Yet another customer rant.

[Athadeus]

I have found that it works better to give freebies for services that you would charge that cheaply for, and then I am often able to offer more lucrative services (to that customer or by referral) or get generous tips in the future.

 

[cubby1223]

I'm fortunate my work is mostly with businesses I've known now for anywhere from 5 to 15 years.

One customer, though, total PITA, his email wasn't working, go there and he uses Outlook Express, but Outlook was recently installed and set to be the default mail client. Switch that & everything works as it should. Get a call two days later he's yelling up a storm about how I screwed everything up, email still doesn't work... well he's trying to send a 50mb attachment. And I tell him not to do that. A week later he calls again yelling up another storm about how I screwed everything up again, his laptop has no internet access. Fine I say I'll correct this new issue for no charge, at some point he hit the keyboard shortcut to turn off the wireless card.

He's pulled a stunt like this once before making things up that I know I didn't cause.

He never pays this bill, of course. A month later he's calling up a virus got into his desktop and completely trashed the operating system! I forced him to pay the last invoice, and the costs of the new repairs before I even begin work! And he agreed! So I fix up the computer, and he's tried calling since then and I never answer when his number is on caller id, and I never return his voicemails


Sometimes you just have to let things go. Sometimes it's lost money, sometimes it opens up an opportunity in the future. Most people understand that your time is worth money and are willing to pay, can't let the deadbeats get to you. As long as you keep the person happy, the money usually works out in the long run.

 

[Tsavo]

I tried this many moons as a second source of income and gave up after 6 months because...home users are stupid and they always want freebies.

 

[RebateMonger]

I also think that it is a mistake installing x64 on computers used by Ignoramuses and especial when there is kids that use the computers too.

Agreed. It's asking for compatibility issues and gives no advantage to most customers. I'd put x32 on any PC for a client unless they specifically asked for x64 and then only if they understand the potential compatibility problems.

I sympathize with your client issue and don't have any great words of advice. Sorry.

 

[Rifter]

An OS upgrade is NEVER the answer for fixing software issues. That said, she agreed to it. The thing is, knowing she didn't have a clue, you should have stressed the potential downside.

It is if they have screwed up the current OS beyond repair and can not provide you with the OS disks that they have in their possestion from when they purchased the PC.

I would have went with 32bit though UNLESS the machine had 4GB+ of ram

 

[VirtualLarry]

An OS upgrade is NEVER the answer for fixing software issues. That said, she agreed to it. The thing is, knowing she didn't have a clue, you should have stressed the potential downside.

Why is an OS upgrade never the answer? Her OS was corrupt, and she thought it had a virus. Why wouldn't you do a re-install? Only problem, there was no Vista disc available, so I offered the next best thing, an upgrade to Win7.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Agreed. It's asking for compatibility issues and gives no advantage to most customers. I'd put x32 on any PC for a client unless they specifically asked for x64 and then only if they understand the potential compatibility problems.

I sympathize with your client issue and don't have any great words of advice. Sorry.

Well, it could have been a mistake, but only one game disc was truely incompatible. Two of the game discs had 16-bit autorun programs, but they could be accessed by going into the SETUP or INSTALL dir, and running setup32.exe directly.

So I don't see that as too much of a limitation. I admit, I probably should have been more upfront about the compatibility issues. I guess I am overzealous, installing 64-bit on all capable machines. It runs better than 32-bit, on capable software. Look at this the other way - in two years, if she's still using the computer - would it be better if she were locked out of 16-bit software, or locked out of the new 64-bit software?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Two of the game discs had 16-bit autorun programs, but they could be accessed by going into the SETUP or INSTALL dir, and running setup32.exe directly.

Expecting customers to be able to figure that out is expecting way to much from them.

in two years, if she's still using the computer - would it be better if she were locked out of 16-bit software, or locked out of the new 64-bit software?

There won't be any 64-bit-only software for consumers running Win 7, there are too many hundreds of millions of PCs out there running 32-bit versions.

64-bit-only won't happen until MS releases a Windows that is only available in a 64-bit version.

I understand wanting to give customers the best version of Windows that their PC can run, but for some people the technically best isn't best for their use of the PC.

 

[lxskllr]

There's nothing inherently wrong with offering a regular consumer a 64bit O/S, but I would have spelled out the pros and cons beforehand, given my recommendation, but then leave it up to the customer to decide.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Perhaps I should ask - for those of you that do computer service, when you do an OS re-install/format, do you also install an (unlimited) number of apps for that person too, as part of the OS re-install process? I generally charge extra for app installation, and consider the OS install job as just that - the OS only. (Will also install drivers, webcam software, and printer drivers, but as far as additional apps, no. Well, other than installing a free AV program like MSE.)

 

[lxskllr]

I don't do it for money, but if I did, I'd install what I consider mandatory for basic operation. Drivers, and A/V. I'd probably offer a package where I install my preferred open source, and freeware programs for a fixed price, and install customer programs a la carte for a price per application, or maybe done in groups. 1 title, 1 price, 5 titles at the same cost 3 would be if individual, and so on...

 

[Cerb]

Perhaps I should ask - for those of you that do computer service, when you do an OS re-install/format, do you also install an (unlimited) number of apps for that person too, as part of the OS re-install process? I generally charge extra for app installation, and consider the OS install job as just that - the OS only. (Will also install drivers, webcam software, and printer drivers, but as far as additional apps, no. Well, other than installing a free AV program like MSE.)

I install apps that likely came pre-installed (such as Office, burning suite, etc.), as part of it, then list any that I know about but did not install (usually am lacking media, a key, or something else). If it's something there are free alternatives for, like OOo (LOo?) and CDBurnerXP, I'll install and configure those, and note that they should look for their copy of the previously installed pay/OEM-provided app. If I don't install anything like that, and don't make mention of it, I hear about it later.

Educational software from the 90s? I'd want extra, for that. I've had enough issues trying to get my own older games to work (most work fine, but have 16-bit installers)...

I also desperately hope that Windows 8 will be x86_64 only.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

An OS upgrade is NEVER the answer for fixing software issues. That said, she agreed to it. The thing is, knowing she didn't have a clue, you should have stressed the potential downside.

i dont agree with this. im not in the computer repair business but in dealing with my own machines, the most reliable way to deal with a virus, spyware or a malfunctioning machine is the reinstall the os

 

[DominionSeraph]

i dont agree with this. im not in the computer repair business but in dealing with my own machines, the most reliable way to deal with a virus, spyware or a malfunctioning machine is the reinstall the os

Reinstall != upgrade.

 

[somethingsketchy]

Perhaps I should ask - for those of you that do computer service, when you do an OS re-install/format, do you also install an (unlimited) number of apps for that person too, as part of the OS re-install process? I generally charge extra for app installation, and consider the OS install job as just that - the OS only. (Will also install drivers, webcam software, and printer drivers, but as far as additional apps, no. Well, other than installing a free AV program like MSE.)

Unfortunately most users won't see it as that. When they boot into Windows they'll be expecting all of their applications to be sitting on the desktop, waiting for them to use it.

When I have to reinstall an OS, I install the applications as well. There's nothing like getting a call at 10pm, when the parents are looking for Photoshop, or where their favorites are in Firefox.

Save yourself the hassle and installing everything as one deal. It'll make it less confusing for the end user. At least that's what I've learned after re-installing my parents' computer's OS a few times.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

Reinstall != upgrade.

ok. was half asleep..