Anybody having this problem?

[byzantium]

I've been finding that people aren't willing to pay any reasonable amount of money for computer repair. My price is $89, but they seem to think it's per HOUR not per JOB, no matter how many times I tell them otherwise. I also can't seem to get across to them my policy of not charging just for a service call.

Like today, I got a phone call, and she asks how much. I say that there's no charge to come out and look at her laptop (which had a problem that I didn't recognize), and that if I couldn't fix it she paid nothing. "No, really, how much?" $89 per job, not per hour. Next I hear about three minutes of background conversation in Spanish, followed by "I'll call you back." *click* How much clearer do I have to be? I can go down to $79, but with gas at $3 a gallon, I can't go much more.

I log onto Craigslist and see all the people willing to fix computers for $20 and $30, and it's disheartening. My skills are worth more than $20/hr, but people seem willing to take their chances with the CS student at the local public university who charges little and breaks everything he touches. I can fix it right the first time, but that doesn't matter, since I'm not bargain basement cheap. Yes, times are tough. But sometimes you do get what you pay for. People don't seem to care though.

[ZingerIntl]

HAHAHA my friend is doing that right now. 3 weeks, still no computer, fighting for refunds,

drive 8 miles there,
pick it up,
pay $40,
drive home,
hook it up,
turn it on,
still broken,
unhook it,
drive back,
bitch and complain,
REPEAT.

[ZingerIntl]

try saying like... I will guarantee it will not be more than $100 and thats for a terribly damaged machine. BUT... Would you rather have $50, or $0. It is a very hard time for many. This will reflect on us small biz owners.

The sooner you adapt the easier you will survive.

[myfayt]

Mention "One time payment of $89". That may sound better to them. But also most people are cheapo's they are looking to drive your price down.

Here is some invaluable advice to you.

Never give in and drop your price, why waste your time working for dirt cheap when there is others who would gladly pay you? Like I charge $60 an hour for video editing, people are like yikes, but I refuse to spend all of my time, gas, equipment, media, everything for $10 an hour. So if they don't like it I move on to the next customer.

[byzantium]

HAHAHA my friend is doing that right now. 3 weeks, still no computer, fighting for refunds,

drive 8 miles there,
pick it up,
pay $40,
drive home,
hook it up,
turn it on,
still broken,
unhook it,
drive back,
bitch and complain,
REPEAT.

Bingo. They charge $20 for YOU to bring it into their shop, then don't do anything, or (what I think is going on) they jack up the price with added services, oh this and that is broken too, now pay me for it. One guy wanted to know where my shop was and what the "shop price" was. I told him I didn't have a shop, that's my price. Click. I can get it fixed right the first time, but people don't seem to care, they'd rather pay the dishonest guy.

Edit: I just figured out that, if your friend has paid that guy 7 times for a 3 day period each time (21 days), he's paid $280. Hell, he might as well have just gone to Dell and bought a new one. And I bet your friend still thinks the guy is "cheap", because people seem to only see what the sticker price is, not the total cost.

This is how dollar stores operate-everything is under $1, but the unit cost is sky high, making the dollar store lots of money. The Dollar Tree in the barrio about five miles from my house seems to be packed constantly, so it works. A new low rent 99 cent store recently opened up in North Sacramento, so the poor are willing to pay the high unit cost to get a "great $1 deal". Yes, some can't get out to Wal Mart, but that's not the whole issue.

As I said, I don't want to manipulate people and get them to pay a higher cost overall. If that's the price of doing business, then I'll live off my disabled person checks instead. But I'd rather be contributing something, and doing it the right way.

[byzantium]

Mention "One time payment of $89". That may sound better to them. But also most people are cheapo's they are looking to drive your price down.

Here is some invaluable advice to you.

Never give in and drop your price, why waste your time working for dirt cheap when there is others who would gladly pay you? Like I charge $60 an hour for video editing, people are like yikes, but I refuse to spend all of my time, gas, equipment, media, everything for $10 an hour. So if they don't like it I move on to the next customer.

I already learned that lesson. I finally set my price at what I thought was fair, and stuck to it. The problem is, there ARE people who at first appear to work for dirt cheap, except they take a few times and added fees to do so, so $20 becomes $120 and people don't blink, but if I say it's $89, they hang up. I am not dishonest for godsakes, my grandfather's spirit would go over to God and tell him to strike me down if I was (lol), but how can I compete with manipulative people?

[chuff1026]

try offering added service
like awarranty or something

[ZingerIntl]

My friend has not paid More than $120. But that was " OH THIS AND THAT ARE ALSO BROKEN" so the bitch and complain is him getting his money back or work done free. STILL... its his time energy gas effort... not worth it.

[bdunndchi]

A lot of people don't have much money right now. The key for biz owners is to find ways to make people think it is a good deal for them to part with their money. Just keep thinking of ideas and then test them out to see if they improve your business.

[myfayt]

Well then say there is a $10 fee for a house visit, and $25 an hour. Maybe they would like that better?

[byzantium]

A lot of people don't have much money right now. The key for biz owners is to find ways to make people think it is a good deal for them to part with their money. Just keep thinking of ideas and then test them out to see if they improve your business.

Hmmm, good point. I looked into a credit card machine/merchant account, WAY too expensive. And the terms of the lease were ridiculous. I think the problem might be that people are looking at how much cash they have on them at that specific moment, and seeing that it's not enough. I'm willing to take checks, most people won't kite a check as a regular thing, and the people that DO bounce one on me, I'll simply put them on a no go list. For anybody who takes checks, what percentage of the checks you get are bad? I may change my language-"one time fee of $89, and a check is ok" might be better. Impromptu communication is not one of my strong points.

[Rodest]

I'r. My price is $89, but they seem to think it's per HOUR not per JOB,

My skills are worth more than $20/hr,

You said yours is $89 per job. Don't forget they are charging $20 per HOUR, you are charging $89 per job. They might not finish it within 4 hours. So why be dishearted? Yours is a better deal. $20 an hour is still a lot of money as they may take a while to fix it. Yet yours is $89 for the whole job.

[byzantium]

You said yours is $89 per job. Don't forget they are charging $20 per HOUR, you are charging $89 per job. They might not finish it within 4 hours. So why be dishearted? Yours is a better deal. $20 an hour is still a lot of money as they may take a while to fix it. Yet yours is $89 for the whole job.

I do know that if you bring your PC to any of the shops around my city, they usually keep it for a few days. Not only am I mobile, which means that I drive to you, I can usually have it fixed in an hour or two, so I'm not keeping it for three days. I also offer what I call my No Fee Promise-if I can't fix it, I charge you $0 and eat the cost of travel. Usually people will insist on giving me a few bucks, and I don't want to turn them down, so I accept, but I make it clear that if it's not fixed they owe $0 and any money they give me is like a tip. However, these advantages don't seem to be getting through to my prospective clients over the phone. All they want to know is how much, and then they make their own assumptions, and they don't allow me to explain.

[Rodest]

I do know that if you bring your PC to any of the shops around my city, they usually keep it for a few days. Not only am I mobile, which means that I drive to you, I can usually have it fixed in an hour or two, so I'm not keeping it for three days. I also offer what I call my No Fee Promise-if I can't fix it, I charge you $0 and eat the cost of travel. Usually people will insist on giving me a few bucks, and I don't want to turn them down, so I accept, but I make it clear that if it's not fixed they owe $0 and any money they give me is like a tip. However, these advantages don't seem to be getting through to my prospective clients over the phone. All they want to know is how much, and then they make their own assumptions, and they don't allow me to explain.

Have you thought of making adverts on local websites, like a community website? Here in my town we have a town forum and people post stuff blah you know, if I was in your shoes I'd advertise myself on that...and sum up what you do and the advantages (no fee if you don't fix it etc.). Also do it on directory sites, because if their computer is broken, they may look at directories either by book or on the internet in like a library or something.

It is obviously them not understanding that is the problem, so make that clear in advertisements or however you get your customers. The deal seems good so they are obviously too dumb to realise it. :P

[Alabama Hammer]

I have a friend who is all on his own and all he does is website design and computer repair. It's taken him 6-7 years but he's bringing down $100k a year and working 5 days a week, under less than average stress. For repairs, he goes to the client. What I can tell you is that my friend is strictly word of mouth, and his clients are all wealthy. He sets up their new computers. He installs anti-virus stuff for God's sake. He does a lot of lollipop and softball work for these people. My $.02 for you is to cut loose these difficult clients and become a customer service animal for wealthy private clients. Do that by getting the medical, legal, and chamber of commerce directory for your city and writing a well done letter to all the members' home addresses touting a free computer inspection, virus check, memory check, WHATEVER. Add personal recs if you have them. The idea is to give them a freebie and be nice, nice, nice, and get some traction toward doing bigger and better things. Do this right and the only marketing you will need are refrigerator sticker magnets with your name.