How to stop regularly repairing computers to neighbors and acquaintances of their friends, but do not pass for ignorance

I saw this eloquent announcement and photographed my friend at the door of an unknown comrade at the door. It might have been worth ringing at the door and meeting you, but I was confused and did not. If a friend is on Habré, then he is a big hello.

Such a cry from the heart - I am well acquainted. I have been freelancing for several years, and even now, having moved to a permanent job, I still often work remotely from home. Observant neighbors noticed this, so for five of the fifteen apartments in the entrance I “had” to provide technical support at various times (sometimes urgent, sometimes meaningless). And there are also computers in his apartment and relatives in the neighboring streets. At the same time, I always worked and worked in the field of web development, and never as a system administrator. But for those around you who are not geeks, I am still "a computer programmer who understands this matter."

At this sad reflection is over, because you read the positive Sunday post.
')
Friends, the problem of "those. neighborly support ”exists for many IT people, but I’ll share it with several ways to solve it successfully, which in my case worked perfectly.

More ways, for sure, will offer in the comments.

Since the neighbors are a part of those closest ones (which, according to the well-known concept) we should love, the proposed solutions will be mostly humane and mutually comfortable . In general, we will learn to constructively deny those who have not previously been told no.

Additional conditions of the problem

First, I believe that it is impossible to quarrel with the neighbors. At least, if they are adequate in general people. Do not forget that sometime you may need their support and help even in the most trivial things, such as lifting a new sofa to your floor or a glass of sugar that you forgot to buy on your way home.

Secondly, if suddenly you need to urgently establish relations with a pretty neighbor, then you can use everything written below to do the opposite, as bad advice.

Thirdly, we will try to solve neighboring problems, and not just dodge them.

1. Plan on the timing of the neighbor before. support

The first thing I did when the neighbors began to annoy, distracting me during working hours (which I sometimes have in the evening) - it began to plan.

I reasoned like this: ok, I am ready to purify karma for free aid for people to spend three hours a week. At the beginning of the week, I usually have a job at work. Friday night - work non-kosher. So I can spend my 3 hours from Tuesday to Thursday in the evening.

When someone from the neighbors resorted to me with a request to “fix” the computer, I listened carefully to the request and concluded:

- I see. I understood everything, I can look in to you in the evening from six to nine on Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday, when I will not have a job. What day would you like?

At first I heard in reply something surprised like:

- But there, probably, not for long. Come on now.

I politely but persistently repeated that, they say, alas, but now I am busy with work or household chores. The second time everyone understood and waited until Tuesday.

And some people didn’t wait: he found others faster (perhaps also from among neighbors and relatives). I may have been offended, but my conscience was clear.

The hardest thing to postpone the visit from the weekend. Here, unfortunately, I sometimes became cunning and said that I was about to leave or receive guests, etc.

It happens that the neighbors something breaks in sync. And then the rule of three hours comes to the rescue again:

- Sorry, but I can come to you only next week, this time - I help Dima from the fourth floor.

2. Teach problem solving

Somehow quickly solve the problem is usually easier and faster than eliminating its repetition. But when you act on a voluntary basis, the second way is preferable to you.

It is not enough to remove the virus, it is necessary to provide the victim with a free antivirus, explain how it is updated and tell you that you can’t leave your phone number anywhere and what viruses (and from what sites) viruses penetrate your computer. Well, you understand.

I think that you are lucky (seriously, without quotes) if your neighbors have children of school age. How so? After all, children usually kill a computer with a bunch of crookedly cracked games and their curiosity. And here is the key to the solution: children's curiosity should be sent in a good direction. It seems that any fifth-grader who actively plays toys on a computer can be taught to rearrange Windows in one evening. I, at least, succeeded.

In addition, it is necessary, however, to teach more about what measures:

1. Backing up the necessary data (on my neighbors' home computers, the most useful are bookmarks in browsers and a family photo / video / music archive).
2. Set up a network connection (or recommend parents to buy a router).
3. Install the most necessary software (children cope with it with a bang, since they have already been able to install games, as a rule, for a long time). First of all, you need to learn how to install drivers, antivirus, browser, Skype (with the addition of your contact for communication) and TeamViewer. All this should be recorded on a separate disk or USB flash drive.
4. Run this very TeamViewer and give you access details.

The last point does not cancel the help on the schedule (everything should remain strict), but it saves you from having to go to your neighbors with your feet.

Children, however, harder to refuse. As a result, it is possible that instead of repairing the company, you will be giving on Wednesday evening lessons to all children from your doorway. And here Skype saves - you can arrange a conference and immediately tell everyone something at the same time and show it. But this is, of course, at will.

If you still take on the computer literacy of local children, then here are two more valuable tips that will save you:

1. Delegate . Be sure to find one child prodigy who seizes everything faster than others. Quickly turn it into an "admin assistant" and send it to help neighbors. Since the child does not have a job, he will be in such demand only in joy.
2. Let's get the job done. So that the children do not sit on your neck, perplex them with all sorts of independent tasks, then communicating with you for them will be like not a game, but a school. Did not make the task - you will not receive the next lesson.

A few words about GNU / Linux. In a sense, I am his adept, but having even put people's Ubuntu neighbors, get ready to immediately explain why it is impossible to install “Nidforspid” here, that this printer does not suddenly work, etc. etc. That is, you can transfer to Linux, but only lowly users. For example, I have an elderly acquaintance who needs only Odnoklassniki, cooking sites and a game of chess from a computer. For him, Linux is perfect, including because even if he pulls a website soaked with trojans at the recipe for jam, nothing will break (and that means that I will have to repair anything).

On the rights of off-topic: it seems to me that Linux on the desktop is generally perfect for any older people. Their needs are usually reduced to social networks, reading of some thematic sites, casual games, watching movies, communicating with relatives (via Skype). All this in any distribution kit and repositories is enough.

3. Connect professionals

That is, those people who earn on it. In your city, there must be several computer assistance firms. Call each of them, reach the manager (this can be done by telling the operator that you need corporate services for several computers at once). But to the decision maker, describe the situation, explain that you want a small discount for neighbors (or a percentage for yourself - that really depends on your enterprise).

When at the other end they hear about a ready-made client base of several people (you can also describe the amount of work), you will most likely be treated with interest in your proposal.

Ask to send you an employee for the test. Break something and let it fix it. If the quality of services is adequate, then after that, walk around your neighbors and politely explain that you cannot help them with repairing computers, but there is such a company that can help for a moderate amount. Leave business cards, inform the approximate prices.

It’s best to do something like this before you leave. Insightful neighbors will understand everything correctly, and then you naively explain yourself:

- Hello. Yes, I am back from vacation. Thank you, I got a rest tanned really cool. But now after working leave a lot. So you better call those guys whose business card I left you.

4. Do not refuse to thank, use the trust

Taking money from neighbors for repairing a computer is, in my opinion, too dubious a business. But if you are offered some specific gratitude, then do not refuse. Thanking you for the first time out of courtesy, the second - thank you because of the ensuing tradition. And then they will understand that each of your “calls” requires some kind of reciprocal thanks. From worries over trifles, this will definitely relieve.

When you are asked:

- How much do I owe you for your shamanism with a computer?

... don't get lost. Better think in advance, and how could your neighbor help you? Ideally, you should ask for help in something related to his work. Such a mirror response will be the most understandable. It may happen that you generally establish a fruitful barter services. Well, either, the neighbor will understand that it is not so easy to help him to him (and it is also difficult, like him, to change the oil on your car).

If you are a jack of all trades without a neighbor, you can answer something like this:

- Oh, well, you do not need money, buy me a bottle of whiskey.

It is not necessary to get drunk, instead of whiskey, you can ask for any other specific thanks, if only their price was not cheap. Prepare your neighbors for p. 3 (when you cannot help them, you still have to apply for a paid service in some office).

If you are promised to thank you, but they have not done so, then do not hesitate to remind you of your duty (of course, this should be done in an ironic form so as not to offend the neighbors). The purpose of such reminders is not to get your gift, but to ensure that the neighbor remains with a sense of duty (without paying, he will not call again).

Dry residue

Communicating with neighbors and non-close acquaintances is a good training ground for learning to say “no” (this is useful in work too, right). Feel free to refuse, but do it tactfully, friendly and offering an alternative solution. In this case, you will not be rejected by the team, but no one will sit down on your neck (yes, with spurs) either.

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PS Interesting from the comments

Nickel3000 proposes to discuss the topic of helping friends / neighbors buying iron.

OK, I act like this: I am making an order online (sometimes I have to go to www.ixbt.com/3dv/3ditogi to understand what kind of a vidyuha I’m supposed to put in my home computer), I draw it on my discount card (neighbors get good a discount, and I saved up volumes for myself up to the third dealer column of the price), I order the assembly, I send the neighbors for payment and receipt of the order themselves.

But I order everything in a proven office that doesn’t mow (I know in advance that they collect it normally, and test the car before selling it, and the prices are adequate). Also, what is important, in this office a printed manual is applied to the computer, where in the pictures it is shown what to connect and where. Although, of course, sometimes you still have to help with the initial commissioning.

Good old friends I collect myself. But this is a ritual that I like. We plan an event in advance on the day off, buy beer, choose the top-end hardware, then we run games and benchmarks together :-)

Sterhel shows why it is better not to tell anyone that you understand computers . Comics - fire.

geveiler offers a cool way. I will quote:

And I changed my activity, now I just say: “I am no longer an admin (programmer for aunts)”.

Many (but the first to speak out Prototik ) believe that there is no problem in being ignorant of neighbors. The answer in the form of a solid "no" solves the problem immediately. I agree with this in general, but all people are different, with a different mentality: for example, I didn’t know how to say "no" inbornly, I had to learn slowly and painfully. Constructive failure is a good first step.

Vanok offers such a cheat: always offer to bring a computer to your home, they say, you look at it and fix it when the time is up. I confirm. It works too. Especially if you strictly keep the computer from Sunday to Wednesday strictly according to the chosen method. And people who live farther from your neighbors are generally lazy to get involved with you.

EllaVS voiced an interesting term - "people who can not be denied." Interestingly, for habrovchan who is in this category, except for close relatives?

Moskus told me very thoroughly why you shouldn’t particularly cling to the location of your neighbors.

pro169 offers a solution using Acronis software :-) You need to install and configure everything once, and then in case of any problems, by phone, in 5 minutes, explain how to roll back to the image of the original working system. alekciy does the same, only using ghost .