How would you deal with a customer like this?

[Canadian Tech]

I just wanted to know how you guys would deal with a customer like this one. Here is the situation:

I installed a Belkin wireless network card for this customer on May 1, 09. A week or two later he calls to say he can't get connected to his network, so I walk him through the steps and he connects. A week ago he calls again says he can't connect again so I walk him through the steps again but this time there is a password on his network and he doesn't know what it is. I told him I could come out and look at it but I would have to charge him. He said he will try a few things and call me back if he can't get it to work. So now he calls me up last night at 7:00pm and leaves an angry message saying that the network card isn't working and i'm to call him back. Now I should mention that this guy has been trying to get free work out of me for some time and has cost me money. I had to replace a brand new pair of speakers that he bought at the same time because a week later his kids blew them out. As for the network card he has told me that it finds all of the networks in the area but can not connect because they are locked. By the way I have a 30 day return policy and he is past that time.

What would you guys do? I know what i'm going to do.

I had tried to call him this morning but got his machine instead.

 

[ProTech Support]

Your best bet is to go out on site, and ask him to try and do what he does every time he cant connect. Than make note of what he does wrong, or doesn't do at all. Then you go ahead and show him how you do it, and how it works, and what he did wrong.

If you want to keep this customer, that is exactly what I would do. I would also advise him that the next call regarding this issue you will HAVE to charge.

I would draw up a strict terms of service contract, and make him sign it.

And please, if you have not done this already - take ACG's advice. This guy sounds like someone who will squeeze you for everything he can, and screw you every chance he gets. Keep yourself protected and covered.

 

[Canadian Tech]

I know what he's doing he's letting all his kids and nieces and nephews play on the computer and now his network has a password on it and he can't get connected. He can't get pass that password and he doesn't want to pay me to fix it either. I've had it connected and i've shown him how to connect and walked him through it several times, but he doesn't have a clue as to what they did to it.

I'm realizing I don't really want or need to keep this guy as a customer considering he has already cost me more then what its worth. I told him a week ago that I would have to charge him if I came out.

 

[ProTech Support]

I know what he's doing he's letting all his kids and nieces and nephews play on the computer and now his network has a password on it and he can't get connected. He can't get pass that password and he doesn't want to pay me to fix it either. I've had it connected and i've shown him how to connect and walked him through it several times, but he doesn't have a clue as to what they did to it.

I'm realizing I don't really want or need to keep this guy as a customer considering he has already cost me more then what its worth. I told him a week ago that I would have to charge him if I came out.

If you have already showed him what to do and what he is doing wrong, then you are correct, I would absolutely charge him.

Sounds like the guy is trying to get everything for nothing, you need to draw the line for him and make it clear to him that the services you provide are not free. You have a family to feed yourself. Worse comes to worse, time to just let him go.

 

[purple_minion]

I know what he's doing he's letting all his kids and nieces and nephews play on the computer and now his network has a password on it and he can't get connected. He can't get pass that password and he doesn't want to pay me to fix it either. I've had it connected and i've shown him how to connect and walked him through it several times, but he doesn't have a clue as to what they did to it.

I'm realizing I don't really want or need to keep this guy as a customer considering he has already cost me more then what its worth. I told him a week ago that I would have to charge him if I came out.

I've always wondered how the hell these kids get into **** like this! I worked for a friend of my aunts and reinstalled windows, anti-virus, the works. A while later she calls up about an issue and I go out there again to take a look (all as the "kid who knows computers" before I decided to perhaps do it for "real"). When I show up there is a new account named "Philippines" (she's from there), a password on the bios, all kinds of **** wrong. Of course it all magicly happened by itself. I am pretty sure she or her husband didn't do it, or have the knowledge to do it. They did have limewire or whatever on it, and virus's and the works, but an account named something so specific seems very odd.

Also related is the linux computer I setup for my gf's cousin next door. Every time one of her cousin's visit with their kids, or their kids babysit the computer has SOMETHING screwed up. It's usually some damn applet that has gone missing or something, but they have to be right clicking or smashing the keyboard with their hands or something. I even lock the tray so it doesn't get accidentally removed and yet different ones happen all the time. Thank god they don't know the password to cause real issues. The most I did as a kid was "Dad my new game doesn't have sound," and that was back in the dos days so it was a little tougher.

 

[Canadian Tech]

Well as I say his kids had to of blown out his first set of speakers because they were working fine then all of a sudden the one speaker stopped working. His kids are downloading limewire and everything else

 

[ProTech Support]

I had a customer who brought in an infected machine. I cleaned the computer out, removed Limewire and some other junk with his approval (he wasn't using it, kids were) sold him Anti-Virus (he had none) and returned the PC.

A few weeks later he calls me in rage that I never actually removed the virus, his computer was running slow, and he has a ton of pop-up's. After booting his computer up, Limewire and all the other crap was back . I jogged his memory back by showing him the work order which stated I removed those programs and explained to him the kids prob. re-installed it. His response, "Well then they will be paying for it". Apparently he had them do random house work to pay-off the second repair

 

[Canadian Tech]

Yes I make sure I write down everything I did on my invoices.

 

[NYJimbo]

Kids can really ruin a computer in a few minutes if they want to.

Last fall one of my customers came into the shop with a dead desktop, he also brought his kid along "Little Johnny Psychopath". The kid was running around touching everything and asking all kinds of questions about nothing. I told him he could sit in front of the computer near the door and surf the web if that was ok with his dad.

Ten minutes later daddy leaves with his nightmare child in tow and I got a new machine to work on. About a half hour later I was walking around the shop drinking a soda, just being mellow, when I look at the PC the kid was on and I see there are two desktop icons missing. I walk to the machine and check it. He installed some kind of search toolbar, deleted two icons and downloaded some kind of game to the desktop but did not install it.

Ten minutes. If he had a half our the whole computer would have been packed with viruses and the hard drive would be in flames.

Freaking amazing.

 

[Canadian Tech]

I don't know whats worse the kids or the adults for letting them do that. You tell them until you're blue in the face but they just don't get it.

 

[usacvlr]

Although I do not go onsite, I have no patience for these type of people. If the guy is going to continue to be beligerent or abusive then dump him. Don't respond to him in any way. You did all you could. His problems are his own.

I just wanted to know how you guys would deal with a customer like this one. Here is the situation:

I installed a Belkin wireless network card for this customer on May 1, 09. A week or two later he calls to say he can't get connected to his network, so I walk him through the steps and he connects. A week ago he calls again says he can't connect again so I walk him through the steps again but this time there is a password on his network and he doesn't know what it is. I told him I could come out and look at it but I would have to charge him. He said he will try a few things and call me back if he can't get it to work. So now he calls me up last night at 7:00pm and leaves an angry message saying that the network card isn't working and i'm to call him back. Now I should mention that this guy has been trying to get free work out of me for some time and has cost me money. I had to replace a brand new pair of speakers that he bought at the same time because a week later his kids blew them out. As for the network card he has told me that it finds all of the networks in the area but can not connect because they are locked. By the way I have a 30 day return policy and he is past that time.

What would you guys do? I know what i'm going to do.

I had tried to call him this morning but got his machine instead.

 

[Blues]

I know what he's doing he's letting all his kids and nieces and nephews play on the computer and now his network has a password on it and he can't get connected. He can't get pass that password and he doesn't want to pay me to fix it either. I've had it connected and i've shown him how to connect and walked him through it several times, but he doesn't have a clue as to what they did to it.

This is why anytime I do a wireless I setup a password and give it to the user and keep a note of it till I get to cleaning up my files and decide meh no need for this its been 6 months. I usually get thier input on it if they don't then i figure something usually a default of mine which no Im not sharing. I would tell him the card is working but your network has been reconfigured you can fix that but you will have to charge if he does not wish to pay for you to fix it then there is nothing you can do.

 

[Canadian Tech]

Ok I just had the dumb A** customer admit to me that his son had played with his wireless modem/router but refused to accept blame for it. He still said there was a password on it and tried to say that I put it on there. I told him didn't and to contact the service provider who installed it. He also said he didn't have the money to have me come out and look at it. Too bad for him.

 

[Canadian Tech]

lol..thanks but he called back and said he's got the password but it still won't connect. He wanted me to walk him through on the phone to get it reconnected. I told him sorry I don't do phone support and if he wants me to come out i'll have to charge him. he said he would try on his own..lol

 

[Canadian Tech]

I guess I'm just out of practise with customers like him. I used to have to diffuse some pretty bad situations when I worked at Staples but never had a customer wanting free work. Makes me regret helping him in the first place. I'll get used to it sooner or later after all i've only been in business a year now and still learning the business side of it. Once again thanks for you help and suggestions. I'll let you know if he calls back.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

lol..thanks but he called back and said he's got the password but it still won't connect. He wanted me to walk him through on the phone to get it reconnected. I told him sorry I don't do phone support and if he wants me to come out i'll have to charge him. he said he would try on his own..lol

We have three wireless routers sitting around our shop broadcasting. If a situation exactly like yours comes up, I say its $XX.XX for an on-site or you can just come in our shop and try to connect on any of our routers to see if the cards okay. They come in, card connects fine to every network and stays connected, send them on their way. Sometimes they still want to argue, but that's the nature of the "cheap-ass get out of paying for service beast".

 

[purple_minion]

I know every customer can lead to the "big one" but isn't this why you got into business for yourself. To tell him F#$% off if you want to and not get fired? I think you've done more then enough and if he can't raise is hell spawn that's not your issue (unless he pays you every two weeks then that's GREAT.)

 

[Canadian Tech]

Yes I have a wireless setup as well but he doesn't drive and I know he wouldn't bring it because I had to go and get his systems the first time. Then I had to take them back to him. I will be surprised if he calls to make an appointment for service.

 

[seedubya]

I will be surprised if he calls to make an appointment for service.

IF he doesn't, count your blessings.

 

[Canadian Tech]

lol...exactly. I don't like to be rude but back me into a corner and i'll come out fighting. Maybe I should get one of you guys to write me a virus that will turn on in a week or two for revenge and send it to him.