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Sir, Why do you charge for your services?

Techman

Techman

New Member
I go this question today after giving a bill for $130.00 to restore a hard drive so a computer could boot again..

"Why do you charge so much services when the problem turned out to be so trivial? Something as easy to fix as what you accomplished should be FREE".

Reply:
You called me because your "real" techy could not fix it. If it was so trivial he should have fixed it faster than I did.

So, I do not fix computers for free for several reasons.
Why? First of all. 90% of the computer techs are doing this for money are better than me. So, it is not for the glory of being good at it. I do it for the challenge, to arise and overcome and solve a problem. There is no greater motivation than that. That is why I fix computers.

However, I must charge for several reasons. Knowing I charge to fix your machine will :::

(a) make sure you have exhausted all your resources trying to fix it yourself.
Then you will appreciate my time and ability more. That usually stops price questions such as yours.

(b) because fixing your machine takes out time from the other things I do for a living.

(c) Gives me an incentive to study your challenge and enhance my skills.

(d) And most importantly. To make sure I never feel unappreciated. A thank you will never suffice if I have to look at my paycheck at the end of the week and wish I had just $40 bux more after spending 3 hours fixing someone's machine for FREE.

This so applies to making a sign. We have to charge the right amount so we do not burn out and feel unappreciated. We have to make sure they understand what we do is not something any one can do.

For those of us who feel under appreciated...
Grow to be a professional. Grow some back bone. Grow bigger gonads. Stand for yourself if you feel unappreciated. Charge more for your work. Charge for all of it.

IS this the right observation?
 
L

Locals Find!

New Member
Wow! Someone actually had the nerve to say that to you?? I have never questioned my computer tech for what he charged me. Of course I have used him for over $15 years and trust him explicitly.

I know I owe him fairly for whatever he charges because, I came to him seeking his help. I apparently couldn't overcome the difficulty myself and realize he is a professional and has bills to pay the same as I do. He deserves to be paid what he asks for because, I agreed to that amount when I hired him.

Now if he just told me what is was going to cost after the fact without letting me know up front then I might question him on a bill and ask him to justify it.
 
kffernandez

kffernandez

New Member
well said.

i also repair computers as a hobby. [25 years experience/reading books] that being said, i still find it very difficult to know the right amount to charge... say, for a 5-10 min span of time that i spend troubleshooting and finding a solution for something most technicians were having problems solving.

for designing, you pretty much can have an industry wide accepted standard rate by the hour. but for troubleshooting professions such as medicine, engineering, computer tech, architecture, interior design, etc. i feel that you just have to blurt out a number and hope your reputation and output can speak for itself.

kelly
 
G

GVP

New Member
If they're unhappy with the bill, maybe you should offer to re-instate the fault and they are free to take it somewhere else!
 
jtrainor56

jtrainor56

New Member
Been in IT for 25+ years. For individuals and companies without contracts we charge $125 to $250+ an hour, higher end is for Cisco work. After hours and weekends are double those amounts. Oh yeah, plus mileage and travel time if we can't fix it remotely.
 
cdiesel

cdiesel

New Member
We love our IT guy. I'm pretty savvy, but he's awesome.

And you're absolutely right about charging what you feel you deserve and having the nuts to do it.
 
S

Salmoneye

New Member
They aren't paying you for the 5-15 minutes of work, they are paying you for the 5-15 years that you have spent learning how to do what you do (much of that not getting paid). Next time they go to the Doctor and he spends 3 minutes with them and gives them a $100 bill they should say "Hey, $40 is a fair wage today. That is $ .66 per minute x 3 minutes, = $1.98 Here sir is your check for $1.98" Not gonna happen.
 
skyhigh

skyhigh

New Member
"Why do you charge so much services when the problem turned out to be so trivial? Something as easy to fix as what you accomplished should be FREE".
Click to expand...

How trivial are we talking? The real "techie" didn't notice someone bumped the power strip off? 2 minutes of your time, or 2 hours?

Not busting on ya Tech. I actually had a customer call me because his message center wouldn't update. When I entered his office, the very first thing I noticed (before I even made it to his desk...I'm talking within 2 seconds) was the power cord was disconnected from the back of box.

I probably wouldn't have given him a bill, but I went over all the connections with him over the phone. He said everything was fine, and insisted I come out.
 
WildWestDesigns

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
skyhigh said:
I probably wouldn't have given him a bill, but I went over all the connections with him over the phone. He said everything was fine, and insisted I come out.
Click to expand...


What I have found is that most people over the phone will just say "yea, yea, yea everything is fine", just to get what they originally wanted. Which was you out there dealing with it.
 
bob

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
Anytime I encounter someone protesting that my bill seems like a lot of money for very little work I relate this story...

A businessman had a giant complex machine that performed some vital task in his business. One day the machine quit working. The businessman called a repairman to come and fix it. The repairman took a long look at the machine, pulled a tiny screwdriver from his pocket, reached inside the machine and gave one screw a half turn to the right. The machine instantly started to work once more.

The businessman asked how much he owed the repairman to which he replied "$10,000.00". The businessman, visibly irritated, asked if this was just a bit excessive for turning one screw. The repairman replied "Turning the screw was $1.00. It was $9,999.00 for knowing which screw to turn."
 
TwoNine

TwoNine

New Member
Techman said:
For those of us who feel under appreciated...
Grow to be a professional. Grow some back bone. Grow bigger gonads. Stand for yourself if you feel unappreciated. Charge more for your work. Charge for all of it.
Click to expand...

Yes, yes, yes. Tis' thy new mantra to be hailed from thine mouth!

:U Rock:
 
chrisphilipps

chrisphilipps

Merchant Member
Unfortunately this happens in every industry. I can't tell you how many times GRS gets told the same thing for repairing someone's hardware or software issues. What actually amazes me more is when people call who have never purchased a thing from you but expects to get free support because it is "easy" or "quick". There is a lot of cost and time involved in getting trained by the manufacturers of the hardware and software. Typically you are at their location for at least 3 days and you are responsible for all airfare, hotels, car rental, etc., it adds up really quickly.
 
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