The family tech-support guy

Why is it, when you spend your whole life geeking away at computers until you reach that point where you know so much about them that it frightens you to hear yourself talk; or even if you are new to the field, having just completed the most comprehensive course at CHUBB or some such school; or you've been in the field a few years, just got some certification, and feeling pretty darn good about your knowledge and your geek status...

It happens.

You sister calls you from Toledo to ask how to set the time on her VCR. Your dad calls at 10:30 PM and says his eBay connection was dropped, how does he get back on? Your cousins call to ask how to get better reception from their stereo. Your nephews see your technical know-how as a challenge and make disconcerting remarks like "Oh yeah? Next time you're online you are TOAST!!!"

Why oh why can't the customers stay at work? I get paid for an eight hour day, and occasionally even overtime. When I go home, I don't necessarily want to deal with this. And who told my mother I could fix her old TV anyway? Just because I'm a CNE, that does not necessarily make me a toaster repair man, too!

Next, they'll be asking me thinks like how planes work and why nuclear reactors create toxic waste. I DON'T KNOW!!! But show me a broken network and I'll get it back up for you.

I just had to get that off my chest. I feel much better now.

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R. Bret Walker, CNE

In space, nobody can hear you fart...

Your not alone. But when It comes to family and friends I work for beer, not money.

I hear ya...I'm to the point that only immediate family and my closest friends get tech answers from me...everyone else gets "Beats me!" or "Heck if I know, but I can tell you the capital of Equador!" https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2000/04/1.gif

I work as a computer repair/upgrade tech at a major electronics retail store in the Chicagoland region...the questions I get frum customers are just downright scary...the sign over my work area says in LARGE letters, "Computer Repairs & Upgrades"...so, of course, every genetic misfit in 5 counties wanders in and wants me to fix his car stereo, or microwave, or cordless phone...and when I tell them "Uh...I'm a computer repair technician", they look at me stupidly and say crap like "You mean you can't fix my VCR?" or "You don't install stereos?" [Sigh] No, I don't fix stereos, or cordless phones, or nuclear reactors for that matter. WTF???

[Rant Mode OFF]


.High*Ping*Drifter.

"And a thousand, thousand slimy things lived on...and so did I."

...Or when a customer comes in and asks about the machine he brought to you a couple of days before:
"Listen my friend, I really need it as soon as possible. We do the same work, so I can understand you. I'm a tech too".
"And what do you do for your living?", you reply. And he says "Well, I'm an Electrician." or "I work in a shipyard"!!!

Another problem is customers who demand things that don't have to do with your knowledge. Like connecting a cellular phone with a laptop and setting fax and data options for them. Or capturing a video from a VCR, or a camcorder and making a VCD. Or making music, using WAVE-LOOPS or a MIDI-organ. Yeah, right. Everybody knows some things about the above, but it's far from our duties!

Fixing friends' or relatives' computers is a nightmare sometimes.
I can fix a computer in a few minutes, no matter what the problem is. When it comes to a relative's or friend's one, it can take hours, days or can't be fixed! Coincidence, bad luck??? Who knows?

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God created human.
Human created computers.
God then got mad and created customers!!!!!

Being techs, we can differentiate between computers and other electronic devices. Most other people, on the other hand, see all electronic devices that they don't understand as "Little Magic Boxes". This includes toasters, VCR's, satellite receivers, Etch-A-Sketch's, etc. And they see us as "Little Magic Box Magicians".

Their reasoning: "If he can work on those amazingly complex computers, then surely he can fix my circa-1970 transistor radio - its a smaller magic box than a computer."

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Steve Taylor - Service Manager
Altoplanos Information Systems, Inc.
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho USA
www.altoplanos.net

ummm...what IS the capital of Equador anyway??

Ever notice that your (insert appropriate family member here) who does (insert appropriate skill/trade here) for a living wants you to spend four hours fixing his pc but when you need his help with something related to his line of work, your usually out of luck.

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There is no spoon...

Actually, it seems like I'm the only one in the family who does anything USEFUL for a living. Except my uncle who paints houses. He's pretty ready to paint anything for anyone for next to nothing. So him I do not complain about. He gets all the free advice I can give (-:
Everybody else, well...My dad is a retired factory worker. They made plastic nibs. I have no use for that. My mother is a sales rep for Phillip Morris. I don't smoke. I have no use for that. I have three cousins and an aunt and an uncle who work at an aircraft assembly plant. Pretty sure I won't have a plane that needs repair for some time. The rest are counter jobs, telemarketing, etc.
My wife, on the other hand, stays at home and is an excellent mother to our kids. Her computer I'll fix ANYTIME (-:


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R. Bret Walker, CNE

I have a GUN up in my room. I'll go get it, we can shoot him together. Bang. Dead. It'll be fun.

I'm a network engineer, and it seems that ever since my family started to find out about this all the sudden I have aunts, uncles and cousins. I get a message on my phone from one of my family members asking to call them back. Oh, how nice there calling to see how I am.....wrong. "I have a computer and I heard your good with computers could you help me?" When I leave work I want to leave work not go home to more work. My solution screen your calls and don't call them back. Like they talk to you anyway.

I hear ya! It seems like becoming a tech is like winning the lottery: all the relatives and friends you never knew you had come out of the woodwork looking for a handout! LOL

R. Bret Walker, CNE]
I haven't changed my signature yet. I'm still depressed about the Flyers )-:

The real worst part about it is that even the relatives and friends you hold closest to your heart will stop calling you, because they can always call you whenever they have a computer problem. And that's the truth. And I dare you to tell them that you don't have time to fix their computers...they will never talk to you again.

I know some of you are thinking to yourselves: "Hlodh, were YOU that little boy?" and the answer is yes, but some of you know what I'm talking about too, so don't front.

Quote:

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Originally posted by CJK:
I'm a network engineer, and it seems that ever since my family started to find out about this all the sudden I have aunts, uncles and cousins. I get a message on my phone from one of my family members asking to call them back. Oh, how nice there calling to see how I am.....wrong. "I have a computer and I heard your good with computers could you help me?" When I leave work I want to leave work not go home to more work. My solution screen your calls and don't call them back. Like they talk to you anyway.

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Wait a minute...you and I must have the same family...my favorite line "can you get me a deal on a computer?" my favorite line back "what did you get me for graduation?...nothing?" imagine that!

a tech, no matter what field - i fix puters and printers myself - has no real friends i am rapidly discovering - they are all potential clients, i have people dropping over that i haven't seen for months saying oh while i'm here and bringing out assorted bits of electronic equipment - i don't know what other people think, but high voltage power supplies scare me lol - but they are a guarenteed way of stopping people asking u to fix things for them

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he who makes a beast of himself, gets rid of the pain of being a man....

I use to have two phone lines. One for voice and the other for my net connection. I got so many calls asking about computer problems that I got rid of one of my phone lines.
The amount of time spent on the phone answering computer questions has mysteriously diminished after that.

Wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that my one line is tied up on the internet alot? https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2000/04/1.gif

I used to be a braggadocio, you know "I can fix anything etc" and customers used to flatter me with compliments saying how smart I am while I was fixing their snafu's. Then one day I shut my bug mouth and acted like I knew less and I had a much happier life outside of work. "What do you do for a living?" they ask and I say "Problem Solver". I could be a tech or I could be a hitman, you decide https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2000/02/1.gif)

[email protected]

Expression is, "Waste disposal expert".

Being that I'm 16, and the family 'tech' (these arnt small families.. either), I get alot of 'fix my stuff for free' syndrome too. But, my family is learning. Heck, my uncle set up his own company LAN. I'm prowd. *sniff* Don't label me as the 'know-it-all' someone brings along with them to the shop. I stared with a Packard Bell 286 (please, laugh..alot) when I was 7 or 8, and it has been my only pre-built computer since. I either know what I'm talking about, or learn about it. Thirst for knowledge, huh? https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2000/09/1.gif

Usually I don't mind doing things for family, because its just more experiance for me, maybe I'll learn something new that I can use elsewhere. Luckily, unlike most stories from windrivers.com, the problems I fix are 90% 'harder' cases. Not the 'broken' soundcard that only needed to be taken off mute.

Anyone suggest a type of computer tech job for a 16 year old durring the summer? I dont know where I should start.. I'd rather repair/build new computers than work as a salesmen of some sort.


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Thanks,
NitrOxide

I do a few things to fix this.
1. Send out "1 free tech call coupons" with xmas cards.
2. Ask them for the credit card # before you go over.
3. Demand a refferal before any free help.
4. Include a restore disk if you built the computer for them.

Timothy Dougherty
Network Administrator

After reading all of these, I could not help but share some of my wisdom. My dad was an electronics repairman / electrician / furnace repairman. Seems harmless enough right? A LOT of people knew him well because he'd come out at midnight on Christmas Eve in a blizzard to fix your furnace for almost nothing. That kind of reputation spreads like wild-fire. Also spreads down. Somehow when I learned about computers at the geeky age of 13, I had car stereos TV's, 8 track players, phonographs, you name it, show up at my doorstep, at church, at work, everywhere I went. And oh how unforgiving people are when you don't fix there stuff for free. Well, I've been doing this stuff for 18 years now, and I've finally found my saving grace. My little brother likes computers too, and he will fix anything for free. I just let him. I ran into one of my cousins in a store, she said, "Wow that computer your little brother fixed for me works great, he is such a computer wiz?" I just say, "He sure is...."
Sucker...

Oh god yes. I made the mistake of telling the girlfriend's mom I worked on computers, and now EVERY time I go over there, she bombards me with questions. She don't even SAY HI first! It's "OH MARK, glad you're here, can you look at my NETSCAPE real quick? It's not dialing correctly, also look at this PACMAN game, it isn't running right either. Can you fix my speakers? Oh and what's this Id10t U5er e-mail with a happy99 thingy?"

BAH! From now on I don't tell anyone what I do for a living. I tell them the other half of what I do... Industrial controls stuff. Complicated stuff involving FACTORIES and PLANTS. AIR and Pipes. Switches and Valves. Electricity and Relays. Industrial stuff that's way over their head. That usually shuts them up. They don't have any intrest in a factory guy. Don't mention computers, whatever you do! I just skip that part. They don't really need to know everything, do they? So you work at Best Buy- you can still say you sell computers without admiting you work on them...

If you, like me, has made the unfortunate mistake of falling in this trap, then you're not alone. There probably is no easy way out. You can do what I did, and start charging $40/hr for your services, but you might upset some people. The gf's mom doesn't ask me anymore questions, but then again she hardly talks to me anymore either!


Live the dream -
http://www.ushga.com

OR how about when you have a meeting or an appointment to be at and on your way from your office to front door, you get stopped by a handful of people about there problems with little bugs in IE or Netscape (Hey, they are bugs for me too)or Groupwise (Switch to a PC if you want a better Groupwise Client) or the construction workers (accidentally?) severed the communications and electrical wiring.(Don't call Facilities Management because the electricians and communications specialists don't need to be bothered with their job responsibilities.) Oh yeah, and the elevator is not working either, can you fix it?


Sorry Sanity escapes me.

Quito.


Joe LoPilato
Microcomputer/Lan Analyst

Quote:

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Originally posted by juststoppinby:
Live the dream -
http://www.ushga.com

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Whoops. Somebody was busy asking me a techie question and I spelled the link wrong. Go figure, ironic no?

http://www.ushga.org

I used to have that problem, till one day I had a relative call me and ask "Can you come over?" "My computer froze and i'm afraid ill break it" I told her sure I can come over and I can give you my special "family discount" on my tech services. There was a pause on the other end of the line and she asked "How much?".. I told her my rates for onsite work at 50% of what I normally charge.


I dont work for free....period.

*Footnote: I get bothered with those questions very very rarely these days. https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2000/09/1.gif


Dante

You know what I can't stand, when you get a call from someone you hardly know, asking if they can give your phone number to their family member who is having a PC problem, well, gee.. lemme think, ok first how in the hell did YOU get my phone number, and second, the connect fee for this call is $5.99 a minute and will be descretly billed as TECH services on your phone bill, evey minute after that $2.99. Family doesn't bother me that much, its the perfect strangers that start calling that piss me off!

PC Specialist / Retail Tech

I'm a network engineer and you know what I did when my mom needed help with a Windows 98 problem?...I gave her a book called Windows 98 for dummies! I told her to read it two time and if she still has problems with Win98 then call me and I will help her out. I don't mind helping people who help theirselves. If I'm going to spend thousands of dollars for books and school to lear this stuff, the least anybody could do is read a "Dummies" book before they ask me to help them for nothing...They can skip the "Dummies" book for $135.00 per hour.
Just my $.02 worth!
JKSteger

It's easier to ask for help than to seek help
This is the way it is in every field of work

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An obstacle is something you see when you take your eyes off your goal.

My way of doing it is to keep the computer close to me (since my gf's family live with me) i have it so blocked they cant do a thing and they like it better, that way they dont make a mistake. thank god for networks now if I could windows stable .. heheh ya right! https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2000/09/1.gif

Uh oh I am also the family tech and I just recieved my A+ certification
I don't mind fixing my Dad's computer so he can enjoy it , I just hope I don't get calls from strangers wanting my service for free
I have already made money building and servicing PCs so I am doing well
I just don't want it to get as bad as I have read in the other posts



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Format c:

"Nope, never seen that problem before. Could you pass me my cigars"

I wonder why I never seem to get computer questions anymore? I guess they don't like my Opus X cigars?

Matt

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"If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get one million miles to the gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside."
-Robert X Cringely

Ransomedson once said, "Ever notice that your family members always ask for computer advice, but when you rely on their profession out of work, they don't want to help?" (severly paraphrased...I haven't figured out how to quote with this thing yet...)
Well, I can't say I'm in the same boat. My oldest sister is a nun, and my older sister is a nurse living in Texas. Both my parents are retired (my father was a cop, and my mom worked for security for K-Mart, and Woolco). I've never felt the urge to say to my sister, "Bless me sister, for I have sinned," or "I need an emergency blessing!" and my other sister I've never said, "Hey, sis...I got this funny rash..." https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2000/09/1.gif

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***the Beast
- Fate drove me here...then told me to get out of the car...

Ah, the WORST call I ever got:

It was roughly 10pm, and I was snuggled in bed, watching some TV, and waiting for my gf to call. She was working till about then, so I just hung out.
The phone rang, and I wearily answered the phone (expecting it to be her). "Hi, um, I plugged my joystick in to my computer, and I can't get it to work. Can you come over?"
My response: "No. Bring it in the store tomorrow. <click>"
Man! I was boiling! I asked my boss the next day (since he was friends with this bum) if he gave out my home number to customers. He didn't. I realized that silly me wrote my home number for the other tech to call me on a white board in the back area. The guy must have went back there and said, "Oh, there's his home number. If I have any problems at ANY time of night I'll just call him!"

Another time, a customer was supposed to pick up a computer. We closed at six, and she promissed to be there at exactly 6:15. I had a meeting to be at at 7:00, and the place was over a half hour away. I hung out until 6:30, and still no show. I grabbed the company van, and sped back home to grab some supper, and fly back (by this time it was about 7:15...late already). I had to stop to drop off some store bills, and as I was getting back in the van someone called out to me. I looked (silly me) and lo and behold, it was the customer. "I was just over at the store, and there was no one there. Can you let me in so I can pick up the computer?"
Sigh. "I'm really late for a meeting...I hung out at the store until 6:30..."
"Well, I was running late."
Sigh. "Alright. It's got to be really quick, though!"
We get to the store (which was across the street). Then the customer starts asking STUPID questions, like "How do I turn it on?" ARGH!

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***the Beast
- Fate drove me here...then told me to get out of the car...

Hey, I just look at it as all part of my chosen way of life. Tell your relatives to contact me... ha ha If it is broke I will fix it - Of course they have to pay my regular fees. (They aren't MY relatives.)
"Toaster? No problem... there you go, FIXED... That will be US$130 please."
But seriously I never care about such questions... I can fix about anything, whether it is a toaster, laser projector, VCR, Stereo, nuclear reactors or HV Power Supplies mentioned above, so if I have the time, I go ahead and fix whatever it is. (It only takes a few minutes and is great P.R.).
Also I am upfront and tell them I will fix it for such and such price. You can give them a discount, and still not be working for free.
If it is not worth the time fixing it, I will tell them that, truthfully. Or I might say, "I don't have the time, but I can give that to one of the techs I work with."
This, of course, means they will have to pay to get it fixed, since, to the other techs, they are just another customer. I don't really think of it as being a bad guy. Like you, I don't have the time to fix all the world's problems.
Maybe this will help. Something I try to do when possible is let them do the work, not me. Tell them, "Take the cover off..-there are five or six screws on the bottom, and get my small tool bag from...(wherever)" That way I can take a quick look at it without wasting an hour, and tell them, "OK, here is the problem - You need to get this and this and this parts at (...Newark Electronics, Radio Shack, wherever..), and I will put them in for you." Then they can put it back together.
Or when it is a software probelm, I tell them if they need to reload the program, rerun Windows setup, or whatever.
The ones that are total "idiots" when it comes to technology are the biggest problem. It takes a little time to even tell them how to do it, even if I don't have to do it all myself. But as I mentioned before, it is good public relations, and often results in more business.

Oh, NitrOxide, you sound well-versed in computers, so since most companies won't hire a 16 year old, you might try putting an ad in the local paper. It will cost money, but depending on where you live, could bring in paying business. (You will have to find out what it costs and decide if it is reasonable to take the risk. When someone calls for help, don't even mention your age, unless they ask. Instead, let them know you have been working with computers for years and can fix the problem. That is all they care about, really. One way that might get you business is to work for lower prices than the regular shops.
I have worked for others and worked for myself. Working for myself is better. I worked for years for others. they would charge the customer $130 an hour, but I only got about a fifth of that... Working for myself, I can charge a lot less and still make more money than I would have. Just an idea from someone who has been in the computer business since before there were home computers... <grins>

holy thread resurection!!!

dont expect any answers to your posts Dr. dan this thread is over 4 years old!!!!!

WTF??? Oldest thread I've seen reseructed in a while by far...

Well since the separation from the wife and starting a new circle of friends, I am no longer "John - the computer repair man, so bring everything that works on batteries/electricity to me to fix" I am "John - unemployed musician, currently temping for a small IT firm answering the phone and logging calls"

"What, so you don't like fix computers then cos I have had this problem with AOL for ages"

"Nope, I just get paid to answer the phone"

"Could you ask one of the guys there what it is?"

"I never see them, they are on the road all the time, and they would have to charge to justify their time"

"Ah ok, so music then, what do you play...."

Much better than spending 2 hours discussing the advances of the Pentium processor over the decades and what I really think of Bill Gates don't you think? This way people don't call me at 2100 asking about why they can't connect to the internet. Life = quiet, stress = minimal and restricted to 8 crappy hours a day.

Actually I like the sound of unemployed musician so much, perhaps I should stop lying to people and become just that..... oh well whilst I dream of long hair, guitars and chicks, suppose I better get on with the new server project I've just been given.... oh joy.

Today - I hate computers, much the same as yesterday and tomorrow.

No dates were showing, before, but now it is much better. - Oh, well, looks like a couple posts after all... (chuckle)

I charge em food or booze.... makes it worth my time...

Do what I did. MOVE!!

I moved to a different town about 4 hours away. Now I hardly get calls. the combination long distance charges and inability to go physcally to see them made them all stop calling. The only problem arises when I go to visit, but now I tell them I don't work with pc's anymore and the tech has changed so much that I'm behind the times.

People always getting me to fix stuff. constently. Oh well, here and there I make a few bucks...