Payment Before or Payment After?

[TheITGuy]

Hey everyone, I've been browsing around here (remote support section) for the past day or two and it seems as though the best thing to do is to collect payment before starting any work. Which seems like common sense, thats what I would do too to insure I was paid for my work. But something just dawned upon me.

If a client is calling, most of the time they have a virus/malware/spyware of some sort correct? So isnt it a security risk to have them put in their credit card information on paypal etc if there is potentially a keylogger of some sort on the computer? And because you need the internet up the data being sent by the keylogger still has a way out. Or does everyone just have the user boot into safe mode with networking to avoid this risk? I've never done any remote support before so maybe this isnt even a problem.

 

[ArtemusComputerTechnology]

I strongly suggest purchasing these ebooks from Call That Girl especially the Guide to Remote Support

http://callthatgirl.biz/publications/

 

[callthatgirl]

Thanks for that ACT, as a tip for anyone...always secure a credit card first, then refund if necessary. Now if it's with a past client, I sometimes take it afterwards because they will pay up. Good ones will lol.

Back in the old days, I never took a card until after and never got screwed.

 

[AndyM]

Hey TheITGuy,

I'll side with Artemus, and thoroughly recommend Lisa's (callthatgirl) books. It will be the best money you have ever spent, as it will give you a LOT of advice, and steer you clear of potential pitfalls.

Andy

Hmmm.. actually, it's 50/50 on best money ever spent. You'll probably want some of Nic's (FoolishTec) tools as well.

 

[TheITGuy]

Thanks for the advice guys, as for the book thats one of the things on my list to get. Lisa's social media guide was really good too.

But I think what Im trying to ask is. When a client is entering their credit card information online (before you start the work), if there was keylogger on their system wouldn't that allow a "hacker" to easily obtain their credit card information?

 

[Coastalbendcomputers]

The way it normally works in my shop is they call in with questions about bringing it in for repair. We try to steer them towards remote support at that point we get the CC info from them over the phone and process it on our side. So they never put the info in there system. This was not by design to avoid keyloggers never really thought about it out system just evolved into this.

 

[pctutor]

I always get payment in advance for remote support. It's a good way of avoiding the moochers who want free tech support. You know, the ones that call up with a question and they're hoping you will answer it by phone for free. My standard response is, "Sure, that's something I would handle through my Remote Support service - just go to my website and click on Remote Support and you can set up an account, then we can connect by phone and get that taken care of."

They either pay and you help them, or they decide it wasn't really all that important. Either way, you can get back to making money.

Scott
ComputerTutorFlorida.com

 

[GoHighVoltage]

I always get payment in advance for remote support. It's a good way of avoiding the moochers who want free tech support. You know, the ones that call up with a question and they're hoping you will answer it by phone for free. My standard response is, "Sure, that's something I would handle through my Remote Support service - just go to my website and click on Remote Support and you can set up an account, then we can connect by phone and get that taken care of."

They either pay and you help them, or they decide it wasn't really all that important. Either way, you can get back to making money.

Scott
ComputerTutorFlorida.com

Perfectly Said Scott.

I cannot tell you how many times I had a person keep calling or constantly emailing trying to get me to tell them or walk them through repairs. I learned to end it immediately. Either you hire me, or move on.

 

[marcink99]

Most of the time I do after. Only had one instance when someone tried not to pay but after sending them a nice email they payed 8 hours later.

 

[livetech]

Pay Now or Later?

As far as collecting payment before or after a remote access session... I've tried both ways and I'm leaning more so toward collecting payment up front. If the client's computer is infected I prefer to start my session with them in safe mode anyway as far as keyloggers go. It's really tricky because you want to make sure you can establish a connection with your client before you charge them but on the other hand once you establish a connection the client doesn't want you to see their banking information.

The times that I collected the payment last, I installed a theft recovery program called Prey and if the client didn't pay, I was able to send pop up messages reminding to pay their invoice and worst case scenario lock their screen with a password. bottom line it's a gamble, I've had people calling to get service with no intentions of ever paying. So I suggest to get your money first and if you can't help them using online computer repair then give a refund.

 

[carrcomp]

The times that I collected the payment last, I installed a theft recovery program called Prey and if the client didn't pay, I was able to send pop up messages reminding to pay their invoice and worst case scenario lock their screen with a password.

Be very careful with this. Pretty sure that's not legal here, and I'd be surprised if it was legal anywhere in NA.

If you physically have the computer and you hold it that's one thing, but remotely disabling the computer seems like it could have legal implications.

 

[Instant Housecall - Corey]

I recommend taking payment during the session. Connect to your customer, take a quick look around and make sure it's something you can fix, provide an estimate and once they agree, take payment

That way, you build goodwill, you don't have to provide a refund and incur the costs that go with that, and it ensures you get paid.

 

[Gary Rockliff]

Most of the time I do after. Only had one instance when someone tried not to pay but after sending them a nice email they payed 8 hours later.

Yeah I would have to agree, I accept payment after completion. Having done remote support for the past ten years, I have never ask for payment before hand and I have never had anyone not pay me after the service has been provided. Trust is a big part of doing business.