Anybody know of "crooked techs"?

[kyrenecopy]

Re: Anybody know of "crooked techs"?

It's hard to win a customer, it's 1000x harder to win a customer back that you have screwed over!

[KenB]

Re: Anybody know of "crooked techs"?

After taking a call for something like misloaded paper, things not being plugged in, PC user error,etc... if it's the first time (or sometimes the second), I'll write up an invoice to show what I did, and include the dollar amount for what it would normally cost. I then zero out that amount (not cross out) to show that the customer won't be billed, have the customer sign it, and explain that next time it will be billable.

We keep a file full of these, in a folder I named "Warning Shots".

I've yet to have to go back for the same issue, but I'm sure there will be a first time... eventually.

[ddude]

Re: Anybody know of "crooked techs"?

Thanks FTC for the added explanation. I can tell from your posts that you have integrity, and your concern for customers translates into pride for your employer. My comments were meant to even out the divide, as there are some techs who feel so good about not charging the customer when a legitimate charge is due, but then they complain that the same company has no money for raises or benefits. There are some techs who feel as if their employer is an Ogre who rips off the customer at every turn, sadly these techs fail to realize the true cost of keeping the doors open. A quality technician fixes the customer and is fair to both sides.

I have found through the years that the techs who start giving 'free' calls to customers are also the same techs who get solicited by the customer to moonlight on side jobs during evenings and weekends. In the customer's eyes, they are already cheating their boss, so it's easy to make them go a bit further.........

[fixthecopier]

Re: Anybody know of "crooked techs"?

That working on the side thing hasn't been touched on. I never did it, never will. Two reasons...


1 It is stealing from the boss.
2 Customers are not to be trusted, they will rat you out.


One dumbass at our shop was doing night work and giving them his cell number... written on the back of the owners business card. When he didn't return their calls, they called the shop. My signature applies in this situation.

[KenB]

Re: Anybody know of "crooked techs"?

That working on the side thing hasn't been touched on. I never did it, never will. Two reasons...


1 It is stealing from the boss.
2 Customers are not to be trusted, they will rat you out.


One dumbass at our shop was doing night work and giving them his cell number... written on the back of the owners business card. When he didn't return their calls, they called the shop. My signature applies in this situation.

We had an analyst doing network support for one of our customers on the side a few years ago.

It came up in casual conversation between the customer and a sales manager in a meeting once about the great work he was doing. Trouble was that he wasn't doing it for our dealership, and we do offer network support.

This got back to his manager and he was immediately dismissed for a conflict of interests violation.

Sad, he was one of the sharpest network guys I've ever known - he could figure out a program he'd never seen before without opening a book, web page, or help file.

[Shadow1]

Re: Anybody know of "crooked techs"?

I've done plenty of work on the side over the years, but there are reasons and limits.

When my company first started doing computer and network maintenance I was very up front about the fact that I already was involved in that area, and if anything the company had a conflict of interest with me, not the other way around. They were muscling in on my turf, and I refused to sign a non-compete that had anything to do with my pre-existing activities. Non-compete on copiers was a different story - I've never moonlighted a copier, although I have fixed a few for charities where I donated my time. The goodwill factor has already been mentioned here.

Another factor is that my computer repairs don't cross into the territory where my company would be interested, or even competitive. I do people's home computers and such - the company won't touch small potatoes like that, and people won't pay the hourly rate we'd charge them. Even the local computer shops are half that price. On the flip side, a few accounts doing the kind of work my company is looking for would be a full time job, and I already got one... not interested in taking on anything that big, and we end up referring each other across that line.

[ddude]

Re: Anybody know of "crooked techs"?

When my company first started doing computer and network maintenance I was very up front about the fact that I already was involved in that area, and if anything the company had a conflict of interest with me, not the other way around. They were muscling in on my turf, and I refused to sign a non-compete that had anything to do with my pre-existing activities. Non-compete on copiers was a different story - I've never moonlighted a copier, although I have fixed a few for charities where I donated my time. The goodwill factor has already been mentioned here.

I would not consider this as stealing from your company. You had informed them, you have kept the job offering separate- no harm, no foul.

[ddude]

Re: Anybody know of "crooked techs"?

That working on the side thing hasn't been touched on. I never did it, never will. Two reasons...


1 It is stealing from the boss.
2 Customers are not to be trusted, they will rat you out.

Just more proof that I saw your integrity miles and miles ahead-Your many posts have colored you as a loyal, trusted tech who loves what you do and enjoys your day-to-day experiences!

[fixthecopier]

Re: Anybody know of "crooked techs"?

Just more proof that I saw your integrity miles and miles ahead-Your many posts have colored you as a loyal, trusted tech who loves what you do and enjoys your day-to-day experiences!

Thanks for the kind words friend.