When people call you and tell you their internet is not working...

[Arcadio]

Do you tell them over the phone to unplug the modem, wait, then connect again?

Do you do that to everyone who calls with the same problem, or just known clients, or to nobody? Do you charge for it if it solves the problem?

I ask because most internet problems can be solved that way, and I really don't like going to a client's place, doing something that takes 1 minute, and charging for the whole thing.

I suggest that option only to known clients. I don't charge for such a small thing. What's your opinion?

 

[cmonova]

My only difference is I don't just do it with "known" clients. If I talk to someone and they can comprehend doing exactly what you described I have them do it. To me it pays off in the long run. If they are known or not and that resolves the problem you just got a customer for life. Other side of it is go to their location and do it yourself (thinking the whole time you probably could of had them do it themselves).

 

[TimeCode]

My only difference is I don't just do it with "known" clients. If I talk to someone and they can comprehend doing exactly what you described I have them do it. To me it pays off in the long run. If they are known or not and that resolves the problem you just got a customer for life. Other side of it is go to their location and do it yourself (thinking the whole time you probably could of had them do it themselves).

Ditto. I've had people call me months or even a year later because I gave them some free advice and it created a level of trust with that person in just a few minutes. It's easy, free and you have a lot more to gain in the long run than just the initial service price.

 

[bagellad]

I guess it depends how busy you are, honestly I dont really understand this guilt for charging for little things you just fill up the hour. I had a week where most of my customers were based on them accidentally turning off their laptop's wireless with the switch and I had no problem charging them and filling up the rest of the hour.

 

[scoop818]

If I look back over the years I've been in business and add up all the free advice I have given to random callers or current clients, it would be worth at least 6 months income.

I have learned to be carefull about giving away the milk for free. Its one thing to do it occasionally for clients or callers every now and then, but when its obvious that people only want to take advantage of you, you have to put a stop to it.

How many times can you call your attorney with random questions and expect not to get billed for it, once maybe twice. After that you can bet the bills will start rolling in for ".3 hours- phone call to discuss...". Its only fair Im calling them for their expertise.

We have to keep in mind, that what seems like quick and simple solutions to us are not so quick and simple to the questioner. If your internet is down and you dont know how to fix it, and I tell you how to do it in five minutes, I have solved your problem. I provided you a service, should you pay for that?

 

[Cue]

How many times can you call your attorney with random questions and expect not to get billed for it, once maybe twice. After that you can bet the bills will start rolling in for ".3 hours- phone call to discuss...". Its only fair Im calling them for their expertise.

Please dont put us in the same catagory as blood sukers

I give out free advice like candy
Most people that call me in need of help and don't want me to come around simply don't have the money for it.
No one wants to fix his computer themselves, they do it because they have to.

Times are hard now (at least here in Iceland), I like to think that I am making a contribution to help us get out of this s**t hole.

 

[scoop818]

Cue,

I respect your position, and believe me I realize that times are hard, but I guess it bothers me that people are sometimes not considerate of our time and realize that we are running a business.

 

[Kenhelms]

you can look at it two ways:

it might just be a simple modem reset to you,
but to them, its lack of internet and perhaps business.
So you can charge without feeling guilty that way.

Or

Its a simple modem reset, that would put you in a akward position doing infront of the customer and charging for anyway. Most clients are not totally inept, it can leave a bad impression if you come, fix it by a power cycle and charge them, most would know that you could have just told them to do it in person. So you can relay the free advice, and get a respected view from the client and repeat business/word of mouth.

Me personally, I never charge for that simple little stuff. Most people know that you can only play the free card for so long.

 

[ITG Tech]

Following along with ACG, If you don't value your time, expertise, and experience, why should others.

 

[noah]

When I get that call I ask them who their ISP is and what the lights on the front of the modem are doing. I have them power cycle to see if their ability to connect changes.

If their lights say they should be connected and still can't, we book an appointment.

If their lights say they are not connected then I tell them to call their ISP first.

It takes them a minute or two power cycle.

Am I understanding that some of you would just book an appointment without asking any basic questions? What do you do if you get out there and it's an ISP issue?

 

[noah]

I bill them for my time, and tell them they can try and collect that from the ISP. After all, it's not my fault the ISP can't keep their act together. Why should I pay for their mistakes?

I can understand billing for your time if you go out there. What I am wondering, and I may have phrased it wrong, is do you all ask basic questions about their modem before booking?

If you do not ask them questions then you are basically going on site with the possibility of saying "Oh, your lights are out on the modem. That'll be $x.xx. Call your ISP"

You could have determined that on the phone and directed them to their ISP first.

 

[noah]

And loose out on a sale? No thanks. I am in business to make a profit, not give away things for free. I have a family to feed, and people who depend on me. But to each their own, I ask some basic questions first, so I Know what I am up against when I get out on site.

So am I understanding you right? In those basic questions they say their modem lights were out, you still book an appointment and charge them for telling them their lights are out?

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

If its a known good customer, I'll help them out. Otherwise it is purely determined on a case by case basis. Point is some of you look at it that you help 10 people out for free, its earns you 1 good paying client then its worth it. But how much is it costing you when the other 9 people call back and try to haggle you because you helped them out once? How about if its only even 3 out of the 9 that call back wanting another freebee? I'm a pretty good judge of character after spending x amount of years doing phone tech support on top of how many years fielding service calls that I have a good ratio of sifting out the freeloaders. The best thing is tell them your rates and listen to hear if they squirm or not.

 

[noah]

Yes, because that is not a tell tale sign that it's an isp problem. It could be internal wiring, power issues, etc etc. With my isp, if you call them, they come out, and find it's a problem inside of your house with anything but their hardware, they charge you.

It may not be %100 tell tale but based on the modem status you have a pretty good idea of who they should call first. Their ISP has more info than we do for some aspects of their connection.

It just seems that booking it regardless of what you know would set you up for someone being annoyed if you can't do anything but charge them anyway.

 

[noah]

I have never had a business client be annoyed yet, and this has happened a few times. They understand better than a home user. Time is money. I will say this though, I will offer the client my time to call the ISP, verify, and setup their call out. I don;t just run out there and say "yep, internet is down" and leave.

Ah. OK. Business clients I fully understand that your eyes are needed on site almost no matter how small an incident since it's a revenue generating system.

For residential, I was getting the impression that your were saying "yep, internet is down" and leaving and it had me wondering WTF are you serious?

 

[angry_geek]

I don't mind answering a quick question over the phone for a good client or from someone referred from a client. If I judge the call is going to take longer than a minute or two, I tell them they need to schedule an appointment.

 

[msherman]

Haha, no, not even I could do such a thing like that. I will ask them some basic questions, and depending on their answers, will determine if I tell them to call the isp, or have me come do it. I tell them ahead of time that if I come out, I have to charge. I will not spend more than 2 minutes on this over the phone.

Since we primarily service business clients, we don't have this issue many times.

LOL! I was thinking the same thing. "Damn! ACG is one stone cold SOB!".

 

[red12049]

And loose out on a sale? No thanks. I am in business to make a profit, not give away things for free. I have a family to feed, and people who depend on me. But to each their own, I ask some basic questions first, so I Know what I am up against when I get out on site.

So I guess if you made an appointment with your mechanic and he opened the hood, looked at your car and said "nope.....you have to go to the dealer for that", and then charged you an hours' labor, that would be ok also?

FWIW, I was born and grew up on Long Island..... There are other ways to live life and do business, pay your bills, and feel good at the end of the day. If I spend an hour a day helping 10 people regain their internet by cycling their modems, or point them to their ISP for what they need, even if I never hear from ANY of them again (which is rare) I've done my good deed for the day, set a good example for my employees and can go to sleep feeling ok about myself and the world.

Rick

 

[red12049]

I don't mind answering a quick question over the phone for a good client or from someone referred from a client. If I judge the call is going to take longer than a minute or two, I tell them they need to schedule an appointment.

Ok,I owe you an apology for my last post....Next time I'll read the WHOLE thread before I post....

Rick

 

[SOHO-NZ]

So I guess if you made an appointment with your mechanic and he opened the hood, looked at your car and said "nope.....you have to go to the dealer for that", and then charged you an hours' labor, that would be ok also?

Maybe not, but if your mechanic left his place of work, drove in his car to your home or business and told you ti take it to the dealer, then would you still expect that to be free? I think 1 hour is quite reasonable.