Charge Fee's?

[waynejkruse10]

i didnt know you did it as a full time job, since you need to make a living out of it harper, im sorry. Obviously i didnt see if from your perspective.

 

[Harper]

i didnt know you did it as a full time job, since you need to make a living out of it harper, im sorry. Obviously i didnt see if from your perspective.

I can under stand that when I was your age to. I used to do quick $20 to $50 fix me up for people when I was still in TAFE.

But now it very much different when it's it your full time job.
There is some days i wonder why I still do it?
I love computers, but I hate the industry that I am in.

I does piss me off as people have this perspective that computer are easy. And that they will easly pay the plumber or electrian for there time. And yet when it comes down to Computer Techies, that is a different story. If I get any problems there, I do ask them
"If you power went out, would you pay the electrian to fix it?"
and if they continue
"If this job was 'so simple', then why did you have to call me?"
I normally get my money after this.

The other types that I hate are the ACCOUNT CUSTOMERS. They are normally the Realestate or Medicial Centers or Schools and another medium business that requires you to wait up to 90 days in order to get payment. It's not too bad when I when it's just a labor, but if I have to get in parts. (Eg. Setting up a server or high end network lazer printer) that really screws me over as I am normally stuck paying my supplier (Largest credit terms I have wit any one is 6 week provided I order at the beginning of the month) before i see a red cent from my customer.

I do worry the day that the goverment desides and make COMPUTER TECHIES liecenced (Like plumbers, sparkies, and few other trades people). They all ready to that for CABLE LAYING. So why should computer techies be different?
I hope that does not happen any time before I retire.

However i am rather neogable. Like if some is going to be a big job, I do try to see what is going to be the most cost effective way of doing it. Like I might see a client in the afternoon. I find out that their OS needs to be installed. I will offer to take the computer home with me and install Windows at a cheaper price ($50) while i am cooking dinner for myself.

Personally i don't like any basic repair job to go over $350 as that is the price of a new entry level PC. And if the person is better off getting a new / refurbished PC, I will just tell that to them up front.

 

[southernlady]

REPAIRS / VIRUS REMOVAL
ON-SITE :- AU$80+GST per man-hour. First hour is chargable. After that I charge $20+GST for every 15 minute block afterwords.
If I am desperate, I will go down to $60 per hour with $15 per 15 minute block after the first hour.

And it's rates like that that keep the volunteer forums in business. Forums like this one (altho we don't have any help to speak of), and the many others that I could list. If you google the word "security forum" you come up with 593,000.

This thread has been interesting since I am going to be doing outside security work and haven't figured out what to charge yet. I do my work here free of charge. Liz

 

[Harper]

This thread has been interesting since I am going to be doing outside security work and haven't figured out what to charge yet. I do my work here free of charge. Liz

e-security is a spot where you can make good money on. the only problem is, what legally happens when to YOU if some thing goes wrong.

you might want to get some public liability insurance if you are working for yourself.

Unfortunalty, setting up a computer repair business is not as simple as setting up that street corner lemonaide stall.

 

[TheMajor]

I help for free. Just post on TF.

 

[Shumway]

Thank's for the input guy's,do any of you know any good software for making up some flyer's,i just want something i can use to put a nice pic or something on it beside's all the service's and fee's.

 

[Harper]

I would try to avoid putting your service fees on the actual fliers. Let them actually call you.
Otherwise, you will get some other git that value's his time less than you cutting your rates.

Also it gives you the opportunity to be flexible with the rates. Like your rates on a desktop pc and a server are not going to be the same.

It's better to concentrate on the services that you can provide. You could ad lines like "NO FIX, NO CHARGE." One of my competitors does that.

I help for free. Just post on TF.

I don't mind helping out for free on TF as I do ask the TF to help me out from time to time.
However, at the end of my day, I still need to put food on my table.