What do you about customers that sit over you? How to make it stop?

[hightechrex]

Am i the only one who finds this extremely annoying? It's one of the main reasons I hate doing on-site repairs and avoid them as much as possible. Instead of going in another room or finding something else to do, many clients will sit there and stare at you. I've never understood why people deemed it necessary to oversee what your doing. It's usually a big distraction; they ask alot of unnecessary questions and tell their life story. I love people and consider myself a nice guy, but when I'm working I like to be left alone. Also, many don't understand the troubleshooting process so it ends up looking like you don't know what your doing.

How do you nicely ask them to give you space?
If they won't, how do you tune them out in a respectful manner?
Do most of your clients understand?

Feel free to add any other thoughts or comments.

 

[PCX]

While it may be annoying, if you are charging by the hour, then that is more money in your pocket right? If anything you can explain to the customer "While I have absolutely no problem with answering any questions you may have about the repair process, it will slow me down from doing my job and probably cost you an extra hour of your time and money" The times that I have done this, most have gotten the point and went on to do something else.

 

[Xander]

I don't make them stop. It's their computer in their home. They have every right to know what's going on. If they slow me down, that's their choice and my profit. They'll sometimes say, "You're going so fast, I can't keep up" to which I reply, "If there's anything I need you to learn, I'll slow down for you." If I'm waiting on something, I'll field questions and, if there's too many, I'll stop and turn to them to do so and ignore the computer in the meantime.

12th year doing residential calls and it's never been a problem. Ever.

 

[hightechrex]

"While I have absolutely no problem with answering any questions you may have about the repair process, it will slow me down from doing my job and probably cost you an extra hour of your time and money"

That's actually a great way to handle it. I will in my own words, use that next time I have someone standing over my shoulder.

 

[hightechrex]

I don't make them stop. It's their computer in their home. They have every right to know what's going on. If they slow me down, that's their choice and my profit. They'll sometimes say, "You're going so fast, I can't keep up" to which I reply, "If there's anything I need you to learn, I'll slow down for you." If I'm waiting on something, I'll field questions and, if there's too many, I'll stop and turn to them to do so and ignore the computer in the meantime.

12th year doing residential calls and it's never been a problem. Ever.

Thats a good way to look at it. Maybe it's just something I have to get used to. I like to be quick and efficient and any questions and discussions slow me down. Especially when I'm running on a tight schedule.

 

[Martyn]

I agree with Xander get used to it. It's their house and their computer. I chat a lot to people it's something I've done in my career and is part of the job.

 

[hightechrex]

I agree with Xander get used to it. It's their house and their computer. I chat a lot to people it's something I've done in my career and is part of the job.

I agree with that to a certain extent. But on the other side of the card I feel some space is necessary. Maybe it's just me and everyone else I know with manners, but a little space is needed. Me for example, i'll stay in the room for the safety of my home and belongings, but I won't be over your head.

 

[PCX]

I agree with that to a certain extent. But on the other side of the card I feel space is given. Maybe it's just me and everyone else I know with manners, but some space is needed. I'll stay in the room for the safety of my home and belonging, but I won't be over your head. I'm not sitting down in a chair in front of a computer for every fix. When your setting up cameras, cabling, and carrying semi-heavy object a little space isn't too much to ask for.

Yeah, I do have to agree. I was a contractor for many years and customers who wanted to watch your every move just got in the way and cost you time and money. Then again, when you are a contractor doing construction, you are typically getting paid by the job, not the hour. In any case, I do agree, it is their house and their computer and they are free (and should feel free) to watch your every move. That said, I would rather they not pull up a chair next to me and breath down my neck.

 

[hightechrex]

Yeah, I do have to agree. I was a contractor for many years and customers who wanted to watch your every move just got in the way and cost you time and money. Then again, when you are a contractor doing construction, you are typically getting paid by the job, not the hour. In any case, I do agree, it is their house and their computer and they are free (and should feel free) to watch your every move. That said, I would rather they not pull up a chair next to me and breath down my neck.

Yeah, Ill just write it off as one of those things I just have to get used to when working in people's homes or establishments.

 

[Larry Sabo]

I sometimes say, "Forgive me if I seem to be ignoring you, but I find I need to concentrate on what I'm doing. I'm lousy at multi-tasking. If two people are having a dinner conversation simultaneously, I can't follow either one of them; and it drives the wife nuts. Something to do with my Tinitus."

 

[hightechrex]

I sometimes say, "Forgive me if I seem to be ignoring you, but I find I need to concentrate on what I'm doing. I'm lousy at multi-tasking. If two people are having a dinner conversation simultaneously, I can't follow either one of them; and it drives the wife nuts. Something to do with my Tinitus."

lmao, how do people typically respond to that? I know many people who wouldn't take kindle to such a response lol

 

[Lefty]

It's not a problem for me... when I keep a conversation going with a client I treat it as an opportunity to find out what else they need and sell them more services.

On the other hand, if they instead want to be "trained", I don't point out that it will slow me down. I don't worry about it at all. In the end I bill for my time, whether it's for providing consulting services or repairing their technology.

 

[Xander]

Also, look at those little pauses while waiting on scans, reboots, etc. to build a rapport with your customer. That's what will bring them back.

Those are also good times to mention things like "Your antivirus subscription is expired..." and go for the upsell. That's a lot harder to do if you've chased them out of the room. Use those times during the call to do that rather than lose time after you're wrapping up.

 

[Rosco]

I am not a fan of this either. I used to avoid going onsite. After a while it has stopped bothering me. Some clients even say "i must be bothering you." I say this is your house/business and your computer its no bother at all. I dont even mind explaining stuff. Your in the customer service industry it goes with the territory.

 

[maclaptech]

Am i the only one who finds this extremely annoying?

Feel free to add any other thoughts or comments.

I actually don't mind it as long as they are not physically over my shoulder the whole time. I am OK if they are sitting at the table and talking. This happens a lot when I am fixing iPads at customer location. They like to see what is inside.

 

[Peaceful]

I don't mind the watching, long as they are quiet about it. Constant questions distracts me terribly. I get extreme tunnel vision when working and inevitably everything they do ask, I have to get them to repeat it because I have them totally tuned out.

If they are watching, I figure they're genuinely interested so I try to tell what and why as I go along which somewhat helps minimize the disruptive questions when I'm elbow deep in a desktop or whatever.

 

[Disposable_Me]

I like having people to talk to while I work. Then I get to poke at all the things that make their computer slow: "Oh look you have 27 startup programs", "Look at all these services you have running you don't need", "Well I just got you a free 10gb of space from junk in temp folders"

Those customers end up being the most loyal, in my experience. You get to strut your knowledge, and they get to see how their computer actually works. I just tell them before hand, "Yea this is probably gonna take 20 minutes" or something when doing updates or spyware scans so I don't have bored people over my back watching me watch a progress bar.

 

[glricht]

I don't make them stop. It's their computer in their home. They have every right to know what's going on. If they slow me down, that's their choice and my profit. They'll sometimes say, "You're going so fast, I can't keep up" to which I reply, "If there's anything I need you to learn, I'll slow down for you." If I'm waiting on something, I'll field questions and, if there's too many, I'll stop and turn to them to do so and ignore the computer in the meantime.

12th year doing residential calls and it's never been a problem. Ever.

+1

If you charge by the hour (and you should be for on-site work), then what's the problem if conversing with them adds more time? I've got a LOT of loyal customers because they like that I tell them what I'm doing, make it understandable, answer questions and give advice if asked.

People skills are very important when working onsite and being able to multi-task between troubleshooting the PC and talking with the customer is almost a requirement.

Been doing onsite for almost 10 years and I've gotten to where if the customer doesn't stay I almost feel lonely.

 

[JustCallMePirate]

I have noticed that when I do On-Site Repairs it is usually because the client has something on their computer they don't want others to see. Most others rather have me take it and repair it knowing it would be cheaper.

Ex - One client ran a tax service from home and had socials and what not on his computer he just didn't trust me or people working on his computer without him supervising.

So I just bite the bullet and deal with it, although I hate it dearly as well, makes me nervous, I get brain farts, its just very unpleasant.

 

[Rob_NNCC]

We do abstract work. How often have you had to go all over the place and spend over an hour getting rid of a simple looking error? "I just want that button to work, can't you fix it quick?"

If you don't let them watch, they won't know what you had to go through to fix it (if they care) and that will make you less trustworthy. Besides, who here has stuff on their computer that you don't want other people to go through?

I second (or third) that you want the customer to know what you did, so you can ask them questions and let them know what you are doing. It will make you more memorable, more trusted and more confident.

The only time I do not like a customer breathing down my neck is if I have to remove/get to the motherboard in a laptop I have not taken apart yet (or similar model. More so if it is on site.)