Discussion on:

The worst client of all

I do set up time with myself as a client based on a more general heading: Intended for my "IT" personal use. If I find I do not need the time for IT purposes, I will use it for something else, on a personl basis first, then a paying client basis next.

For us this is only possible after hours and on weekends. If an internal device like a backup server, web server, or e-mail server go down during normal hours we drop what we are doing and restore service as quickly as possible. Generally we give priority to incidents both internal and external keeping the following in mind.

1. Loss of revenue
2. Number of users

A Public Safety entity like a PD of FD always get priority no matter when or what else is going on when the device or service relates to life safety. Then we evaluate what type of agreement we have in place, if any.

Internet from two independent service providers allows us to keep usable connectivity during ISP outages. Take your local ISP techs and managers out to lunch, help them for no charge within reason and get on a first name basis with as many of them as you can. This relationship will pay off when you need immediate assistance for yourself or a client.

While this may not be a solution for everyone, I have a cellular "Mifi" device that I use often while I'm traveling and it works great as a backup internet connection when my cable connection goes down. While fairly expensive at ~$50/mo with a 5GB monthly data cap, it has saved my behind several times when my cable connection went down while remotely troubleshooting an issue for a client.

I agree, in a pinch or when traveling the Mifi is a useful tool. We can easily cover 200 miles of almost empty space in a somewhat normal day so the ability to connect and troubleshoot at nearly any time/place is key.

I have even used a Mifi and my MacBook Pro to give a few machines on a customers network internet for payroll while we worked on the down connection.

They expect immediate attention and complain loudest of all when things don't progress to their satisfaction, and they expect it for FREE. I have remained free of the all encompassing draw of facebook, twitter and a dozen other social networks. This allows me to place myself at the bottom of the list when things aren't as they should be. Of course, the home office stuff is always at the top but seldom is needed. Few clients follow any guidelines, they ask for buying advices but never heed it. The resulting delays in getting the proper parts for some custom built unit from China drives them up a tree and forces me to stop answering their calls about status. I can only avoid them for so long.

It's true that in human psychology we give ourselves the utmost priorities, but never really act it out in giving oneself a good service delivery. There is a rule of thumb in money management that says Pay Yourself First. I think this rule also applies. If I give myself a good ROI and regular Premium Support, it might save me a lot of unnecessary lost hours that someone else could be paying for. The pain is, I can say this theoretically, and it always seems doable, implementation is always the problem. The tendency is to do it on a FAIT (fix as it comes)...

An old saying of ours.

...like your office or any other physical aspect of your business. Not only that, but I consider problems that arise with my home network as a warning sign and reminder of what I'll be facing with clients. (I try to maintain similar configurations to what my clients have in order to test software & hardware) If an update goes south, or the proxy server does something weird, I know I can expect a call from clients, or better yet, head off the problem before they even notice.

Just as I expect to devote several hours a day to tasks such as accounting and education, I expect to have to spend a certain amount of time and expense dealing with hardware or software failures within my own office. Doesn't mean I enjoy it when the hard drive in a sever starts making that clicking noise or when my desktop goes blue-screen and then doesn't reboot like it did recently, sucking up the better part of a day. In IT, we have to expect to endure a certain amount of the pain & expense that our clients do. It's probably a good thing as it keeps us humble.