Prices Ethics

[Guts3d]

Last week I had a newly referred customer tell me that she was shown a power supply tester hooked up to her computer by a Geek Squad member and "one of the little lights wasn't working" and they told her she needed a new power supply. She brought it to me since they wanted $240 for parts and labor. I listened to ther beep code, shut it down, and re-inserted the ram that was ajar. Total cost, $25. I told her the light that wasn't showing was for legacy ISA slots, and they should have known that.

[HipHoper]

Unbelieveable S#!t.....
By the way at these work prices, I would have sent my clients to you and still make a profit. The only minor problem is the distance.....:O)

[Guts3d]

No way, I am referring some comps to a buddy right now because of the volume. I only charged $25 as it was a quick fix.

[Niclo Iste]

The Dork Patrol A.K.A. The Geek Squad stories reminded me of one that I had a few years back. I had a friend ask me to look at her computer and update her network when all was said and done it cost her about $75. She told me she was so surprised I didn't charge her more. I proceeded to ask why to which she replied "Well a month ago I took my computer in to get 256Mb of RAM at Geek Squad and they had to have the computer for 3 days and charged me for the memory and 3 hours labor". Total bill for her that they gave her was $380. The memory only cost her $60! I about fell over and she asked what was wrong I told her that I'd have installed it only for the cost of the memory and a can of mountain dew. Who the hell charges 3 hours labor for a 3 minute task of open the case pop in the ram and close the case.

[Guts3d]

To be fair, they had 3 days to get it right, it might have taken many tries to get it inserted correctly.

[arch0nmyc0n]

I had the same issue in one office. I started putting a note saying "I spit on this." My lunch never went missing again.

I had the same problem when I worked in a call center. So I put a bunch of exlax in it one day and found out who it was in no time.

Anyways, pricing... I follow mostly what Noo was saying. I price out various common tasks at fixed rates. Everything else is hourly and depends who I'm working for. If it's lilttle old grandma who gets me hot chocolate and cookies while I work on her computer then it's usually $45 an hour. If it's person who it takes 5 minutes to walk to the computer in the house then I'm charging much more. Also depends on hazard.. I remember working on a police station network where they needed some new cables run. The only way I could get them run was to put them under the floor as they wanted the jacks in the middle of the room. I looked underneith the building in the crawlspace... OMG it was NASTY... absolutely digusting... there was a broken sewer pipe spewing various human waste products through a crack... nasty nasty nasty... so I told the guy... $85 an hour up top $300 an hour underneith and I needed safety clothing provided to me....I never expected to hear back from them but they called me back and agreed because nobody else would do it. so 3 hours underneith later I walk away with $900... it took a very long shower to feel clean after that... even computers with excessive amounts of dust and dirt in them I charge them a "biohazard" fee. I also give discounts too. I do work for large bottles of booze, or even boxes of cookies (depending on the kind of cookie). There was a cancer patient I did work for and it ended up taking like 4 hours. All I charged her was a hug. If anyone asks how much I usually say $65 depending on conditions.