Discussion on:

Poll: Is it OK for people to expect free IT advice from you?

And a privilege that can be revoked if they continually ask the same questions, but don't take your advice because they don't like the answers.

One of my relatives kept coming back with the same problem, and always after "someone at work/in the pub/who is a mate (delete as necessary)" had had another go at it. After the third time round I just gave him the number of a local PC shop and told him to pay someone else to deal with it - he never came back! Other than that I don't mind spending a few minutes helping someone in the family or a close friend - they will often reciprocate in their speciality.

When someone other than family tells me about their computer problems, I start with "I'm sorry to hear that", and then try to change the subject. If they say they've lost all of their data, then it's "I'm sorry for your loss." and I change the subject. If they continue, then I tell them that I normally charg $100 per hour plus mileage, with a 2 hour minimum, plus they are responsible for any parts that need to be purchased, but since they are a co-worker, friend, friend-of-a-friend, or whatever, I'll only charge them $75 per hour plus mileage and parts with a 2 hour minimum. They should just email the problem to me with a note at the bottom that they agree to my fee schedule.

They usually decide to change the subject themselves at that point.

"Hey, can you look at my computer?"

"As soon as you finish doing my yardwork."

One of my brothers-in-law came & did the yardwork ... so I looked at his computer. CCleaner & MSSE from the thumbdrive did the trick. It's been a year & I haven't had to look at it again!

The yard work must have done its job, then

I tell them I like computer work so well, that I do it free for everyone! Oddly enough, they never okay the job; I guess they figure my work can't be worth anything if I don't charge for it!!

Talk about reverse psychology!

Pity it was made outdated by the invention of cash and, albeit later, credit...

I always have a hard time with this one. As time goes by, I am more inclined to take the role of the appliance guy, the electrician or the plumber who will charge X amount of dollars up front just to come out to diagnose the problem. That might quell a few requests right away. Then, as Gena states above, cost for all parts plus time (with a minumum) might give them cause to look elsewhere for a less expensive solution (at least they think it will be cheaper). Certainly family is an exception and in some caes CLOSE friends, particularly if they have reciprocated in some fashion.

Perhaps another approach would be bartering. If they are in a profession which could benefit you somehow, a tradeoff of services could be arranged.

I have come to the conclusion because in many cases, we IT professionals make it look so easy to fix some probems, then they assume it should be cheap because it didn't take much time. They don't realize they are paying for the expertise, which oftens comes as a result of years of training and experience. How many times have we heard about the cousin who is "good with computers" who can fix the problem, but then it is us that has to undo the damage and really get it resolved.

I find I am expected to simply take a computer and rebuild it. In the last two weeks I have been badly imposed on and am utterly fed up with it! One occasion I had to undo the mess made by someone else who claims great experience!

Never touch anything that someone else has tampered with before.

I don't mind at all chatting with someone about their problem: a "Have you tried this setting or that setting?" sort of conversation.

If, however, they want me to DO something, then it's a business transaction (other than friends and family.) For instance, my neighbors get free IT support. I, on the other hand, have gotten free pet-sitting, free "the babysitter just cancelled!" child care, free lawn care while I was away, etc.

In response to the idea that "if you are in that line of work you should expect that sort of thing" it would be nice if people would stop trying to get that kind of thing for free, I think it comes across as rude but that being said I don't mind donating my time to people who truly need help with their pc's. It is satisfying in a way to be needed and when you fix it for them they will usually take you out to dinner or something.

I do not mind giving a quick idea of what may be wrong and tell them there may be some other things causing it and it should be looked at in person. If not a family/friend situation I then ask them to set up a consiltation time and explaine that the fee for that will come off the repair should they have me do the work.

I hate it when people ask me questions about things they have know reason to think I know more than they do about. For example which smart phone (that just came out) X or Y? How the heck should I know I'm not in the market for a new phone. You can do the same thing I do and look up the two phones and see how their features and cost compare.

Similarly, "oh your such a good programmer so you know tech. I'm trying to setup my kids keyboard into my TV's surround sound and I'm having some trouble." Really because I know computers I automatically am an A/V guy (especially with a musical bent)?

Otherwise though if the question is something that is reasonable to assume I'd know something about I'm okay about it. But I do get snarky when people ask questions about things that is their hobby not mine.

I work for a 150-person division in the Florida Department of Agriculture. I'm the first- and second-tier tech support for computers (I say again, COMPUTERS). The general attitude, however, seems to be, "If there's electricity in it, give it to IT." Oh, well, it keeps life interesting.

Then it doesn't make sense. I sent them to geek squad. After a few of these they stop coming back. Recession baby. Love is free, not IT support.

You send people you LIKE to Geek Squad???

I don't mind answering general questions (how do I get started with a website?) or very specific questions (why won't this format correctly in Word?). It's the in between stuff that I don't like. Why is my computer slow? How do I integrate my website with PayPal? I spend all day (and a lot of nights) coding and tinkering, so I don't really want to do that for free (unless I really like you, and I don't like a lot of people .

I don't tell people what I do for a living. Other than close friends and family, nobody knows what I do, not even my neighbors. I find it makes life a lot easier.

but I usually inform the asker that I'm not familiar with his system and likely not with his apps. I also don't know zip about multimedia, social networking, Apple products, applications for education or children, smart phones, game consoles, or a wide range of applications of interest to many consumers but not to me. With that out of the way, the person is free to continue.

I won't lay hands on someone's system for any amount of money less than what it would take to completely replace it.

If we're good friends or immediate family (Dad, Mom, Daughter or Son), I'm always happy to help with the advice and or labor. In the past I've even procured some of the parts when it wasn't a LARGE purchase. As far as the dingbats that you've only just met, I do like most and offer up the quick and obvious advice.
If they keep picking at it for more and more freebies, then I tell them "I have a card if you would like one"? They generally get the point that their picking has crossed over into pay up or shut up territory.
The WORST type is the all important dullard who comes by when you're in the middle of a computer job and THEY start in the the 20 questions! Again, I'm quick with a business card and if they're still not getting a clue I tell them "I'd like to help you but right now your friend/family member is paying by the hour and it's up to me to be as thorough and cost effective as possible and I need to stay focused on what I'm doing (Forced, pained smile by me)
Here's one more I haven't seen anyone here mention yet; How about when your on a job for a specific computer when the same client wants you to ALSO have a look at this "other computer/laptop/printer/digital camera or cellphone!!!". When I started out, I would try to fix everything under the sun because I was new, hungry and worried they wouldn't recommend me. Now I let them know it's a completely new and separate charge to work on "Other computers/Devices" before I even show up.

I'll usually do what I can. I'm no longer in "IT Support", but family and friends
still ask for help. I'm also a pharmacist, and I get all sorts of questions that
are health related. I don't really mind, if I know the person a bit and maybe
some of their history, but in a "social" setting, I'll tell them to drop by the
drugstore and I'll see what I can do.
Be honest, all of you that get peeved when someone asks for "free help"...
how many times have you asked someone for advice?
It happens, regardless of profession...look upon it as an opportunity, not
a thankless endeavor.

I once had someone come up to me while I was standing in line at a restaurant with several friends, wanting help debugging his program. Maybe if I'd been sitting in the commons or at a coffee shop and he had a specific error message he wanted interpreted.

OTOH, I do cut people quite a bit of slack on billed hours.

Work I get paid for, unless your my parents or spouse.

I try to be honest and up front about it. If you want me to do something, I charge an hourly fee. It get's annoying when it's the same person that comes back time and time again with the same problem because s/he doesn't want to pay me to fix it correctly.

Here's how one of my favorite conversations went:
Him: "I'm having problems with X app on my iPhone...do you know anything about it?"
Me: "I have an Android and I've never heard of that app."
Him: "Hear, take a look." *tries to hand me phone*
Me: "I really don't know anything about it."
Him: "It's this app right here. Oh...no error message this time."
Me: "Do you know what the error message was."
Him: "Something about data...I have a meeting to get to. Just hold on to this and let me know what you find out."
-2 hours later-
Him: "You fix the problem?"
Me: "Never even looked at it."
Him: "Do you want me to leave it here?"
Me: "Up to you."
2 hours later I leave for the day with his phone still sitting on my desk.

A little passive aggressive...but he was truly one of the annoying ones.

I don't mind but unless you are my grandma or my mother, do not do it all the time.

...but it doesn't change anything. I do still freelance projects...and whether I login for 5 seconds, or work six hours, they still have to pay for 6 hours....up front....in my PayPal account.

That takes care of freeloaders before the gate is even opened. Obviously, I don't offer PC repair, but if they insist....same price and terms.

People can ask my opinion and get advice all they want. But, if I have to touch something, all bets are off.

What 'extra' IT work I do outside of family and friends is only if I can barter. So if my car mechanic needs help, I help him. In turn he works on my car. Service for service. Expertise for expertise.
Anybody else, I just say no.

I don't mind giving advice - but most of the time they don't really listen and want me to just look at their computer. I use to do it for free and it would come back and bite me everytime. They would say their printer stopped working after I worked on it and so-and-so said I did not fix it the right way.

So now I charge to work on their computer (especially co-workers) unless it is close family and a couple of friends. Amazing the respect I get for charging people for work instead of doing it for free. The more I charge the happier they are. Okay by me.

If someone is willing to listen and take the advice offered then I don't mind talking shop, unless it's been a really long day.

If the advice is conversational, as in they want ot get a quick opinion or something like that i have no problem, but when the questions continue and solutions become expected then there should be discussion of a rate. Just because I work on computers all day (and many nights) doesnt mean I am going to do it all the time. Many times I will provide a diagnosis for no charge and if repairs or further information are needed, then billing is discussed...

Hands-on? Not immediate family?

$60/hour after 40% family/friends discount. Driveway to driveway, 2-hour minimum. "Ka-ching!" is not a sound I often hear after specifying the terms...

... and all of a sudden you are responsible for all of their inherent windows issues. You remove a useless start up item, for instance, and then they blame you for an unrelated .DLL issue 8 months later. Lol.
I believe the key is to manage expectations. If you expect me to fix your pc when it crashes, and you are a dentist, you should be prepared to give me a filling if I get a cavity. Barter.
If you happen to be an IT Professional and have a rate for customers, you should charge your family at least twice that rate. In addition, if you are always unreliable when it comes to helping friends/family with their computer issues, eventually they will stop asking for your help :-P
--

I get so peeved with people that want IT support for free, but can boos it up on the weekend. I recon if they can buy alcohol they can afford my services.

I don't mind giving advice to people I don't know if I have the time, what really burns my canoles is when a friend/family commits me to helping someone else (eg "Oh come on, it'll take a few minutes and they're such nice people").

True story, a lady dentist friend of the wife asked for help once, I helped no problem. After a couple hours to clean up her husbands pron dialers and malware from said pron sites (I don't judge), I gave a rundown on what to watch out for, hooked her up with free versions of antivirus and antimalware, the usual stuff. No biggie.
Then a few months later, my daughter got her braces caught and caused some damage. Wife takes her to the lady dentist friend to look at it, ok sounds great. The dentist took less than 20 minutes to fix the problem (just needed to reseat the wire, not as bad as it looked). This was a slow day - no business lost fitting us in. No materials needed. Get a bill for 100 - for a few minutes work that cost nothing in materials.

Lady dentist on the phone the other night, "oh noes I can't open word, can you come over and fix? urgent, ahh". Yeah, that's gonna happen. Seriously?!?

Now that's just WRONG. If I were you, I'd mention the $100 dentist bill. Have her make it disappear and then maybe you can get her Word to open. I'd be THRILLED if I could get a barter deal going with the orthodontist!!

Guys, you aren't going to want to hear this, but people don't value computer work. They think it's something less valuable people do, and should be willing to do for free. People also don't respect anything that's free. If you work for free, they will expect it. If you work for free, and fix it, but it's not exactly like they imagine they want it, they will STILL be angry with you.

You can do what you want; however, I learned to simply stop the freebies. I learned to be very direct about the fact that this was a business transaction, and they would have to pay me a great deal of money UP FRONT in my PP account, and sign a work agreement. (Actually it's on the PP invoice, by paying, they acknowledge the terms.)

I learned the people who had a problem with it were the people who were going to waste gobs of my time. They also would have had no sense of appreciation, so they would have done what your dentist friend did.

It's up to you, but if you keep giving it away after you've seen this dynamic in action, there's no point crying about how people treat you.

I say that because they DO value it. What they don't value is the people who know the answers or will end up having to spend hours or days tracking down the answers, and although they like the reward of getting their issue resolved, they don't feel any need or responsibility for equivalent reciprocation.

In other words, it's not that they don't value the information or assistance they receive, they just consider us to be second class citizens who are better suited to scurrying about in the back halls 24/7 attending to their needs while they have rich lives in which everyone around them deals with issues they would have to use their brains and maybe more importantly, THEIR uber-valuable time to solve..

The question that keeps popping up in my head is this: Would you give free technical advise to your economic competition?

But it's still collectively the computer peoples' faults for allowing that to happen. You can see it here. All this talk about being "helpful." I'm reminded of a point several years ago, when I still thought there could be some money made doing residential support, I visited a residence of a lady who said the guy she bought her machine from wasn't "helpful" at all. She had a 7 year old machine, and she thought he should still be giving her free support because she bought the machine from him 7 years earlier.

Suffice to say, I learned residential support was a total no-go for me.

Only you can decide to stop being exploited. If you are in technical support at work, you can't usually do much about the misconceptions of the users. But you don't have to support personal machines for free.

It is about exploitation. And entitlements.

And thanks to Geek Squad (that still managed to remain in business despite the number of times the media reported them being caught with users' data they stole, or even using pirated diagnostic software and effectively got away with it... yet some 12 year old girl who downloaded some songs got socked a few million dollars because somebody got "hurt"... I feel for the girl and her family... I do not feel for the company, out to make a profit, by illegally exploiting and pirating software for the deliberate desire to make money unethically and illegally... never mind their typically poor service, also from the media but from ex-customers I know of...)

But I digress. If a SMB tries to set up conditions upfront, the customer usually whines about getting a bad deal... so then they go to the recognized brand name where they end up getting a far worse deal but they have no qualms with that, despite whining to all their coworkers come Monday morning...

Indeed, I knew an instructor who knew the very same, about competition...

That might be why he did as little as possible to educate the students, while inflating grades. It made it look as if he did his part to look good for the school, while at the same time ensuring a better market for himself.

Great world we live in, huh?

Same case in my step-daughters high school. Coming home with very little knowledge, but somehow, she's getting high marks in Advanced classes without really working for it. The school's not doing a thing because in this state we have a 'no child left behind', so teachers just give grades...always passing...then shove the kid to the next grade. It is sad. :'(

FYI...

But I side with your points as well.

People have been conditioned more and more to expect things for free.

That mindset accelerated when the internet became popular. They think just the monthly ISP cost entitles them. (If one thinks the 30% Apple rips out from developers' coffers is bad enough, the monthly ISP fee just to get online is obscene, at least in America, when one considers the costs for faster service in other countries being far lower...)

Service and support rarely were seen as "noble" in the first place.

And you're right - our time and contributions to society are just as valuable as anyone else's. Until our society becomes a completely disposable one, of course... disposable products, disposable services, and disposable people...

As for "PP":

http://paypalcomplaints.org/

except when I was working as an independent consultant and one systems manager, engaged in the same general area, kept asking my advice on specific problems relating to his company's systems but never gave me any paid work.

Is either stop talking to them or start invoicing them. It's that simple.

they will take their business elsewhere, leeching for anybody who will bend over backwards for a free ride.

He got an unpaid internship doing web design work...

After 3 months, he was offered a position...

To do the same work, for the same pay rate ($0).

He proved himself and more and still got shafted.

He has a couple of kids, a divorce, and student debt.

If a person works hard, especially to make the company profitable, they should deserve rather more than $0.00.

My point is, work is no longer valued and people want everything for free. You can guess how long that's going to last. (Not very long at all. Especially when people are told they are "lazy"... but would you do anything if the cost to get training exceeded the return of pay, especially if the pay is $0? People cannot live on warm fuzzy feelings. This isn't "Star Trek in the 24th century" and all...)

I'm sorry you never got paid work. If you did ask a nominal fee, you'd be ditched in favor of someone who would be weak enough to bend over backwards for nothing as well.

And it's one I can't help but try to get my head around, and I honestly can't. Why is work no longer valued? Why do people think they are entitled to this for free? It is a strange, but very obvious reality.

I don't think work is 'no longer' valued. I'd argue that it's valued more today than it ever has been in the past, because more people are charging more and more for their time.

I believe the problem is so many businesses appear not to charge for their employees time. Probably most businesses that sell physical items incorporate the cost of time into the purchase price of the product. Go to the supermarket and buy a can of beans and it will cost $1. There doesn't appear to be any cost to cover the time of the person who stacked the shelves, or of the cashier (even though those costs are bult in to the price). This creates an association in people's mind of phyiscal things and money.

This can be seen in many places. I've seen people astonished at the thought of paying for software over the Internet that only provides an electronic download. But if the same software company put it in a pretty box and burnt a CD and printer a manual the same person would feel as though they are getting better value.

My favorite aspect of being in this industry is having the ability to help people solve technology problems, and discover new ways in which technology can enrich their lives. Sometimes it falls within paying work, sometimes it is for friends, family, and acquaintances outside of work. There are a few occasions when I wish I had found a way to gracefully decline, but they are the exception. Usually I'm glad I was in a position to help. And in a few cases, I've received an unexpected token of appreciation (e.g. thank you card with a restaurant gift card inside, or a delivery of flowers) a few days later!

I don't mind making suggestions. "Try this..", "Try that..", "Do this..." whilst making sure the recipient knows it's a suggestion and not 'advice'. You can be sued for 'advice' that turns out disastrously, but not for suggestions they choose to follow.

.

Of course I help family and friends, though it's getting old after 30 years. But for others, if they don't mind giving me free medical/financial/whatever they're profession is advice, I'll be happy to help them with their computer.

If it is a simple question (usually a how to) no problem I will answer and as others have indicated move the conversation on to a new topic. If it is something more involved I tell them that the issue is complicated or more involved than we have time for and that the person should hire a professional to look at it. They either hire me or someone else. In either case, the conversation can move on.

I agree with Charles, if is a quick chat and can be "resolved" pretty quick then its fine but when you have to start getting down to real details it starts to bother me. If its a big enough job that you have to explain alot or write it down for them then you selling yourself short as you might as well have gone and done it while getting paid in the process.

I have worn this to great effect.
http://www.zazzle.co.uk/no_i_will_not_fix_your_computer_for_free_tshirt-235267110246994853
It is worth pointing out that friends and family in other profession and (especially) trades always get compensated for applying their skills whilst IT seems to be seen as a freebie. Compensation is not usually money - rather the favour returned.

Also
A doctor and lawyer were in the clubhouse of the golf club. Other golfers were coming up to ask the doctor for advice. He was getting very annoyed and asked the lawyer why he was never pestered. The lawyer replied that they used to but he sent them a bill the next day and they all got the message.
The doctor thought this was great and went in to his office the next day ready to send out some bills - only to find a bill from the lawyer waiting for him.

When asked if I can help for free, I simply ask them what they do for a living and if I can have THAT for free? Usually works like a charm...

* I Don't Like Working on Home Computers

It's not that I don't enjoy computers, learning new things etc. It's that I can't stand working on people's home computers because it's always the same thing or a combination there of.

1. A really old system with 512MB and "I was hoping you could do something to speed it up".
2. Loaded with viruses because they didn't have, or didn't bother to update their antivirus.
3. They have all kinds of software loaded that they never purchased and don't have actual copies of, including the OS.

It's always something that involves a lot of time spent waiting for something to happen, like an antivirus scan to complete etc. Seriously, if I had to depend on this type of work to earn a living, I would find another line of work.

MB

The teenage "wonder" they had working on their computer put a pirated version of XP, and other software on it. Now they want support.

I noticed you had a down-vote. I up-voted. I'll bet the down-vote was from the teenage wonder.

I'm like you. No thank you.

I became personally involved with computers back in the days of the Kaypro 2, my first computer. For many people, family and friends, I was the only person they knew who had one. As they themselves got interested, they asked questions. Questions led to questions, people led to people. When it got to where I was getting phone calls from people I didn't even know, I realized that I becoming some sort of informal consultant and starting charging a little money for my time. I was surpised by how eager people were to pay me, so I went with it and it became a part-time source of income. As computers became more popular, my part-time work grew until I decided to try it as full-time. Now here it is, 2012, and I've been in full-time business as a consultant/tech/teacher/turor for about 16 years.

As to being asked questions - yeah, it happens as soon as the word gets out that there's a tech in the room, whether it's a party, a wedding, or funeral. I've found ways to handle it, helpfully or not, even passive-aggressively when necessary, but I've never forgotten that this is how I got to have my business.

And it's a life joke I can share with lawyers and doctors, especially when they're my clients.

was "it depends on the audience". So I was glad to see an "IF it's family and friends" because that's exactly what I was thinking. It's also okay if it's a quick tip given to a colleague, in my opinion, depending on the context, frequency, and quality of the question(s) asked. In other words, frequent high-quality questions might suggest that a formal consultation (i.e., paid services) is in order.

Over a period of a few years, I twice was called for interviews at a company I thought I wanted to work at, and at which I had applied. At each interview, the hiring manager asked me questions about a current problem they were having at work, and I provided my possible solutions. I did not get hired either time, and I suspect I was called for the interview to provide free consulting. And I decided if they called me again, I would give them "bad advice". How about that?

"Just because I know how to cut grass does not mean I am obligated to mow your lawn."

Then I change the subject.

I often respond by saying: "Well, it's a little like a doctor trying to diagnose a patient siight unseen. It can be an invitation to unnecessary tragedy." If I intone this with mock Shakespearean solemnity, it works even better. You can sometimes have a little harmless fun with these situations, too.

This is one of the most uncomfortable situations for me. I am the owner of a small tech support company. I do not mind providing basic advice and even service to immediate friends and family at no cost. That said, I am increasingly having issues with friends, of friends, of friends (meaning people I do not know directly) or very distant relatives, calling me at the office or at home asking support questions. I do not mind if it is a minor question, however ..... lately it has gotten increasingly out-of-hand. Asking me to perform on-site (in-home) support, for free, from someone I generally do not know, does not "fly" with me. I explain to people expecting such that performing support services of that nature are how I make my living. My rates are very reasonable and I will work with someone that has limited financial resources as much as possible, however it is still business. Most folks are very understanding, however there are a few that get indigent and will say they will just call "Geek Squad" which I find laughable as my rates are lower and my training and experience is far beyond that of their typical tech.

The vast majority of my business is providing tech support services for small businesses, mostly law firms, and other professional offices. On occasion I do get calls for support from spouses of my regular clients and I am very flexible on that as I have an existing professional relationship, however when it gets to folks I have no business relationship I get uneasy. My own attorney, who is also a client, has similar problems and as he reminds me, what we sell is our time and expertise. I have followed his thinking, if the question needs more than a few minutes I suggest they make an appointment so the problem can be fully assessed.

I never would consider charging my mother or my siblings and their children for tech support. They are immediate family and they have helped me many times over the years too. The same is true for close neighbors and friends, but I do have limits. This is a very uncomfortable on-going issue. I have had to set limits within my own mind. If I do not know the person asking support questions, and I have no on-going business relationship with them I have had to force myself to limit the free advice, otherwise it gets out-of-control.

If their question is something simple, I'll answer it, ie, it is only going to take 5 or 10 minutes. Anything greater, and I tell them they have to make an appointment with me and i will have to be paid. You would expect to get work done on your car for free, or not have to pay your doctor to see you, why is my expertise any different.

These situations can also lead to good clients, big jobs, long-term work. I don't want to shaft myself, but I do try not to leave the impression that I'm just another hostile nerd with the social skills of an adolescent werewolf. If people like the way I treated them, they sometimes come back with good jobs or refer me to other people. Simple things like patience, tact, and manners often score big with people who are "adults across the board": socially, culturally, professionally, and personally, especially when they're older. More than half of my clients are over 65.

I did a couple 'freebie' jobs for a guy whom discovered I had skills in IT. About a year later I was hired on as CIO for a mortgage company making $80k. The work was great but very drawn out. As much as 14+ Hour days, my title also seemed to entail alot more than just the computers and networks. I had to cover Phones, Faxes, Printers, E-Mail, Electrical (the 220v Runs) for the dedicated copier, as well as home support for our guys that worked out of the office. I was having to RDP all hours of the night because someone had forgotten our POP or exchange settings... Eventually the company folded but regardless, it was a great learning experience that had a nice paycheck with it.

I tend to go with Gena's strategy of empathizing then explaining my rates. If I know the person well enough to know that they may have something I need, then we start a barter session or I let them know that I will expect free whatever in the future if I help them for free. They already know what it costs at the local PC shop or they wouldn't bother to ask... That's your leverage.

For the repeat offenders, the price goes up or the advice changes to a referral to someone I know who has a shop in town.

A new to town podiatrist that mother used to go to, called me at night with some questions on his office computer systems a couple of times. I answered them and gave him some advice which he of course never volunteered to pay for. I heard that later at a social gathering he was hitting one of the local photographers up for some free advice and the guy told him he had a studio which the doctor was free to visit during the day. In defense of the podiatrist however: My boss lived in the same neighborhood and his wife was having a problem with her foot and the podiatrist gave her some free advice. So in this case at least to some extent he was willing to return the favor for family and friends.

I remember the joke about the doctor that asks the lawyer at a party how to stop people from doing this at parties and the lawyer says I give them the advice and then send them a bill. The doctor says thanks he will try that. A couple of days later the doctor gets a bill from the lawyer.

When I am presented the all mighty question; Hey since you're here and you know something about Technology, I have a problem with my home computer. I am always cordial and I tell them that I offer personal tech service for a fee. This helps weed out the everyday moochers and those who really see that it is a professional service. I also express to them that my costs to them is less expensive than the local Computer shops or to buy another service agreement that they may have let expire. And to date, I have not found anyone expressing to me that I have offended them with the offer.

I give advice away. Often, the person cannot implement - which is why they are asking for advice - and I have a foot in the door. If nothing else, Advice is a form of networking. I agree with the comments that giving the service is strictly pro bono to friends and family and then only in the context of relationship...dinner anyone?

Giving limited, generic, advice I dont see as a problem. But working on the PC, research, or actual thought provoking answers should be conducted in a more business style..
Hey, my PC is running slow... Check your AV, Spyware, think about a reformat, etc.. (generic)

I just keep the 800 # for the Geek Squad and if they're outside immediate circle I refer them there. There is always a location close by and they can come out to their home as well.

I barter. My lawyer and I swap services, and I've assisted a finish carpenter who reassembled a hoosier cabinet (beautifully) for me. My best friends? No charge. I can always count on them when I need them. And there are a few people I do help because I know they can't afford it - that's my pro bono work, and somewhere, if I pay it forward, I get it back.

Other than that, everyone else gets the opportunity to reward me for my incredibly excellent services...

I usually don't mind, especially if it's familiy or friends. If they ask why? or they don't agree with my advice, I change the subject or end the coversation. I truly hope it helps them, but it's my professional advice they asked for, and they can take it or leave it.

It doesn't matter who you speak with. Providing the wrong answer can cause ramifications with friends and strangers alike. It's better to simply say, "I don't know" or "I'm not familiar with that problem" when you are not 100% sure of your answer. This is actually more important with family and friends rather than strangers. If you give someone an answer and it turns out to be helpful, great! If the answer doesn't help or is simply wrong, you may find yourself regarded as "guilty by association" for any present or future problems experienced by the person who asked the question. It happens, believe me. I once had someone call me up and tell me that I owed them a new computer and that I was to blame for it's very recent destruction. I had mentioned to this person that they could try reseating the Memory modules on the mother board if their computer was acting up. I never touched their computer mind you, but in their attempt to follow my casually provided "advice", they accidentally fried their mother board and could have been severely hurt or killed because I never imagined they would be silly enough to attempt to work on their computer while it was still powered on! I've learned that most older people are NOT computer hardware literate, and while younger people are more so, they still don't have some of the basic troubleshooting skills (or patience) required to fix their own compter. Software issues can be even more daunting. Telling someone to defragment their Hard Drive is one thing, but if the issue gets more complicated and requires some advanced guidance, it is usually safer to refer the person who is asking for advice to contact the store where their computer was originally purchased or to call support (if they have maintenance). If you still choose to advise, think carefully and consider the ramifications of your answers before you speak. This "advice" can be applied to any situation - computer related or otherwise.

Went to my physician for something that had lasted too long and after he did his thing, he asked me my opinion of his upgrading to a 286. (I said it was years ago.) I told him that for his uses the difference would be it would wait for him to hit the ENTER key much faster. (The nurse thought that was a knee slapper.) He asked another question or two while he was writing up the chart.

On a lark, I said, "I do this on the side for $60/hour." (Not my day job.) He looked at me, pitched the ticket into the chart and said, "We'll save that for next time." He was great. He said his accountant chewed him regularly because he didn't schedule as many patients in a day as other physicians. His thought was he made enough money he didn't need to. Unfortunately, he cracked a vertebra in a fall and has had to drop his practice and go to a desk job. Bummer.

I work for trade if the customer wants to trade something I need. Usually, I need my light bill paid, so I trade work for money. Many of my customers are on limited incomes and really need to "work something out," but that's usually done by phone before I get in my car. I don't evaluate a customer's needs outside their own frame of reference - I give the same priority to someone who has to wait until their Social Security check arrives before they can have their email fixed as I do to the theatrical production consultant who wants me to de-glitch his teleconference gizmo.

I had exactly one neighbor try to take advantage - I made an adjustment to his laptop and he sent his wife to pick it up and give me $20 - "for my effort." I gave her back the twenty and told her, "my starting fee is $50 - we'll just call this my favor to you." Word got around - everyone else on my street offers my full fee in cash, or dinner.

My policy on "free" is: no charge for telling you - or reminding you - simple things, like Shift+F7 does not mean Shift, then F, then 7. However, if I have to do any "work," and that's a judgment call I get to make, then there will be a fee. If a potential customer gets irate for some reason and wants to invoke Geek Squad, that's okay, too. I don't mind cleaning up after those guys - they're good for a couple of jobs per month. The sad part is - quite a lot of the Geek Squad techs would actually be competent if their managers' business model didn't rely on lying to the customer as a matter of course.

Something I had to explain to my kid who felt that as an IT Professional (or "computer guy") that he and all his friends and our neighbors were entitled to my services for free... If your friend was a plumber, would you expect him to fix your plumbing for free? Or what if they were an auto mechanic; should they fix your car for free? Should the Doctor neighbor perform free surgery for you? Of course not. As IT Professionals, we should be given the same respect and expectations. Just because our skill set is more intellectual than physical does not mean it is a free resource or should be taken for granted..

I quickly evaluate the situation with this in mind, "How can I turn this freebie into a payee". And with that approach, I have disarmed any frustration or qualms I have (because everyone is or can be a potential customer, even family). And then I can calmly proceed to explain how simple their problem is (which makes them feel really dumb) and it would be to their advantage to Google for a solution or stop by my shop if it is really critical. I hardly ever give a straight-up answer, but it just depends on who, where, and what.

After all, free advice is worth every penny!

There are a few ways to look at it.

1) Your a technical person and you do it for a living. Someone coming up to you asking questions shouldn't be an annoyance, it should be a business opportunity. Give them a little bit of your expertise and then you flat out tell them that you would need to see the PC. You then give them your card and hourly rate.

2) Your a technical person and you do it for a living. You should look to this opportunity to talk about your line and possibly learn something new; whether it is how to deal with a different type of user or how better to educate a no-technical person. When the conversation has drawn on or you feel that you should be charging, steer the users to a point where you can give them your business card and hourly rate.

Everyone is always networking and advertising who they are and what they do regardless of the situation. Consultants need to look at these situations not as a hassle but as an opportunity to generate business and word of mouth.

the recipient of the advice or even paid service now "owns you" and you are responsible for every little technological failure that occurs in their home or office.

Your best response is "I don't know a thing about what you are talking about."

Save yourselves, boys.

I have been doing this for years, My own business and then I took job with a former client. I still have people offer to feed me, like I am malnourished and need a "Free" Meal. The problem is I am diabetic and limit myself to low carb foods. I have no problem eating, I would do it for free if I wanted to do it.
Family has always been easy, i usually get them running or buy them a new machine. so much easier for me and no headache.
I too get the questions about phones, TV's, Bluray and anything electronic. Whats the best computer, the cheapest, but I want to look at porn, oh the most expensive then.
I for years have joked about any naked pictures, one firneds said no, but the last time there was- Her uncle found them....(no charge there I guess)

I always answer simple questions, usually with "turn it off and back on then see what happens".

Or if they are persistent then I say "sure bring it over and I'll look at it right now". That sure discourages people.

I agree that if you give advice then later, sometimes months later, the asker of free advice will be blaming you for their problems since you gave them free advice.

I don't mind having a conversation, especially if I'm enjoying it, but when I am done having fun it is time to change the topic.

I would socially ask a docotor what he thought about the latest diet but I wouldn't think about pulling down my pants to ask the same doctor if he thought the spot on my rear was cancer. Likewise I enjoy certain aspects of my work and don't mind sharing them but I would don't want to be bothered with the details of somebody virus problems.

If we get into the detail I either bow out with, "I mainly deal with corporate system, so your facebook problem really is not my area of expertise" or offer them my bill rates and tell them I would be happy to schedule a time to help. An upside is this can lead to a nice barter situation if you are really willing to help--I have gotten paid in chiropractic treatments, accounting services, and gourmet meals to name a few in exchange for the services I offered.

Sometimes I charge for my labor even if they ask nicely... but I ALWAYS charge if they had someone else in to muck up things first

Friends and family that don't understand that they coulen't afford to do what they do for a living free don't need MY help anyway...

is that because my work involves computers, people think I can fix their problems.

Yes, i did technical support work. 25 years ago. I have not kept up with all the nuts and bolts of today's technology. I am not the person you want opening up your machine.

Stéphane

I don't mind when my friends and family ask for help with computers. Many of them have helped me over the years with things from moving, to carrying rocks, to wiring.

However, if it takes me more than 20 minutes to fix the problem. I'll usually stop and suggest they try somewhere else or if it's bogged down with malware backup their data and reformat.

But I will use it to hold it over there heads forever. "Remember that time I installed a new HD for you..."

In Social Settings, talking with acquaintances or strangers I'll tell them to google the problem, because 9 out of 10 times that's what I do first.

It's part of our human nature to help or advise someone in need. Albeit most requests come from family and friends, this does not mean that we should restrict helping or advising when someone needs it.

If you knew CPR and saw a stranger suffering a heart attack, your instinct would be to help. The same principle should apply here too.

I think of it like asking your doctor friend about a problem over drinks. They may tell you, "yes, you have a problem, go see your regular GP about it". However, it's unlikely they'll give you a detailed prognosis and explanation on the spot.

I work much the same way when asked IT advice in that I'll happily discuss pros and cons of new gadgets on the market or some great tool I've discovered. But if someone says, "I think my laptop has a virus, it's doing xyz", my response is usually "okay, sounds like you have a problem, you need to take it for a service".

I like investigating and resolving issues, even when I'm not at work. Its fun learning new stuff, I'm yet to have someone bring there computer to me or anything, I just give advice mostly

Hey,
IT is a big general word for what we do,
I work in IT i'm responsible for managing thousands of desktop by means of SCCM/BigFix,
I'm also responsible for the company application delivery services Citrix and SCCM,
Other people who work in IT are working on BI systems, some are DB administrators,
When you ask me what i think about someone asking about IT my opinion is divided,

- asking a question about a personal computer - That is not IT, and those annoy me, but i still try to answer after making sure the person who asked knows that what i actually do for a living
is in different field to what was asked, i usually answer in a very general way,
more with tips to how i think they should diagnose or troubleshoot the issue.

- asking about an upcoming IT project or more complex IT questions - those i'm happy to answer because i like to think of it as if it's a business opportunity, for me or for someone else that i may know, and could lead to a business opportunity.

When someone goes on and on, or demands help, I don't like it. If it's a casual friendly request, especially from someone that replies in kind, i'm only too happy to help.

... continually "volunteers" me to fix her coworkers computers despite how many times I've asked her to stop. If they offer to pay I really don't mind it that much and usually charge much less than they'd pay ordinarily but it amazes me how many people expect me to do it out of the "goodness of my heart" (really, they just don't know me very well do they?). This is my JOB people. Do you do yours for free?

My mother paid for some of my tech education, therefore my house gets my knowledge. This is used by my discretion between my sisters, however, they are tech savvy, so it isnt a bother...wider community on the other hand is a different issue.

I don't mind talking shop but with two conditions. However I say it, I let people know that, without my hands-on analysis, my advice is, at best, a suggestion and should be acted upon at one's own risk - a condition that satisfies my cynical bent mindful of a litigious populace.

Secondly, after giving one my suggestion, I politely refer them to the IT professional of their choice for further informed analysis. As a rule, I do not entertain protracted, technical, back-and-forth discussions.

Here I must emphasize my cynicism: I think "good-Samaritan" laws should apply to suggestions made over old fashioneds and Swedish meatballs.

Monk

My mom, sister, dad, fianc??, and her mom are the ONLY people that get IT support from me. They each understand that I am the ONLY person they are to ask for advice and/or help with their problem. I do not expect anything in return since they all have nothing to offer me as a trade for my services and I won't accept money from them.

Under absolutely no circumstances will I even talk to anyone else about computers this or that, since it inevitably leads to the "I've been having this issue" discussion. This is a known fact so I'm rarely bothered at family get togethers.

I don't mind as long as the advice is for a home or personal problem. If it is for their work place they need to pay. I can't get free medical or legal advice, nor will a mechanic diagnose my car for free.

I have no problem offering advice or suggestions. I work for myself So I look at it as a way to drum up business. I'll even offer to fix their problem for $20 to $50 plus parts. In January I did virus removal for someone who I only know from shopping at walmart for $40. Since then he has referred 3 people to me who have paid $150 for virus removal.

1. "PCs have to be replaced every 3 years, no so with tablets - this is more economically friendly" (until people upgrade every single year, oops...)
2. "PCs don't need maintenance" - very true. Now watch a number of businesses go under, and the ones that adapt will be reduced to hawking these gizmos along with shifty-eyed extended warranties (with enough limitations to make those an effective waste of money) and other tactics...
3. The more dense tablet screens get (e.g. 2048x1536 screens at 300PPI or higher), the more people will want websites and other media to take advantage of the density. This means higher imagery... if Siri was sucking the life out of your limited data plan, just wait... 300PPI vs 72PPI is going to be a huge drain...

I could go on, but I think this concept of "is it ok for people to expect free advice" is both out of date and eternally relevant. PCs are going to become out of date, at least for content consumers (those who do the work, for ever smaller profit margins, won't be able to do the work on tablets (yet))... but at the same time, I already hinted at why nobody should expect anything for free. Those who want everything for free are cheap, lazy, greedy, uncivilized, devolved, and selfish - incapable of understanding how much time and effort people put into things, because they're too busy to do it themselves, or wondering why everybody else thinks they're overpaid in their job... And that is what makes all this timeless...

It took me quite a while to read through everything. Most have been good ideas or sometimes funny, and some that I have to do as well. The one thing that I would like to hear is what the people who want help think about asking relatives or friends to "have a look at...". I never ask my doctor friends for medical advice. I don't ask my mechanic friends to have a look at my car. Just never occurred to me to ask. Try ask the question the other way to a wider audience. "Why do you expect to get free IT advice from friend or relative who works in IT?"

I think the oddest things that I've gotten in the past: "you know electronics, can you fix my microwave/TV/stereo/refrigerator/washing machine/circuit breaker that keeps tripping." True some of them now have quite a bit of tech in them, but give me a break.

I simply explain how the business works... "I am a *programmer* and my time is spent writing code. When we have problems with the OS, we have servants who take care of that stuff for us."

This makes the point that fixing computer problems is not your job, and that your job is so important that you have your own pit crew.

Of course this is not how I really feel about the people who keep me in business day to day, but it's a good way to explain why, if I fix your computer, it's gonna be expensive.

As a technology professional for more than 25 years, I am used to family hitting me up everytime I visit, but those who would normally be a client like friends and family of coworkers or businesses or churches seem to think that not just my advice but long hours and work are free as well. Although some often act like they really never knew either how much time it takes or how much your time is really worth - don't believe it. Why do you think they are trying guilt/con you into doing it? If you really want to teach them a lesson they won't forget, when they ask you to dinner only to spring a request for computer help that "will only take you a minute", help them out but insist that they sit and watch you (so they see it never really takes a minute of two) and then spring the statement that as a computer professional, you're sure that they understood you will be sending them your bill in full hours at the going rate of $150.00 per hour and carry through on the promise. You won't have to do that too often.

I have learned through personal experience that knowing the person first saves frustration in the long run. Inevitably, the advice given sets precedent and opens a social contract for further 'favors' or makes you responsible if they only heard the part of the advice they wanted and ignored the pitfall warnings altogether.

I politely refuse at social events with relative strangers. The reason being in a social environment, there isn't enough time to get all of the details about the issue and giving corrective action advice without a full understanding of the problem may cause more problems and you'll be the one they'll blame.

If you are a life long computer person and your family and friends know it, you're gonna get asked for advice. It would be rather odd if they didn't unless you smell really bad or have a truly terrible personality. So, rather than see it as a curse, turn it into a marketing tool.

If you don't have a website for your business, then perhaps it's time to set up a free blog somewhere and start writing the occasional post about questions you get a lot.

For instance, I get quite a few questions about switching from Windows to a Mac. So I wrote a short article summarizing the three scenarios I've been asked about: Business, college students, and personal. Business I usually say stay with Windows unless there's a business case for the Mac. College students - I always defer to what the campus computer guidelines are. Sometimes universities don't play well with the Mac at all but you won't know until asking the campus computer store. Personal - it's whatever you can afford but I always suggest the Mac is better if there's a real frustration level with Windows already.

And now I have a place to refer people to that ask for advice on that issue. Give them a 30 second overview, hand them a business card with my website address and I'm on my way.

Hope this helps someone.

It can be a way to get new business. This falls under the discussion of FREE SERVICE which should be done ONCE and only ONCE as a door opener. I found a new client about 0.5 miles away from my home by doing that. If the questions are easy, fine. If they involve severe tech analysis, the answer must be prefaced with I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT before offering advice, and that too is a business opener. Friends are a special case, they can be damning when it comes to invoicing - you can lose friendships over that. Family is always THERE and if you are lucky, they are few in terms of service requests and great for dinner.

When the person becomes a PITA, I just say, "I work on computers for people all the time. My rates are reasonable." That separates the freeloaders from the people that want real help.