Sales and Marketing

Is it just me?

Personal experience, Respect, Sales and Marketing /

Is it just me? Yes, maintenance is often cheaper than waiting for something to break. But unless you really know your mechanics and mechanisms, and honest maintenance/repair people, you can be a victim. Sometimes I feel victimized.

Not all maintenance experiences are bad.

I sent my mower for maintenance instructing “do whatever it needs”. I expected certain things; oil change, oil and air filter and spark plug replacements, blades sharpened, and wheels aligned. I trusted the repair guy (a former student) and he charged me a reasonable amount, especially considering he picks it up and returns it.

There is a local auto shop I’m pleased with. They fix issues I know about and show me options for future consideration without needless pressure.

But then there are the oil change shops that want to “sell up”; filters tires, or a list of multi-hundred dollar recommended maintenance repairs.

Here’s the one that prompted this post.

Eleven months ago, my home air conditioner stopped. I couldn’t find the reason. I found a local business that had several positive recommendations. I called. He came. It was a capacitor, he replaced it and all was good. As we were settling up, he offered a $150 1-yr, 3-visit maintenance option; furnace, air conditioner and water heater. Sounded good. I signed up.

The first “check” was on my furnace. The tech said there was some “out of code” wiring and routing. It would cost $350 for the repair. The furnace could explode at any time. That should have been a red enough flag. I authorized the repair, however.

Today was check #2 — on my air conditioner, which, other than the part he replaced last year, has functioned perfectly. Today he found a part that, if I didn’t change, could cause the unit to not come on or not shut off. If I waited for that to happen, there would also be the cost of the service call on top of the nearly $300 to replace the part, which he happened to have with him.

As we were settling up, he asked two questions:

  1. When did I want to schedule the water heater check? I DID NOT. Not scheduled.
  2. Can he place a sign in my yard? NO!

Then I got a text (and also an email) asking for feedback.

DONE!

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Domain decisions

Leave a Comment / Personal experience, Sales and Marketing, Social Media, Social Media, Virtual Assistant, Virtual/Local Services /

Time for change arrow

Domain decisions.

When it is time to renew your domain name, you might want to research options to get a better price.

I’ve experienced enough that I can see a pattern.

One of my clients, huntingtonbaptist.org, had a domain renewal coming due at and the price was going to be over $37. I contacted my current hosting provider and their price for every year, was under $17. So, I contacted the domain registrar and started the process to transfer the domain, which required gaining access to the client’s account. And THAT required updating some information and THAT required sending in utility bills, a photo id and more…. Okay, access gained. I started the process to unlock the domain and request an authorization code.

THEN….I get an offer to renew the domain for 1 year for $10. DONE!

Having learned that, when I got notice from that one of MY domains (virtualmusicoffice.com), that cost me $38.xx last year was up for renewal, I started the process to transfer. Suddenly my price drops to under $16.

“Burn me once…..”

So I continued the process to unlock, get auth code and start transfer process to my $17/yr host. DONE!

While I was in the transfer mood, I went to the registrar for qdpcorp.com and went ahead and transferred it to my current host.

Conclusion / Recommendations:

  1. Service providers involved included: Tucows, Network Solutions, Hostcentric, Register, and iPage.
  2. The initial price is only for those who auto renew. The LOWER price is for those who might leave.
  3. If you have a domain up for renewal, instead of automatically renewing, call to START the process to transfer it to get the super-duper 1-year-only discount price. [Then be sure to do that again next year].If you don’t know how to do that, proceed to step #2.
  4. HIRE ME!

ps If you don’t know the underlined/italicized terms above;

domain registrar
transfer the domain
unlock the domain
authorization code

then….

Down arrow decision change

 

 

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