What do you charge to reset a login password?

[MobileTechie]

Although I will make sure I am late for the next appointment.

Then you lose both ways. You either need to be tough or soak it up and make him happy. Making him unhappy achieves nothing.

 

[gikstar]

Then you lose both ways. You either need to be tough or soak it up and make him happy. Making him unhappy achieves nothing.

I agree, don't stoop to his level, remain professional and "Just charge him extra next time and so quote it on your billing"! You do have a 'no show' fee don't you?

 

[atlanticjim]

What program do you use to change the password?


Do you crack it with Rainbow Tables or OphCrack?

or do you Change it with something like the ERD boot disc?

I have been using PCLoginNow. It seems to load pretty fast and has a pretty GUI . If I am working in front of a client I use NTOffline to make it look more "geeky".

 

[xboxhaxorz]

i would charge $50 and maybe more for a bios password

 

[parker.casey]

I really wish I was more strict with my fees in this regard from the beginning. A few customers just take the weewee, like the one which was a no show to tonight. As usual as I was nice and polite with him......

Although I will make sure I am late for the next appointment.

That's like a cat pooping in your slippers... passive aggressive?

 

[Steve202]

How many other traders or professions will stop what they are doing, drive to your house to do a job for less than a 1 hour fee? I can't think of many. Quite how it's become the norm in domestic computer repair I don't know.

It's not just 15 mins of your time when you think about it. You also can't work for maybe an hour if it takes you 15 mins to get there, 15 mins there and 15 back + paperwork. One way or another you've lost that time.

Generally I don't stop what I'm doing when the phone rings and go straight out. If I done that, I would never get anything done on the machines I've got at the workshop.

I always book people in for the following day and arrange them in such a way that I don't have to drive miles between customers. Combine that with an average 5 minute drive between my workshop and 90% of my customers, I'm not really losing time.

Every area is different and I know for a fact if I charged someone for a full hour and I was only onsite for 15 minutes, they will tell me to naff off and they'd go down the road to the pizza tech.

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

I charge $49.95 in shop and 69.95 onsite.

 

[iisjman07]

Thinking about making an exception on the pricing structure for password removal. We have a standard repair fee which might seem a bit expensive for a simple password removal.

 

[MobileTechie]

Thinking about making an exception on the pricing structure for password removal. We have a standard repair fee which might seem a bit expensive for a simple password removal.

Maybe but why is it too expensive?

If it's because you cannot get this sort of work because your competition is both much lower and widely marketed then that is a good reason.

If it's because the job only takes a few mins then I don't believe it is. From their point of view, you're a life saver. I don't think I ever get as much thanks from a happy customer as when I reset passwords. They think it's worth every penny. And I agree. if they knew how to do it then they'd do it, just like I'd do my own car. I don't so I pay £80/hr for some guy to do it - including jobs that no doubt take him minutes.

 

[iisjman07]

Maybe but why is it too expensive?

If it's because you cannot get this sort of work because your competition is both much lower and widely marketed then that is a good reason.

If it's because the job only takes a few mins then I don't believe it is. From their point of view, you're a life saver. I don't think I ever get as much thanks from a happy customer as when I reset passwords. They think it's worth every penny. And I agree. if they knew how to do it then they'd do it, just like I'd do my own car. I don't so I pay £80/hr for some guy to do it - including jobs that no doubt take him minutes.

Fixed repair price is £59.95, which I would deem perfectly reasonable for something like an OS reinstall, but too much for a password removal. A customer came in recently asking how much we'd charge - he'd been into a local Polish shop which is basically a pizzeria, and they said 'it takes 10 minutes so we charge £10'.

 

[Mr.Mike]

If it's because the job only takes a few mins then I don't believe it is. From their point of view, you're a life saver. I don't think I ever get as much thanks from a happy customer as when I reset passwords. They think it's worth every penny. And I agree. if they knew how to do it then they'd do it, just like I'd do my own car. I don't so I pay £80/hr for some guy to do it - including jobs that no doubt take him minutes.

I'd have to go with MobileTechie on this entire thread. The issue is: Happy Clients!. Sure I may charge for a whole hour for less than an hour's work, but when I consistently deliver exactly what the client needs, time and again, I find they are quite willing to pay my fee. Your expertise is a precious commodity to your client. As long as you never abuse their trust, you've done well and should make a decent living.

 

[MobileTechie]

Fixed repair price is £59.95, which I would deem perfectly reasonable for something like an OS reinstall, but too much for a password removal. A customer came in recently asking how much we'd charge - he'd been into a local Polish shop which is basically a pizzeria, and they said 'it takes 10 minutes so we charge £10'.

I think there is a different dynamic in shops. You're there anyway working on other stuff so it's not like a call out, so I can see a reduction working. However I don't think I'd be shooting as low as the local Polish pizza shop.