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...of my practice. Back then, most of my non-programming work was done on-site and it was nearly impossible to talk people through anything anyway.

Then at some point in the '90s, I noticed that I was working long weeks, and yet billing out only a few hours. The ratio of time on the phone to time on-site was shifting as managers and users became more capable of handling simple IT tasks, and only needed to be directed. Clients had learned that it was free to call instead of paying to have me come out for every little task. Obviously, this wasn't sustainable.

So I began charging phone time, albeit at less than my on-site rate. This was win-win, as clients got quick resolution to problems and questions, and I could service more clients. Remote access technology, first through dial-up, and then high-speed Internet changed the game further.

I typically charge phone time in quarter-hour increments. I still do "free" for "short" calls with regular clients where I bill out more than $500/mo as a courtesy.