Imagine for a moment (you won't have to stretch very far) that your son or daughter comes home past curfew and you say something like, "I told you to be home by midnight." In reply your kid says, "I know I heard you say that."
Imagine for a moment that you are an engineer who builds bridges. One day a bridge that you design collapses. You confront the builders only to find that they used half of the bolts that you indicated in the design. "I heard you say that we should use that many bolts," comes the reply from the builder.
In each case, the next sentence that follows is an excuse from the offenders as to why they thought this should be an exception.
Today I heard the phrase, "I've heard you say that," twice. Once was a person who was running a very slow computer that wouldn't connect to the Internet. When I looked at their computer, they were running Norton Internet Security. When I told them that the problem was likely caused, or made worse by Norton they said, I've heard you say that Norton causes lots of problems. Then came the excuse, but I have it paid for until September.
With a straight face I jokingly told them to call me in September and I would get them back online. Suddenly the fact that they had paid for Norton didn't seem to matter much. I removed Norton with their permission and suddenly the computer came back online. Strange.
Later I had someone who was fighting their dial-up connection. I asked why they weren't on broadband. "I've heard you say that dial-up is dead, but I don't use the Internet very much."
As I worked away trying to get the dial-up to work they asked me three questions:
1. Why do pictures and attachments take so long to download?
2. Is there any way I can get phone calls when I am online?
3. Why is my computer always telling me I need updates?
Here are is the answer to each qustion.
1. Because you are on dial-up.
2. You can only do that if you are on broadband.
3. Because you aren't connected to the Internet long enough or often enough to get all the updates your computer needs – like you would be if you were on broadband.
For some reason people always think that I am trying to sell them something when I make suggestions on how to avoid problems with their computer, yet they will let the salesmen at Best Buy talk them into Norton products.
I don't sell anything. I only get paid for the time I spend working. Contrary to what may seem logical, I don't enjoy fixing computer problems. I could make just as much money and be a lot happier if I was teaching people how to get more out of their computer or setting up computers to prevent problems.
It seems though that most people would rather pay for having problems fixed than pay for prevention. Most of the advice I give for free, yet people end up paying me to fix problems that came as a result of ignoring that free advice. I would call it job security, but that would imply that I have something to do with the problem. I would see half as many clients each week if they all would just listen to the advice I give for free.
That's it, I have given away my secrets. My advice is the key for not needing my services. Why do I give advice that would prevent people from needing my services? Because I believe in trickle-down computer help. The less people need to spend money on getting the computer fixed, the more likely they are to pay me to have me teach them Photoshop, Windows, Microsoft Word, How to use the Internet, How to keep their computer safe, etc.
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