Computer Instruction - What Should I Charge?

I have an opportunity to instruct someone in how to do some things in Excel. I think it will take no more than two hours. They told me to tell them my rate. I have no idea what to charge them. Is there a going rate for in-home software instruction? Any suggestions?

Edit: Ack, just checked out Geek Squads web site. Holy moley they charge $159 for a 1 hour in home session.

I guess the $50 I was thinking about charging is a bargain.

$50.00/hr sounds reasonable. That's probably what I'd charge if someone asked me...

JM-99

$50 is too cheap. It's asking for trouble.

Apparently you live in Virginia. How's the cost of living there? Medium to high?

I would shoot for $80 MINIMUM and ask for $95.

$40 is the typical going rate that unskilled manual labor is billed at, retail cost. This should give you a comparison.

Sometimes if you are the cheapest you attract the wrong kind of customers. I have seen it time and time again.

Be aware that the person will HIGHLY LIKELY call you several times after this to "just ask a quick question". You then will usually get to answer these for free. Be sure to bill enough for this, as I bet you it will happen.

FYI, these are per hour rates, not for the entire job.

Cost of living is pretty cheap here, so $50.00/hr. would be fine in my area...there will always be a college student willing to do it for $20.00... (They probably won't know any more than the person they're helping, but they'll still do it for $20.00/hr... )

As far as calling afterward, make it clear from the beginning that if they need help afterward that the hourly-rate still applies...even for "quick questions". Problem solved.

JM-99

If it's a previous acquaintance who wants help, I would charge less. I tutored math for a while, and I only charged one person whom I had apparently known several years ago and whose parents were connected to mine through the grapevine. Her parents insisted on paying me, so I accepted $10/h.

However, if it's some random person, the rates suggested by jm and td sound good.

Interesting topic. I've considered doing a little light computer consulting myself, and have wondered how to go about pricing my services.

turbodog said:

$50 is too cheap. It's asking for trouble.

Click to expand...

It really all depends upon your level of expertise and your ability to impart that knowledge to a student (the second part be of greatest importance.) Unfortunately, from what I've seen, price is no indicator of quality (around here, it seems to be more an indication of the individual's ego.) I've seen people get charged $125/hr only to find out that their "tutor" knew less about the subject that the student. At the other extreme, I've also seen students (who knew what they were doing) tutoring others for $15-20, where the recipient probably got a lot more out of it.

And while Geek Squad may charge $159, the individual who actually does the instruction isn't likely to get much of that. For all you know they might only get 10% of that with the rest going to cover Best Buy's costs plus profits.

One good way to find out may be to check with a couple of local employment agencies to get a good feeling for your own capabilities and your value on the market. Multiply the more legitimate figure that you have by 1.4 - 1.5 to cover what you would otherwise get in benefits from an employed job, or multiply it by 2 to include travel time and expense cost if you do not charge for that separately.

Ras_Thavas said:

I have an opportunity to instruct someone in how to do some things in Excel. I think it will take no more than two hours. They told me to tell them my rate. I have no idea what to charge them. Is there a going rate for in-home software instruction? Any suggestions?

Edit: Ack, just checked out Geek Squads web site. Holy moley they charge $159 for a 1 hour in home session.

I guess the $50 I was thinking about charging is a bargain.

Click to expand...

To learn Excel?

Most people who need to know Excel already know Excel to the extent that they need to, usually for work, from simple data entry to hard core spreadsheeting. Of course people still need to learn. But there is a LOT of educational materials and sources from books and the net for Excel.

It seems odd that your potential client is asking for assistance in a "non-professional" environment. Is this client looking for a magic bullet? Does he or she think that two hours of instruction will replace book/study/work time?

Without knowing your client, I could be WAY off base, but it seems to me that if your client was a thinker, then he or she would be ready to hit the books. Sitting in class without studying is of little value. Is this what your client wants?

Ras, while I may not always agree with you, from reading some of your posts, I suspect that you have a technical and analytical nature. Two hours of technical and abstract instruction may work for you, but how about for your client? By not doing it "the hard way" (studying) is your client looking for you to do the thinking for him/her? This could potentially be a difficult client if he or she doesn't "get it" on the first go.

I'll apologize before-hand if I've missed the mark about your client, but the situation sounds like it might be stickier than you anticipate.

$50/hr is OK. You probably could charge a fair bit more. I tutor math and and do "PC work" (repair, networking, web sites, etc..) at a similar rate. It's easy money. Of course you wouldn't want to scare a potential client away by charging too much but by charging a rate that gives your client something to think about, you, both, might get a better idea of where your client stands and how seriously he/she is about learning.

73
dim

People learn things differently...some people may be able to comprehend from reading a book...others may learn better with one-on-one (verbal) instruction. Often, folks use a combination of both.

Some people can pass the CCNA by reading a few books. Others choose to attend a course...some do both, etc...

JM-99

Absolutely JM -

I'm only part of the equation (pardon the pun) for my successful students/clients - the ones who use my services as part of a larger, more comprehensive approach to learning/studying. For those students who rely on my few hours per week alone without any extra effort on there part, needless to say, still struggle.

Certainly, I, sometimes, need a bit of a "kick start" on something that I may have difficulties learning, but I know that is just the beginning, not the end.

I'm just saying what, I think, we all are saying to Ras, to approach the client with his eyes open and to understand the clients expectations and goal.

73
dim

I also think $50/hr is a good rate for just starting out. If you decide to make a full time business out of it you can raise your rates later.

As far as what JM and dim are saying, I agree it's critical to know what your customer expects to get out of this. The most important part of this isn't how much to charge but how to manage your customer's expectations so they won't be disappointed.

Thanks for the replies. It is interesting, I answered a want ad where the person specifically wanted instruction in how to use pivot tables. I use them most every day, and they can be tricky to jump into from a book or by playing with them. I have also instructed others at work how to use Excel, so I don't think I will have a problem teaching this person.

I'm not looking specifically to start a consultant business. I guess it is just a feeler for me. I can retire from the PD in a little over 6 years, and I want to retire and do something else. I do a lot of computer work in my current position so I figured I would probably be looking to put those skills to work in a new job when I retire.


Anyway, I told them it would be $60 for the first hour, $100 if I had to stay for two hours, and that includes one free follow up call. We'll see how it goes.

Just as a thought toward moving into doing IT support... I do that for a living and have found that I was thrashing though the days without much to invoice for while I was busy arranging engagements, getting there & back, saying hello to the customer, doing the zillions of invoices.

I've needed to climb the ladder to search out more systems architecture and whole business office support to smooth out the support to more of a longer-term engagement here & there. Then also there's the advantage that you're the go-to guy for each place you've set up and you already know the systems and have standardized everything for quick & painless support. This summer I'm doing a lot of work barefoot over VPN from my garage office. That's awesome work!

And even beyond that I'm sliding into consulting on enterprise software development. Those are months-long engagements and no thrashing at all, just trying to avoid the stoopid time-wasting meetings of the corporate world.

Doing the longer-term engagements only works, though, if you can get the current customers set up super stable in the first place so you don't get those emergency calls. You also need somehow to pursue the next engagement during the present one.

Sure, I still do the mom & pop housecalls, which I do enjoy, but I just couldn't make much at it. I see why Geek Squad charges nearly $160/hr for it, not that a mom & pop would want to see it that way though.

This is pretty difficult thing to advise you on over the Net. It all depends on your relatonship to this person IMHO. If they are an aquaintance, how will the relationship be affected if they think you are asking too much? You can always raise your rates on future sessions, but if you go too high, you probably won't get another chance.

I help close friends for free all the time (and then they think I'm their 24/7 support as well! )...

I shy away from strangers that perk up and say things like "Ooooh, you know about computers?" (insert that "golfball eye look" and the I'm going to get "something for nothing" look) !!

I guess it could be an easy buck here and there - maybe I'll "change my ways"! :thinking: :shrug:

I like that $50 idea and then I could "go from there" - that would at least weed out those looking at the "something for nothing" price!

Let them know what they'd be paying if they called someone else and then present your price!? :shrug:

lol. i too help my friends for free. if i get $10 for each time i help someone on something about computers, i would be able to buy all the lights i want

wow that's quite an array of suggestions running the gamut from "fleece, skin, and scuttle" to " do it for free" -- needless to say I ammore of a fan of the latter attitude, that is; be happy to help and let them pay what they will, with this kind of attitude and good will your business will spread like wildfire..

($40 an hour for unskilled labour?? what the heck planet is that?? )

I do it for free (maybe that's why I'm always broke). Anyway, I feel (good?) when I wake in the morning.

I do this a lot and charge $50/hr with a four hour minimum=$200

They get you as long as they want up to four hours and you get $200, My customers are mostly doctors and they think it's a steal. I don't think I have ever gone much over 2 hours.

Of course, if it was a friend, or even a co-worker I would do it for free.

I am answering a want ad in an online publication. I don't know the person, but they advertised for an instructor.