Catty1
12-17-2008, 08:31 PM
As a new computer tech, I find the vast majority of my customers are reasonable people, and very nice. I have a situation here that I am wondering how to handle, and have contacted a colleague for his opinion.
There's a lot of wisdom here too, so I would like to hear from you! :)
I discussed this another colleague today, and he somewhat agreed that this client has a bit of a cultural bias - as in if a woman tells her something, she might disagree, but if a man says the exact same thing then it is the absolute truth, Know what I mean? It happens.
This is a client who runs a daycare, and has done so successfully for many years. I had already made one service call; She has no knowledge of Office programs, and wanted me to 'teach' her how to do spreadsheets, tables etc. She worked as a bank manager and had underlings doing all the computer stuff, according to her.
Well, her computer came with factory installed Vista and 512mb of RAM. So it is SLOOOW. Also, the trial version of Office 2007 has expired. I said I would look into Office options and call back.
She was surprised to hear that I could not put a PowerPoint presentation together for her! Hey, Ma'am - I just install them, I don't play with them! ;)
She didn't want to pay me for "browsing" - reconnecting her computer to the internet via a common browser fix, opening her browser window and then typing in another URL to make sure the connection was working.
FF to yesterday. I phoned her about quarter to 5 yesterday, and told her that I had some recommendations - I knew she was busy, and I would email them to her.
She told me that she checks her email every 2 weeks; that cell messages disappear from her phone because she checks them so infrequently. She is very busy...last night she had some clients there til 7 pm. She had to take a little boy to the bathroom, and asked me to call her back. I called back about 15 minutes later, got her landline voice mail, and left a detailed voice message. I'm assuming she checks those messages anyway!
I have not heard back 24 hrs later.
Bear with me here...I recommended the following (this doesn't have to make sense, just to show that I clearly outlined my recommendations).
1. Install Office 2007 or 2003 (found a legal copy) for $150 each. OR, install Open Office which is legal and free.
2. Upgrade her RAM, which means a quick visit to her computer (utilities showed nothing), and then to Memory Express.
3. Uninstall expired trial of Ofc 2007 and MS Works.
4. Having he contact an office assistant type of person to do her Excel and Word docs, as well as putting together her PowerPoint presentation.
5. (I didn't tell her, but it occurred to me today - sign up for a basic community course on MS Office/Computers. She will learn from someone who can TEACH, and will have other class members to confer with).
I don't feel I can really teach her Excel and the other programs if she has never even looked at MS Office.
ANYWAY
She still owes me for 1 hour. There was some "fluff" time and that is fine.
At this point I feel like printing out her invoice, snail mailing it with the newsletter $10 off coupon) AND a letter outlining my recommendations. I could do a lot of this in person when the kids are there, as they do not go upstairs and are not allowed into the computer room. But - she would rather be there for every single thing I do.
She is available Saturdays, possibly evenings. One of my colleagues is tied up with family Christmas things all evenings this week, so can't accompany me.
So - snail mail thing?
Should I have a male tech phone her and set up the appt (and tell her exactly what I told her, in case it means nothing coming from me?).
Would appreciate your suggestions! I AM holding a bit of resentment over the 'browsing' thing and am feeling we are not connecting well...but I don't want to wreck the gig for the company over this.
I mean - if this was important to her, don't you think she would check her email at least ONCE?
Thanks....vent over....
There's a lot of wisdom here too, so I would like to hear from you! :)
I discussed this another colleague today, and he somewhat agreed that this client has a bit of a cultural bias - as in if a woman tells her something, she might disagree, but if a man says the exact same thing then it is the absolute truth, Know what I mean? It happens.
This is a client who runs a daycare, and has done so successfully for many years. I had already made one service call; She has no knowledge of Office programs, and wanted me to 'teach' her how to do spreadsheets, tables etc. She worked as a bank manager and had underlings doing all the computer stuff, according to her.
Well, her computer came with factory installed Vista and 512mb of RAM. So it is SLOOOW. Also, the trial version of Office 2007 has expired. I said I would look into Office options and call back.
She was surprised to hear that I could not put a PowerPoint presentation together for her! Hey, Ma'am - I just install them, I don't play with them! ;)
She didn't want to pay me for "browsing" - reconnecting her computer to the internet via a common browser fix, opening her browser window and then typing in another URL to make sure the connection was working.
FF to yesterday. I phoned her about quarter to 5 yesterday, and told her that I had some recommendations - I knew she was busy, and I would email them to her.
She told me that she checks her email every 2 weeks; that cell messages disappear from her phone because she checks them so infrequently. She is very busy...last night she had some clients there til 7 pm. She had to take a little boy to the bathroom, and asked me to call her back. I called back about 15 minutes later, got her landline voice mail, and left a detailed voice message. I'm assuming she checks those messages anyway!
I have not heard back 24 hrs later.
Bear with me here...I recommended the following (this doesn't have to make sense, just to show that I clearly outlined my recommendations).
1. Install Office 2007 or 2003 (found a legal copy) for $150 each. OR, install Open Office which is legal and free.
2. Upgrade her RAM, which means a quick visit to her computer (utilities showed nothing), and then to Memory Express.
3. Uninstall expired trial of Ofc 2007 and MS Works.
4. Having he contact an office assistant type of person to do her Excel and Word docs, as well as putting together her PowerPoint presentation.
5. (I didn't tell her, but it occurred to me today - sign up for a basic community course on MS Office/Computers. She will learn from someone who can TEACH, and will have other class members to confer with).
I don't feel I can really teach her Excel and the other programs if she has never even looked at MS Office.
ANYWAY
She still owes me for 1 hour. There was some "fluff" time and that is fine.
At this point I feel like printing out her invoice, snail mailing it with the newsletter $10 off coupon) AND a letter outlining my recommendations. I could do a lot of this in person when the kids are there, as they do not go upstairs and are not allowed into the computer room. But - she would rather be there for every single thing I do.
She is available Saturdays, possibly evenings. One of my colleagues is tied up with family Christmas things all evenings this week, so can't accompany me.
So - snail mail thing?
Should I have a male tech phone her and set up the appt (and tell her exactly what I told her, in case it means nothing coming from me?).
Would appreciate your suggestions! I AM holding a bit of resentment over the 'browsing' thing and am feeling we are not connecting well...but I don't want to wreck the gig for the company over this.
I mean - if this was important to her, don't you think she would check her email at least ONCE?
Thanks....vent over....