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This is very long and involved and I’ll understand if no one reads it but I would like some input on this situation.
I been working on this pc for a long time now. Originally it only booted to desktop. Anything else you clicked on came up ‘explorer caused an illegal operation’. You couldn’t open anything. I couldn’t even run a windows recovery install on it.
Tried scanreg/restore. Failed.
Tried scanreg/fix. After an hour it said fixed but same problem remained.
Tried to run windows install from dos but my win98SE disk said was newer version.
So tried my win98FE. It still said it was a newer version that what was installed.
Guess Compaq makes their own windows versions now.Before I go any further should say system is as follows:
Compaq Presario 5253
433mhz
64megs SDRAM
10Gig hard drive split for sys save.
7G on main drive but over 5G used up on all kinds of dumb programs like Gator and Bonzi and all other kinds of stuff that wiggles and flashes and desktop backgrounds that change every time you boot. Took about 15 minutes for it to boot fully.
DVD and CD-RW installed but she never backed up one thing. She only used it for copying audio cd roms.I told her I would do what I could but I would have to charge her $100 for a full format/reinstall. She said she couldn’t afford it and to try and get it running for her.
Being none of my windows disks worked I had to dig my way into the:
C:\windows\options\cab folder and found the setup.exe file and ran it from there in dos mode.
Took 3 times of installing windows to get it to even operate.
I told her don’t waste any time. Get in there and back up anything you want to save. Then I would do a deltree and remove windows & program files, then reinstall windows. It would be up to her to reinstall all her programs. She agreed. I agreed if this was all I had to do I would only charge $50 for full job of removing windows and reinstalling windows.
A week later (after she put all her pictures on floppy disks instead of cd roms) I went back and took out windows and reinstalled it.
She paid me $50.
A few days later she said it was acting up and her AOL wouldn’t work and that was all she wanted to work was her AOL so she could get her mail.
I agreed to run the restore (assuming this was not a problem I created and there would be more pay in it for me). First time I ran the restore it backed it up from the sys save drive. After 3 hours of formatting and installing the computer booted into the original corrupted version of windows that I had removed a few weeks back.
So had to use win98 Boot disk and remove partitions forcing restore disk to install new copy from cd rom.
Another 3 hours of creating partitions and formatting. It did everything and booted to desktop fine. But didn’t put the modem driver in. Compaq forgot to put the modem driver for her modem on the restore disk.
I told her I would come back with the driver after I downloaded it.
In the mean time I was told she had someone else in there putting her modem in.
That told me I wasn’t needed anymore. That she got it fixed because that was all that was left to do on it was the modem.
My job there was done.
After calling her and not being able to get through because someone hooked up her fax machine or her modem to her main phone line instead of her computer line I sent her a nasty send off email telling her how she ripped me off for all the work I did not get paid what the job was worth.
Last week she calls again and said she never got the email because she switched to ATT Broadband cable internet but can’t get her mail because she never used IE before and could I come fix it and show her how to get her mail?
I went two days ago.
Renamed icons: CLICK HERE FIRST/CLICK HERE SECOND for her ATT & IE. Made shortcut to mailbox.
Configured her email to just how she wanted it. Installed PC_CILLIN98 + 3 or 4 other programs.
Installed about 30 songs into a screen saver program.
Set up her printer because she said that wasn’t working either.
Taught her how to use IE and Outlook Express.
Took about 2 ½ hours for all this, and this was in no way connected to first repair job I did.When I was done she said: Oh thank you so much, have a nice day, good-bye.
Then last night she had the nerve to email me and say someone couldn’t reply back to her email and could I help her? They couldn’t reply because it was set up for her reply email address to look like this:
"pugching@attbi.com" , ATT_ERROR_MESSAGE_ATTACHED.
I couldn’t send it back either till I edited the garbage out from around the email address.I sent her a very formal email asking her to remove all address/email address/phone numbers of mine from her database because I already have removed her from everything and blocked the address. Today she sent me 3 forwards from her AOL address because I forgot to block that one.
Ok, guys and gals, what would you do in this situation and how would you handle it? I need your advice badly here. I’m counting on you all.
Terri
First of all ,To get screwed once shame on you ,But to get screwed over twice shame on you both! Get your money and RUN....
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Just let it die unless you want to remain married to her. Chalk it up to experience. Next time go with your gut. You can always turn jobs down. people sense when you're hungry and take advantage.
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First off I would have given her a written estimate of work to be done and cost up front, upon her agreeing by signature I would have fixed the system as specified on the written document no more no less, had her sign off as complete with no warranties expressed or implied on the document with exception to main operating system; All tweaks or changes to configuration would void warranty. If she wanted additional items accomplished once again a new estimate
Specifically stating what is to be done, hours labor etc, and signed. Etc Etc. The bottom line is repairing systems without the written word is not worth the paper it is not written on. If you have a fair customer you will be paid for your time based upon the written estimate. If they do not want to sign or pay what you request, Bye, bye. I have done a lot of freebies which have benefited me with more training and or tools for future use, but for most part the written rule applies.
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Basically I figured I wasn't getting any more money out of her. I just wanted to get her out of my life. I just want to know what the pc techs/hobbyists would of charged in this same situation. I am looking to find what I should of gotten for a paid fee on this complete job. I have already written it off and chalked it up to experience and NO I will never work on her pc again even if she pays me up front. I just wanted to know what I should of gotten is all.
Thanks again.
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But she is the only mother you have and Mother's day is coming.
Tell her nicely that you have wasted too much non-compensated time and suggest she find another or even recommend a shop to her.
Then cut and run.
Never burn your bridges because you never know...
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The basic cost is around 50-60 and hour in California. So compute your time based upon the hours and I believe you are out of some pretty good money.
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Forgive me but this is not my mother! My mother pays me well! During this same time I was working on this lady's computer my mom's crashed. I gave my mom my 20G hard drive(which incidentally she bought for me a couple years ago), and my mom gave me $300 to replace my hard drive with a 40G and to install the 20G in my mom's pc and run the HP restore disk on it. Then a week later I put a stick of pc133/128meg SDRAM in my mom's pc. She knew I got it for nothing and just didn't have any more room in my pc for it. She paid me $40 for installing it in her pc because she knew I could of sold it for that price. I didn't do 1/10 of the work on my mom's pc that I did on that other lady's. So you see my mom is not the lady I am talking about. My mom is the best mom in the world, and I'm sure she's gonna pop in here and see this. So thanks mom for being so GREAT at being my mom.
Terri
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Go with John's advice, I charge 60 an hour for basic service and if they want home networking I normally jack the rates up to 80 and hour. I also let them know up front that I charge 2 hours minimum, and bill in half hour incriments after that, and that they pay for parts up front. You may run some people off by doing this, but you wouldn't want to work for them anyways.
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Thanks. That was the information I was looking for JohnT and Geek. I just wanted to know how much money I got screwed out of.
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Dang, I wish I had more customers like your mom! I've been overcompensated on a few occasions, but not like that.
I charge based on an hourly rate, and I always let my customers know the rate before I start. If I do all the work at the customer's site, I generally charge for the whole time, but if I take their machine home to work on it, I'm much more lenient. At home I can watch TV, listen to music, etc., while working on a PC, so I estimate my time fairly conservatively. If I have to go back to fix something that I created, I charge nothing, and if in the process I learn something I didn't know before, I figure I came out way ahead. I've never had a bad experience like you describe, but if that had happened to me, I would just chalk it up as a learning experience. In retrospect, you should have let her know each time you went over to work on a new problem that it would cost her, but that's in the past. Live and learn!
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What can I say Brent? She's my mom, and she is the greatest. I already bought her her mother's day present a couple months ago. She was saying she couldn't see all the screen on her games she plays so when I went to the computer show I picked her up a used 17" monitor. She told me I didn't have to do it but didn't turn it down either. And she hangs out here too. Any time there is anything good going down she emails me to come look at it before Justin pulls it.
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How to charge:::
Time+Materials.
Estimates are what they are. An estimate. If you go a little over....You charge a little over. If you go way over....Call em up and have them agree to it first.Family:::
Send them to a qualified person you know or do it for free.
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Thanks to all. I know to put things in writing now. And don't let "friends" take advantage of you. Mainly if it is a computer client, don't let them make friends. Keep it strictly business.
Thanks again for all the input.
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It sounds like you're better off to not work on that lady's computer anyway. Sounds like she just needs lessons in how to use a computer. Some people just like to keep changing things that they don't understand and when they mess it all up they expect to get it fixed for nothing.
When I work on other people's computers I try to keep it cheaper than the shops around here. I really got stung on repairs on my first computer and I swore I would never pay to get one fixed again.
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llthrash, you are exactly right. She must of had about 15 things across her task bar that were useless. She still had stuff there from Compaq and it has been out of warrenty for over 3 years now. She just keeps installing and installing stuff, and now she got cable modem hooked up to it and I'm sure with me not around to guide her AOL will talk her into getting the DSL modem too from them. AOL said they can't offer her cable but htey can offer her the DSL modem and they are playing on the fact that AOL is the only internet service she ever used so she won't want to change. Won't that be nice? Cable and DSL both from 2 different companies paying 2 different internet bills. Honestly I know she screwed me out of good $500 (now that I've got calculations to work from) but like I said I'll just chalk it up to 'live & learn'. I'm just glad to not have to worry about her calling and say Terri come help me and fix this for me anymore. And to boot I sent her the link to this post. Just to make sure she knows I mean business. I don't want any parts of her computer anymore. I wrote her a very formal send off message telling her she needed to find a reputable computer repair shop. I know she'll need one soon. I even thought about sending her a virus, but I can't even do that. I put PC_CILLIN98 on her computer. Oh well, live and learn....
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Im not a PC tech but i know the feeling of "just one more thing". Im a drag and drop programmer for home automation company. I decide what button does what/when and for how long. As an example Initially i ask the client to choose lighting schemes. Home/away/entertain etc. When one of these buttons is pressed a different pattern of lights switch on. Once the programming is done we ask them if they would like any changes and we make them free of charge. We let them try it out for a while but After that....$$$$. My employer learned his lesson along time ago after giving away 100,000 worth of programming because he would just say "OK". Now he makes us video tape everything we do and audio record any changes to be made along with a change order ticket and a signature.
If you tell people up front that it will cost extra if they change there mind or add something they usually decide things are good the way they are or If they decide they want the change they already know they have to pay for it. You will find most people fit into one of those categories and you wont have any problems.
Most people think of things one dimensional. They say add or remove a light switch or in your case a program and they think your just moving icons around for them. They dont realize the work involved in the process.
You mention cable dsl and aol? I have a client who has cable from at&t dsl from ameritech and a dialup compuserve account. He pays compuserve $22.00 a month because he likes the browser. He connects to compuserve thru the dsl. I tried to explain to him that IE has a favorites list and an email button but hes set in his ways because CS told him it was a good idea. He likes the "would you like to buy me" pop ups when he launches it. Go figure. Im not involved with his LAN at all. Our company doesnt do networks. One day he asked me if i could show him how to set it up so he could pick DSL or Cable from desktop shortcuts. !!! What?
Ok im calm now.... Good luck terri.
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Well gee ShutMeUpOrDown:), you just put what this lady wanted in a nutshell. She had always used AOL so never learned how to use IE. I only learned how to use IE so I could help my mom. And from reading the above posts you can see why I take care of mom. Anyway she couldn't use IE and had no idea of where to look for her mail. I had to go in and configure every inch of her email setup. That along with everything else I did that took 2 1/2 hours to complete. And I guess because she told me she couldn't afford a full format I was just supposed to throw all repairs/upgrades in that came after that for free. There comes a point when you have to put your foot down and say NO MORE. Well that time was two days ago after I spent 2 1/2 hours in front of her pc configuring anything and anything she wanted/needed with the assumption I was to be paid for my services. That was the straw that broke the camels back when she said Oh thank you, have a nice day, bye now, see you later. I'll never go back even if she would offer to pay me everything I feel my work was worth. I'm just glad I have friends here I can release my hostilites on. Thanks for listening guys/gals.
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Terri,
I'm glad to be your mother and will always be here for you and your family,being that your brother is in Texas and your neice is in Mich.,who else would i help.Don't forget that your neice is the one thats been paying for my internet for 3 years and also bought my computer for me.
Love Ya
Mom
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Thanks mom. I knew you'd find this post sooner or later. I just couldn't sit by and let that person tell me I should treat my mother better because it soon will be Mother's Day and I only have one Mother. I bet their mother doesn't hang out with them on any message board or write to their friends. Thanks again for being such a great mom.
Love Ya,
Terri
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You both are sweet, it is nice to brighten the day with expressions of love and kindness, thanks for being what life is all about...........
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