will have you spin your wheels for their stuff then say its not worth your time, so we give them a threshold to spend before we attempt it. We also warn it could be more like $1000 but we will either get it for the $250 or stop at the $250 without getting additional permission to proceed.

 

[tim fitzgerald]

I agree with Nick (Foolish it). However it's a judgement call, peoples attitude, the way they treat you all comes into play. We profile everyone every day and make instant judgements then go with your instincts. Developing a reliable sh_t screen is very important.