When does help become billable?

Calculate what it will cost you to help him. At least estimate the time, if you do not have a fixed/preferred hourly rate. Then decide if the assistance you give him is worth the 'marketing cost'.
 
Velenoso said:
You're obviously not a good friend. My friends and I help each other with time, knowledge and money. That's how we got to where we are not by charging each other for INFORMATION? What a ridiculous story this is.
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I understand your view-point but in the property market(which I believe your in) that might be something that I could do. I've helped him many a time for FREE while he got paid but he keeps getting himself in these situations and I have to do the work. That's where my issue with this is. I'm his friend but not his slave.
 
Velenoso said:
You're obviously not a good friend. My friends and I help each other with time, knowledge and money. That's how we got to where we are not by charging each other for INFORMATION? What a ridiculous story this is.
Click to expand...

That would be if it were they were sharing info, or budy has a problem and only you can sort it out fixing a little pc error / virus or hell even seting up an itunes acount or phone etc - no profit on either side involved - from what i gather the OP's friend got a contract to do a job and has no idea on how to do it, and expecting the OP to help him for free. SO OP will end up doing all the work and his budy reap all the money - really? now thats ridiculous
 
Velenoso said:
You're obviously not a good friend. My friends and I help each other with time, knowledge and money. That's how we got to where we are not by charging each other for INFORMATION? What a ridiculous story this is.
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Hi Friend! :)

I have little knowledge and am in way over my head with a project I've recently taken on. Would you be so kind as to assist me with the project free of charge while I bill my client R400/hour for my time?

I promise I will only use about 5 hours of your time in total and expect you not to charge me.

I have a feeling this may be the start of a great friendship :)
 
Velenoso said:
You're obviously not a good friend. My friends and I help each other with time, knowledge and money. That's how we got to where we are not by charging each other for INFORMATION? What a ridiculous story this is.
Click to expand...

If it is one of the friends you can count on your fingers, then I would help no matter what for free. Come snow, hell or high water my real friends can count on me and I can count on them if the position were reversed.

These are the guys and gals that have been your friend for years, no matter what happens they are always your friend. Whether you are raking in millions or peanuts from one day to the next, they are always your friend.

The ones that you rarely have more then 5 during the first 30 years of your life and thats if you are lucky..

If it is a "friend" or an acquaintance then I would put my foot down and bill for my time after the first free session.

Edit: Saw your update about the slave thing, yeah in that case he does not fall into the real friend category, so bill him.
 
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Either your "fake it 'till I make it" buddy starts paying you for your knowledge and expertise or he must make you a partner in his " IT Company".

I love guys like these...their ex clients eventualy end up on our client list. In the IT world, word gets around quickly.
 
MightyQuin said:
Either your "fake it 'till I make it" buddy starts paying you for your knowledge and expertise or he must make you a partner in his " IT Company".

I love guys like these...their ex clients eventualy end up on our client list. In the IT world, word gets around quickly.
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Reminds me a customer when I was still working in IT Retail . He would always ask casual questions and then one day I realised he was actually repairing PCs but had zero knowledge. Then one day he phoned and asked a technical question, my response was "Thats an easy one, will only cost you R75 for the answer." and I never heard from him again.
 
I always charge my friends for my information, I usually either get food (biscuits etc.) or money (R100-R200 for quick help).

They are happy to pay me for my help, since it is way cheaper than going to an IT company who charges R500 or more for the same thing.
 
MightyQuin said:
I love guys like these...their ex clients eventualy end up on our client list. In the IT world, word gets around quickly.
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Get the feeling he is going to ask me to come through to the client this weekend..
cbrunsdonza said:
Reminds me a customer when I was still working in IT Retail . He would always ask casual questions and then one day I realised he was actually repairing PCs but had zero knowledge. Then one day he phoned and asked a technical question, my response was "Thats an easy one, will only cost you R75 for the answer." and I never heard from him again.
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Mini-update: He just called me and left a message asking how to connect laptop's to a network domain and how to setup a network share.. Now mind you he is AT the client right now.
 
Sounds like you and your friend need some bro time to sort this out.
 
Pho3nix said:
I understand your view-point but in the property market(which I believe your in) that might be something that I could do. I've helped him many a time for FREE while he got paid but he keeps getting himself in these situations and I have to do the work. That's where my issue with this is. I'm his friend but not his slave.
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Look, what I'm saying is one day he should be able to help you in return. You help each other, both of you make money. One of my closest friends (and sometimes business partner), I can call him up and say look mate, I'm short of R1mil on this property. He'll transfer it into my account right away (if he has it) and vice versa.

If it's a one way story and he keeps doing it tell him you can't do it for free anymore. He must give you a share in the company. Either way, I maintain that you two can't be very good friends because of this behavior.

isie said:
That would be if it were they were sharing info, or budy has a problem and only you can sort it out fixing a little pc error / virus or hell even seting up an itunes acount or phone etc - no profit on either side involved - from what i gather the OP's friend got a contract to do a job and has no idea on how to do it, and expecting the OP to help him for free. SO OP will end up doing all the work and his budy reap all the money - really? now thats ridiculous
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Yes look, if it gets out of hand sure, but as I said, he could help the OP sometime with another business venture free of charge.

bullfrog said:
Hi Friend! :)

I have little knowledge and am in way over my head with a project I've recently taken on. Would you be so kind as to assist me with the project free of charge while I bill my client R400/hour for my time?

I promise I will only use about 5 hours of your time in total and expect you not to charge me.

I have a feeling this may be the start of a great friendship :)
Click to expand...

Bring it on. Next time you help me. However, my favor won't be so small. ;)

fonoi said:
If it is one of the friends you can count on your fingers, then I would help no matter what for free. Come snow, hell or high water my real friends can count on me and I can count on them if the position were reversed.

These are the guys and gals that have been your friend for years, no matter what happens they are always your friend. Whether you are raking in millions or peanuts from one day to the next, they are always your friend.

The ones that you rarely have more then 5 during the first 30 years of your life and thats if you are lucky..

If it is a "friend" or an acquaintance then I would put my foot down and bill for my time after the first free session.

Edit: Saw your update about the slave thing, yeah in that case he does not fall into the real friend category, so bill him.
Click to expand...

That's bang on how I feel.
 
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Hasn't your friend heard of Google? It's free and then you don't have to bug your friends the whole time :D
 
If a friend fixed my PC, I might be able to get a traffic fine reduced or cancelled. It works both ways. If he hired a taxi gartjie to murder his wife or mistress, that might be a little trickier.
 
Pho3nix said:
Get the feeling he is going to ask me to come through to the client this weekend..


Mini-update: He just called me and left a message asking how to connect laptop's to a network domain and how to setup a network share.. Now mind you he is AT the client right now.
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What boggles my mind is how people like this work in IT? The scary part is a lot of them actually make a killing while knowing schite.
 
ponder said:
What boggles my mind is how people like this work in IT? The scary part is a lot of them actually make a killing while knowing schite.
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+1. They give the industry a bad name. If he wants to run a company, he should rather focus on running the company and employ technicly able people to actually do the work.
 
A friendly relationship is a bad basis for a business. If he wants you to be involved then there must be some sort of agreement specifying what your responsibilities and rewards are. Hell even a casual cleaner needs a contract!
 
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