Anyone with IT Consulting Experience?

[Nuriko]

(Not sure if this belongs in Tech, if it does I don't mind it being moved there)

I'm looking into possibly getting into the IT Consulting business on a part time basis to complement my full time Network/Server administration job. My questions revolve around what to charge people and what people typically expect of the consultants they hire.

I've been looking at various consulting companies websites (including Best Buy's lolGeekSquad and the like) to try and come up with some idea of what to charge people for what job. I've seen anywhere from $100/hr for any job to set amounts depending on the job (like $150 for a new PC setup, $50 for a printer install, etc). So I'm wondering if anyone has some actual experience in the field and what they typically charge people (and if they have any advice for someone just getting started).

As far as what customers expect, I know most customers won't have any clue what I'm doing or talking about and will probably just look at the end result and hopefully they'll be happy with what I've done for them if it's a simple job like cleaning up viruses, installing devices, etc...But for the larger jobs like building a small business network, do customers want you to have certain certifications or degrees? Personally I just have my Bachelors in Networking and System Administration, but I have 5 years experience as an Administrator for a small business so I know what works well for other companies similar to mine.

So any suggestions, advice, war stories from anyone in the industry? Thanks.

[tyven]

a lot of the blacks: miz, chari, raggy, do IT. its very weird

[SephYuyX]

Made a similiar post awhile back http://www.bluegartr.com/forum/66111...es-others.html Might help.

Seems like weve been down the same path. Im a Net Engineer / IT Director w/ an MSCE, and I used to look for extra jobs time to time, but now they just come to me.

The best thing to do is call around the local area and see what everyone else is charging, then undercut them by a great deal. Bestbuy is a great example since they charge an arm and a leg, and a feasable cost would be at least half what they charge. People will come to you on price alone.

What I did was end up charging a flat rate depending on the job (20~100) and then an hourly rate after that, if it was going to be a big job, like completly setting up a new PC, or installing a home network. A few home networks I did ran over a few thousand, though manly because of hardware.

[Qalbert]

Have you tried turning it off and on again?
(this will cover 95% of problems)

[SephYuyX]

I love those, they are a free $20 bill.

[The Stig]

Never install memory card readers for people, it will fuck some time out of you.

In reference to the link Seph made.

(to this day I still wish to know why it just broke...)

[Ratatapa]

What i'm mostly wondering is do you accept to do Hacked programs.

Exemple, someone ask you to reformat a PC but he doesn't have a windows key and doesn't wanna buy one.

Do you accept to put a hacked version or not. Usually i refuse do it for people i don't "know" but more and more asking and i'm like well maybe i should

[Mafai]

What i'm mostly wondering is do you accept to do Hacked programs.

Exemple, someone ask you to reformat a PC but he doesn't have a windows key and doesn't wanna buy one.

Do you accept to put a hacked version or not. Usually i refuse do it for people i don't "know" but more and more asking and i'm like well maybe i should

I usually dont come across computers without a product key sticker on them these days

[Ratatapa]

I do they all take it off, or they made affair with a dumb company that didn't put the sticker on the PC

[Qalbert]

oh also BY FAR the biggest problem with IT work is coming across homemade porn. Its always the fatass bitches too, never a hottie.

[The Stig]

Yeh, I'm sick of people sticking shit over their laptops/PCs, I know they want to customise it and all, but sticking it over the windows key....

Also, I do not get involved with anything illegal with "clients". They want it, they get it themselves via whatever means. I always at least advise them windows should be legit, at the very least...

[Nuriko]

Yeah, personally I wouldn't install a hacked version of any software/OS. I have a friend who is a distributor of these things and I would tell a client to purchase legit software through me (well, technically my friend, but it goes through me first) and then I would install it for them.

[Mizango]

oh also BY FAR the biggest problem with IT work is coming across homemade porn. Its always the fatass bitches too, never a hottie.

I can't tell you how true this is. I mean Ive been in this field for 10 years, I can post 3 pages worth if good and bad. If you want to know specifics just let me know and Ill be happy to oblige

Just promise me one thing! If you hear any combination of the words Wifi Gator, I-mail, Debian Enchilada, DD-WRT and Chuck DeJarnett that you will run for the hills and not look back.

God I'm getting a headache thinking about it.

[Nuriko]

Made a similiar post awhile back http://www.bluegartr.com/forum/66111...es-others.html Might help.

Seems like weve been down the same path. Im a Net Engineer / IT Director w/ an MSCE, and I used to look for extra jobs time to time, but now they just come to me.

The best thing to do is call around the local area and see what everyone else is charging, then undercut them by a great deal. Bestbuy is a great example since they charge an arm and a leg, and a feasable cost would be at least half what they charge. People will come to you on price alone.

What I did was end up charging a flat rate depending on the job (20~100) and then an hourly rate after that, if it was going to be a big job, like completly setting up a new PC, or installing a home network. A few home networks I did ran over a few thousand, though manly because of hardware.

What would you charge for a new laptop setup then? For example, when I get a new pre-loaded machine from a company like Dell for my regular job, I would normally do a format, OS Reinstall, Driver installs, Windows Updates/patches, whatever Software Installs needed, Printer Setup, Network setup (join a domain), profile configurations, etc. It's about 4-6 hours of work/time depending on the amount of software (mostly just clicking Setup, Next, Continue, etc). If you were charging $100/hr that's a $400-$600 job, but I'm not sure if the entire job itself is really worth that much? These are the kinds of things I'm trying to rationalize I guess...

Edit - to add to the finding porn discussions...I've had co-workers bring me their home PCs to try and clean up/fix for them. I don't know how many times when going to check/clean their browser history/temp files for where viruses may have come from (since they like to ask how they got infected) I've had to tell them to stop visiting random porn sites...it's a bit awkward working with them after that for a little awhile...

[Qalbert]

Best Buy's Geek Squad charges 130 to hookup a PS3, so I think you can charge whatever.
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/image...9/09/76SC6.jpg

[Mizango]

Geek squad is a fucking joke.

[Qalbert]

plus half the stuff they are supposed to fix they don't
had a BB laptop, and the cooling fans broke, shit melted/burnt out
they replace everything that burnt out, but not the fans
repeat 3 more times til warranty expires despite em telling them every fucking time that the fans were broken

[Nuriko]

Confessions of a Geek Squad Employee: Best Buy: Geek Squad Gouges - Admits to scamming policies

Often times I would review tickets and find that units were being checked in that suffered only from minor Windows problems that might take less than 30 minutes to complete however on the ticket they were charged for an OS repair, malware removal and tune-up which at the time cost $118. The units often only had one tracking cookie or some temp files and there was no sign of a malware problem and no need for a tune-up.

I also found that many of my co-workers would intentionally remove the customer's anti-virus or tell that customer that in order for us to guarantee the work completed our anti-virus had to be installed. In addition to trapping many people with the threats of stolen data and virus infections causing further damage we were instructed by our managers to specifically target older customers, first time computer owners and the lesser educated.

[Mizango]

Confessions of a Geek Squad Employee: Best Buy: Geek Squad Gouges - Admits to scamming policies

We have a guys at my home office that used to work for them for 3 years. SOP at his particular store was to connect to an online or voice chat session to some outsourced country to get assistance in fixing various computer issues.

Man it was hilarious. Luckily I am the default repair person for everyone that I know and even then I dont do it for free. You should see my daughter install and configure a HD or when I have her re-seat NICs and Video cards in computers.

But yeah, the majority of the crap you will have to deal with is tards that know a guy, that knows a guy, who knows another guy that works on computers and he told him that his sound card is making his network crash. Its not the router or his make shift server because he checked it, his "computer guru" (Yes people use that term) told him it was on "your end".

Oh sweet jesus just wait until a 67 year old mid-wife tells you about how her network problems are on YOUR END and to FIX IT NOW because she cant Ebay and is losing money.

[Mizango]

They aren't even lolA+ certified.