WOW! Two of these in one day! Something is going on, out there.
Ring! Ring! Me: I.T. Department, this is Daniel
Caller: Hey, Dan! My computer is doing some weird stuff. Can you remote into it, for me?
Me: I’m sorry, but I don’t recognize your voice. Who is this, please?
Caller: It’s me. Who do you think it is?
Me: Honestly, I don’t recognize your voice. Who are you, please?
Caller: Oh. I thought you were joking. It’s me, Joel of Acme.
Me: Oh, Hello, Joel. Sorry about that. It’s been since … what April?
Joel: Yeah, man. Sorry about having to terminate the contract. Things were just crazy for us, what with he shutdowns, and everything.
Me: Oh, I understand. But, as you just pointed out, we don’t have a contract between us, anymore. But I will be happy to do what I can to help you.
Joel: Great! I knew you were a good guy and would see my needs! My main workstation is just acting up, really bad. And it’s like really slow, too. We had some other computer issues, last week, and Carol called her son in to help fix it all. He’s studying IT or programming at his university. He did a great job for us. But I think he might have messed up on this one thing.
Me: OK. So it’s running really slow? Someone else tried to fix it, already? And now you are calling me to help? <SIGH> OK. Can you be more specific about the ‘acting up’ part?
Joel: Yeah. Terry, that’s Carol’s son, he replaced that failing hard drive, back in September. We had to get a bigger … what was it you recommended? DDS? That was nearly $200. And he put it in, installed windows on it and it was FAST! But my stuff was not on it. So, he did something and now I have to start a program to get to my stuff and that is when it runs just as slow as it used to. I thought the drive with no moving parts was supposed to make my machine fast?
Me: What is the program you have to run, to get to your old information?
Joel: Oh, it not just my old information, it’s my old system! All my old applications. Everything. Uh, let’s see. It something ‘box’. Uhm …. Oh. Here it is. Oracle’s Virtualbox? Does that sound familiar to you?
Me: Yeah. I know it. It’s a decent tool, when used correctly. Did he add any memory to your laptop, when he added the virtual solution?
Joel: Uhm … no. I don’t think so. That 1 tiarrabyte disk was sooo expensive. So, what time can you get here to fix this for me?
Me: Joel, I’m booked solid until Friday morning. I’m thinking this will probably take two, maybe 3 hours, or longer to fix. I will need to make a backup of the virtual environment, which is running so slow. And that is just to start. Then I have to get rid of the virtual stuff, and over write your system with the backup.
Joel: Wow! 3 hours?
Me: Yes. At least.
Joel: I’ve already spent sooo much on this! There has got to be a better way? Do you think Terry can do that? He’s so much less expensive than you are.
Me: Joel, he is less expensive, because he is less experienced. And you are dealing with the other side of that expense, now. You want the high value, but you are not willing to pay for it.
Joel: I’m a SMALL BUSINESS, man! I don’t have that kind of money! Covid has nearly shut us down!
Me: I get it. It’s been a pain in my backside. And I have seen many of my customers have issues, because of reduced business. But Joel, I’m telling YOU the same things I have heard YOU tell your customers, when they want your products for less. “Quality and Value have a higher price tag than the Chinese made stuff you are comparing my products to.”
Joel: OK. I will call Terry and see if he can fix it. I need partners who can understand my needs and situations!
Me: Just a moment, Joel … business has slowed down for you, right?
Joel: Yeah. It has for everyone.
Me: have your prices changed?
Joel: Well … yeah. They’ve gone up, because it harder and more expensive to get raw materials.
Me: So, you raise your prices to maintain your margin on your products? Yet, you don’t respect that in other businesses? My delivered value has not changed. I should, technically, invoice you for the troubleshooting I have done, today. Especially, if you take that information and have it fixed by someone else. My pricing has not changed, either. My costs have gone up, and I have made up for that, in other ways. I have cut my margins to maintain my clients who are having to raise their prices and cut their costs of doing business. But my value delivered has not changed. You need this fixed. You need it fixed right. But I’m not doing it for free.
Joel: I don’t need a business lesson from YOU, Dan. You have delivered high value. But the bar for value has moved. You are just too damned expensive for me to rely on, any more. Even if your prices have not changed, my costs and my margins have. And I’ve found someone who can get me what I need, for less.
Me: Joel, you found someone who bills you less for the same deliverables I gave you? I don’t think so. Your laptop is exhibit A. You are getting inferior value for services you are paying for. DO you think I EVER would have returned your laptop to you, working the way it is, now?
Joel: You’ve just lost a customer, for life, Dan. I like you, but This is not your place, to tell me how to run MY business!
Me: OK, Joel. I can accept that. But keep this in mind. I’m You, Terry is China. His products and services are the price point you want. I’m the quality you expect. Which do YOU want? The quality or the pricepoint?
Joel: That makes NO sense, Dan! Good bye!
<CLICK>
And I go back to the webpages I was working on. About an hour later …
Ring! Ring!
Me: IT Department, this is Daniel.
Caller: Hey, Dan. This is Joel, again.
Me: Hello, Joel. How can I help you?
Joel: Look, man. I’m sorry. You were right. I do want the value and quality you have always delivered. You care about how your clients are able to work. And you are right, Terry is not the guy I really need. But he is who I can afford.
Me: Joel, I was listening to a video blog, earlier, today. It was from Dr. Robert Garcia, on Facebook. Great marketing strategist. He was sharing about excuses. I’m sure I’ve shared him with you, on Facebook, before. Anyway, about excuses, he was saying a lot of people give excuses because they have their priorities confused. What I’m hearing from you, and this is something I believe you would have told me, or one of your other customers, a year or more ago: I’m NOT hearing you cannot afford me. I’m hearing you WILL NOT make it possible to afford me. You want what I have to offer, you want that level of value, quality, the belief that the work I do for you is not just about my profit margin, but your organization getting the right services to stay in business and to grow. You just do not want to pay for it.
Joel: But I can get the work done by someone else, for less.
Me: And Joel what would you tell a customer who told you that same line?
Joel: That if that is true, then they should take their business to that person.
Me: Exactly. I like you, too, Joel. I believe in your business. Why else would I have spent this much time on the phone with you, about this? Why would I remind you of lessons YOU have given me?
Joel: Yeah. You’re right. You will make someone a good wife, one day. So … when can you get to me?
Me: Friday morning. About 10. That is the first block I have available.
Joel: How much?
Me: Regular hourly rate. Expect a minimum of 3 hours.
Joel: I want to talk with you about getting back on contract with you. I spoke with Terry. He says he MIGHT be able to fix it. But he does not offer warranty on his time or support solutions that are built on ‘free’ software.
Me: Ouch.
Joel: Yeah. He’s fired. I know there will be a lot of time just watching the screen because of the backup you need to make, first. DO you think, while you are here, you can go through and make sure he can’t get into my network, anymore?
Me: Sure. Just as soon as we sign a new contract. I will need that in place so I can cancel any services he may have subscribed you to.
Joel: OK. Thanks, Dan. And thanks for being more than just a tech. You earned the vCTO title you have, today.
Me: My pleasure to help you, Joel. And maybe we can do part of this on Thursday night, over night, so I’m not watching progress bars all morning?
Joel: Great! You’ve still got my cell number? Call me about 9, tomorrow night?
Me: Sure. Chat with you, then.