Comments on: Help! I do tech support for everyone I know!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Jan 2003 18:05:12 +0000

I don’t mind helping out the occasional family member but I make it abundantly clear that I will get to it when I have spare time. I also tell them to bring their machine. I’m not going to them to fix it. If I see that it will take more than an hour to fix, I’ll tell them take it to a computer repair place and pay a professional to fix it.

Of course, if you really want to drive the point home to them, get one of those ThinkGeek “No, I will not fix your computer” T-shirts.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/frustrations/388b/

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Jan 2003 20:32:43 +0000

Me-- "Sure, I'd be happy to help you with the problem with your x,y,z computer. My hourly rate is $150, and I can get to you for an hour three Tuesdays from now."

"What? You need it sooner? Well, my rush rate is $250 an hour, and I can fit you in tomorrow."

"What? $250/hour is too expensive? Ok. YOU tell me what you think is fair compensation for my time"

"Oh? You'll go to x,y,z for technical support? Well, I think you're making a mistake... But good luck"

Either that, or every time they have a problem, listen to whatever problem they have and then say in a cheerful voice "I know the exact solution. Install Linux." After a while they'll start shutting up.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Jan 2003 15:48:50 +0000

I just send them to Richard Jobity. LOL!

Seriously... I just tell them that if it's serious enough for them to bring their machine to me, then I'll look at it. If it's a software issue, and it requires a lot of my time (more than 1 hour), they will be charged.

It's amazing what people will do to avoid unplugging their machines and transporting them. To date, after taking this approach, I have only seen 3. Of the 3, only one required more than an hours work.

The rest, I suspect, are posting questions to Richard... :)

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Jan 2003 14:01:37 +0000

Thanks for the excellent suggestions Dave. I have been trying to figure out how to extricate myself from such a tech support situation.

And of course, I fell compelled to add, this is one of the many reasons I don't have a cell phone.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Jan 2003 11:37:57 +0000

Wow.

All good suggestions.

The one thing I would change is that I would use Spybot Search and Destroy (instead of AdAware) in a search for spyware nasties. AdAware and its signature file haven't been updated since September, and version 6 isn't due out until later this year.

One other thing I don't do anymore is troubleshoot pirated software. This is non-negotiable, and actually increases my leisure time. I simply point them to open source alternatives or, if I feel generous, give them a CD with GPL software for Windows. This one, at http://gnuwin.epfl.ch/ .

As for IE troubleshooting, they seem to disappear once I show them the glories of ad blocking and tabbed browsing in Mozilla/Phoenix. I expect this to continue after I show them Moz spam filtering.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Jan 2003 08:38:31 +0000

Heh. I found another excellent solution to these problems. Of course it is always hard to turn down "support calls" from immediate family, but friends of friends, people at work, etc, I found an ideal solution: I tell them that I take money for my work. This usually ticks people off but I am quick to remind them that solving their computer problems is done in my own free time, which isn't entirely my free time since I got a wife and a kid that also want a part of my free time. I also remind them that I am taking my work with me home which isn't popular with anybody I know of :-)

The result is that most people say they understand and don't bother me no more and others acutally pay for my services, even though that group is a minority.

/Dave T.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Jan 2003 01:25:04 +0000

For the rest of us, handing the supplicant a copy of “Optimizing Windows…” with a get back to me when you’ve tried this was an occasionally useful strategy – as can be referring folks to the “how to ask for help” advice on the web.