Calling all designers!

[damontucker]

Re: Calling all designers!

Service

Flat rate: $20

Some of my current clients has offered me various amounts of payments, ranging from $20 to $100, but the $20 is a flat rate, no matter what was done, for how long, at what time. As long as I'm able to come to your house, then the pricing won't change.

This is from your rates pages.... so you mean to tell me if it took you 5 hours to problem solve and/or fix the computer.... the price would still be $20.00?

Or is this a per hour charge.... Maybe you need to work out your rates a little more and do some comparisons with others out there doing similar things.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Calling all designers!

Don't sell yourself too cheap, Adrian. If your services are valuable, then people should (and will) pay fair market value. If you want to drum up new business, you could offer a one-time-only introductory rate.

[adrian]

Re: Calling all designers!

This is from your rates pages.... so you mean to tell me if it took you 5 hours to problem solve and/or fix the computer.... the price would still be $20.00?

Or is this a per hour charge.... Maybe you need to work out your rates a little more and do some comparisons with others out there doing similar things.

I'll start off at that price. But so far, people paid me much more than that (or maybe I should go to the "trust payment": they pay me whatever they fell like). The funny thing, is that two clients paid me much more, and when I refuse to take that much, they literally put it in my mouth (okay, pocket, but still...). I know that Geeksquad them costs a bit more than me an hour, but I'm helping those who are intimidated by those big companies. Plus, I go to their house, instead of letting them carry their computer to my place.

[Pomai]

Re: Calling all designers!

Admin, this is a duplicate of the following post. Please delete this one. Thanks!

[Pomai]

Re: Calling all designers!

Here's one more "Piece of Pie" theme (although it looks more like a cake). After messin' around with various color combinations, I went with this so it looks more "tech", less "food". I also thought of changing the icing drips to look more "electrical"....


Illustrator 10 original file

What I'm illustrating here more is the way your website and stationery should use a theme that ties with your logo. Also keep in mind that you should have a grayscale (black & white) version of your logo (cheaper advertising & print costs), which is why I stick with line art.

It would look pretty neat to have the blue slice of pie (next to HOME) used as a navigation pointer.

Adrian, you mentioned that people on other boards also designed some logos. Perhaps add those to your voters poll.

I also like Kelly's "power icon" idea. I'll play with that a bit and submit another one later.

[shaveice]

Re: Calling all designers!

I was doing some other stuff this morning and ran into a t-shirt that spawned this idea. Maybe someone else can run with it (if you like it) as this is more like a sketch rather than something of actual use.

. . . . . . . . . . .

cool! (adrian, sorry if you mentioned it elsewhere (i don't see it in this thread) but what's the story behind the name Pyehac? i'm not a graphic designer but i know that knowing the meaning behind a name would help to design something clever/meaningful..)

[adrian]

Re: Calling all designers!

but what's the story behind the name Pyehac?

pye = pie (as in food, as I love to eat) and hac = computer hacking (I didn't know what else to tie in computers, so I just used that).

And FYI, "evenworse" is an album made by Weird Al Yankovic, and I also used that for my domains at school, so if my teacher does decide to run a search for it, then he'll know who it is.

I'll also put those in the redesigned website (when I get the logo and business name confirmation)

-------------------------

59 diagnostic
29 mem install
39-59 hard install depends on hardware
79 os replace
49 restore cd

That's the geeksquad pricelist, as remembered by someone on another local forum.

I'm thinking of doing a $20 initial price, then maybe $5/hour (usually a call lasts 2 hours).

[Cameron]

Re: Calling all designers!

yor polls messed up, it got stuck in a loop and refreshed a million times submitting tons of votes

[adrian]

Re: Calling all designers!

yor polls messed up, it got stuck in a loop and refreshed a million times submitting tons of votes

I'm completely new to php, and since I'll be closing the poll by this weekend, I don't want to bother with recoding the whole poll. There's a few duplicate addresses who voted, so I'll remove the duplicates and recount them manually.

Hopefully by next week, I can get a rough draft for the sign, advertisement, business cards, and tshirt I'll wear to calls.

Speaking of advertisement, I'm planning on putting this in my church bulletin, plus stickers on cars and maybe in TheBus.

[pzarquon]

Re: Calling all designers!

Speaking of advertisement, I'm planning on putting this in my church bulletin, plus stickers on cars and maybe in TheBus.

Stickers on TheBus? Adrian, I'm disappointed you'd even consider it. I blame UDown.

[adrian]

Re: Calling all designers!

Stickers on TheBus? Adrian, I'm disappointed you'd even consider it. I blame UDown.

NO, I meant the advertisements that are inside TheBus above riders.

And anyone knows where I can get a good policy statement? (to protect me and the clients)

[pzarquon]

Re: Calling all designers!

Ah, well, that's good, then.

I'd expect an ad in the church bulletin would be considerably more affordable than an ad on TheBus... and I'd even bet the church bulletin would get you more business per ad dollar invested, even if a hundred times more people saw it on TheBus. Basically, foster your business prospects "locally," first. Friends and family references, groups you work with.

As for a "policy statement," I presume you mean some standard contract terms? I haven't looked for 'em lately, but I recall there are plenty of resources online for freelancers of any flavor -- writers, designers, computer technicians, photographers, what have you -- that include boilerplate templates for that kind of stuff. You'll definitely want some of that built into your business practices.

[adrian]

Re: Calling all designers!

Here's a rough draft of the Terms of Service agreement:

As a client to Pyehac Computer Service:
a) The technician shall receive access to your residence with your consent and cooperation.
b) You shall accept the responsibility to offer a save work environment while the technician is working at your site. An adult over the age of 18 shall always be present while the technician is working.
c) The technician shall have complete access to the computer or peripheral that will be serviced.
d) You are responsible for backing up/saving all data prior to the scheduled appointment, and that it’s not the technician’s fault if the data on the computer is lost, damaged, or destroyed by the service rendered to the computer.
e) The service rendered onto the computer my not be judged by anyone else unless the work isn’t completed and another appointment isn’t scheduled with the technician.
f) Payment shall be rendered upon completion of task.
g) If the task isn’t completed, or problems still exist, service fee shall be paid, and the task payment shall be paid at a later date when it is completed. No service fee shall be implemented when that date arises.
h) If unsatisfied by the quality of work by the technician, the client may withheld payment until the task is finished (but still have to pay for the service fee) to the client’s satisfaction, without any time limit.



As a Computer Technician to the client for Pyehac Computer Service:
a) The technician shall provide a safe, professional, and courteous demeanor when in the presence of the customer.
b) The technician will always try to finish the task called upon to do, and that any other services wanted by the client shall wait until said task is finished by the technician.


As a customer to Pyehac Computer Service, you read the above statements and are clear on the terms of service this company will provide. Once signed, you may not use this agreement against the company, technician, or any of its partners, workers, or other related personnel. Not signing and agreeing to the above statements will cancel the appointment until agreed upon and accepted.

___________________________
(sign here)

I just put this together in a few minutes while thinking of the previous work I've done and I just woke up also so my grammar might not be good.

And expect a redo of the site by next week.

[Pomai]

Re: Calling all designers!

Craig gave you some excellent advice regarding liability and the use of a business vehicle.

....and remember, DON'T use your cellphone while driving!

I'd also look into the FREE business counseling services offered by SCORE (my father is the former chairperson of the Hawaii chapter). They're now located in the Federal Building on the corner of Punchbowl and Ala Moana Blvd.

[adrian]

Re: Calling all designers!

Craig gave you some
....and remember, DON'T use your cellphone while driving!

I'm not that stupid. I can barely listen to the radio while driving, much less carry a conversation with my Mom.

Looks like I still have a lot to do.