Charging for email support? 1

[isaacgrover]

Good evening from Wisconsin,

As our client base grows, our technicians are now receiving support requests via email frequently enough that we are brainstorming ideas to implement a fee structure for our non-retainer clients, as generating responses for each of those requests moves billable time away from our more profitable clients.

Does anyone here have experience with such a model, and what has your experience been? Pros? Cons?

Thank you in advance,


--
Isaac Grover, Owner
Quality Computer Services of River Falls, Wisconsin
Web:

http://www.qcs-rf.com

 

[Mountainbear]

Are these request from previous customers or strangers? Although I do not receive much request via e-mail I do get a lot of telephone calls for support.
My policy has been if it is something they have been trained on by me they get free support.If they have not been trained by me I politely tell them I can't help them over the phone (unless it is something simple). If they are strangers, they get 30-60 seconds of my time unless they sound as if they may become customers.
It is a constant struggle because you don't want to turn them away but people will try anything to save a service call.