http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=38&threadid=1119840
Manjul
The suggestions to ignore them or charge them an exhorbant amount of money for your services are the most viable options. Start at $150 and go up if they don't like it. you are doing them a favor, not the other way around. I only appreciate a company if they hire me, then I feel that I owe it to them to do my best; they hired me for a reason. It really depends on how much you want to prostitute yourself.
Your hourly fee should be VERY HIGH...you have to include the pain in my ass fee. Since they're a "new" client (to your consulting services your services should be COD.
Here's my 2-cents worth, from a guy who's been around a while and in a lot of business and life situations.
1. Put your feelings about how you were treated away. Past is past.
2. This is strictly a new business proposition. Treat it as such and approach it professionally.
3. If you so choose, define the job, set your fee appropriately (and believe me, an excessively high fee will be seen as nasty vindictiveness, and will not speak well of you), and then do the best you can.
4. Things change and life cycles around. Ultimately, your personal repuation and integrity are all you have...so don't burn bridges...you'd be amazed how many times you'll want to walk back over....
Good luck!!
To get an idea of how much you should charge.. find out what the manufacturer charges for support. I would charge a tad less then them. If they don't like your price suggest that they call the manufacturer for support. Do this in a friendly way. No need to burn bridges at all. Actually there may be some satisfaction in that too.
Good luck!
:mrgreen:
$150/hr sounds pretty reasonable to me. Considering your intimate knowledge with the situation, they are getting a bargain. Of course, I'm not in California, rates there may be higher.
I agree with dmp, don't gouge, don't pad, put the past where it belongs. If you make it a fair rate, they won't take advantage of you and you'll make a little cash. If you're lucky, you'll impress someone on their way out and get some business or even a full job later on.
If you go low, they'll continue to bug you for little stuff an eat into your time.
If you go high, they'll pay you, but bad mouth you. Word gets around. I know I've got my $h!t list of vendors that I won't even talk to. If someone asks about a vendor, I'll tell them that I won't do business with them. I won't talk bad about them, but I'll make it clear they don't get my business.
Dont go in with "Now you need me" pose. charge the going rate for tech calls and keep it perfessional. BUT you dont give Phone support, and you dont give script info or figure out thier prblems for free. you are providing a service like any other vender.
if they play that "well you were the one who set this up, no one else knows anything about it"
thats when you say "yes, I did, While i was your employee, now, im freelance. this is going rate, these are my rules (keep them equal for everyone) you are more then welcome to have another tech attempt to repair, they may do it, but if not , I may have to figure out what else they screwed up in the attempt to fix it which will take me more Man hours. Or pay someone to remove the old one, Purchase a new one and pay someone else to install and maintain it. Here is my Card" remember, they need you. someone like them will always need someone like you.
You are a paid professional. You get paid for your time.[/img]