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I had a customer call up - asking for antivirus software as soon as I pick up the phone. That immediately has me seeing dollar signs - you see, we do sell our own antivirus product (it's really just rebranded F-Secure - slightly higher price, but you get 24/7 US support instead of 24/7 Finland support, and a license for 3 PCs instead of 1 - plus free malware removal in case something slips through). And I do get commission on it. It's an excellent product, I have no problems with it whatsoever - it was the exact product (aside from the rebranding) that I'd been considering for my own PC for several months. I get a free 3 PC license for it myself; it's super light weight and very highly rated.
I explain the monthly price and tell her there's no commitment or ETF. She's fine with that. I do a remote session into her PC to install it and remove her expired <competitor product>. It's not the newest computer, so it's taking a bit. She mentions she has a home business making soap. I ask her if her financial records are on this PC - they are. No backups either - she asked if she really needed backups. I upsell the cloud backup software ($3/mo extra). I get that installed with no problem, and we have one of the cheapest cloud backup platforms out there. We keep BSing about everything from weather to pets to her kids to current events, even to legalization of weed (this isn't something I'll bring up at work, ever - we drug test, we record calls - she'd asked about some of the stranger things I'd seen when I'd do a remote desktop session, i mention the guy who had a bunch of pot leaves/buds for his wallpaper, she goes off on the "legalize it" rant that I love to go off on myself - I just don't discuss my own love of Mrs Mary Jane while i'm on a recorded call.. EVER).
I run into issues installing the antivirus twice in a row, I finally escalate to the vendor. Before I get off the phone, I mention to her I have a family member with a birthday coming up, and ask if she'd be okay with me contacting her about purchasing some of her products (we'd gotten into some pretty personal stuff while BSing - mostly by her, I couldn't reveal some of my views on some stuff she'd mentioned due to the call being recorded). She's fine with that, gives me her email, and tells me to contact her on Facebook. I transfer the remote session to F-Secure to get it fixed. She was never once upset about anything with me (most of the previous calls we'd logged wound up with her irate, but every call center she'd dealt with before me was outsourced)
I took her up on her offer to contact her for some gift items. Hit her up on Facebook like she asked - first thing I do is ask if F-Secure ever got everything installed (they did, after "a few hours of work") - phew. She links me to albums showing her products. I'm instantly sold. I tell her I want to do some sort of gift for my mother (her bday is on the 21st), she comes up with some ideas and offers to do a gift basket as well. I give her my budget and my must-haves - she comes up with something slightly over my budget (by $5, after you factor shipping) with a couple of extras. I agree, I paypal her the funds and throw in some extra to cover paypal fees.
So mom's getting about $45 (before shipping and paypal fees - final total I sent was $60) worth of hand made soaps (whipped soaps, bar soaps, scrubs, gift basket, etc), from someone who's been making soaps most of her life, but only started selling them to the public about 6 months ago. I really love supporting small businesses (especially 1-2 person operations like this), especially in such a niche market. After my next check, I'll probably wind up ordering some bar soaps from her as well - she has an espresso soap that sounds really good, and the last custom soap I ordered was coffee-based (and I looooved it).
I explain the monthly price and tell her there's no commitment or ETF. She's fine with that. I do a remote session into her PC to install it and remove her expired <competitor product>. It's not the newest computer, so it's taking a bit. She mentions she has a home business making soap. I ask her if her financial records are on this PC - they are. No backups either - she asked if she really needed backups. I upsell the cloud backup software ($3/mo extra). I get that installed with no problem, and we have one of the cheapest cloud backup platforms out there. We keep BSing about everything from weather to pets to her kids to current events, even to legalization of weed (this isn't something I'll bring up at work, ever - we drug test, we record calls - she'd asked about some of the stranger things I'd seen when I'd do a remote desktop session, i mention the guy who had a bunch of pot leaves/buds for his wallpaper, she goes off on the "legalize it" rant that I love to go off on myself - I just don't discuss my own love of Mrs Mary Jane while i'm on a recorded call.. EVER).
I run into issues installing the antivirus twice in a row, I finally escalate to the vendor. Before I get off the phone, I mention to her I have a family member with a birthday coming up, and ask if she'd be okay with me contacting her about purchasing some of her products (we'd gotten into some pretty personal stuff while BSing - mostly by her, I couldn't reveal some of my views on some stuff she'd mentioned due to the call being recorded). She's fine with that, gives me her email, and tells me to contact her on Facebook. I transfer the remote session to F-Secure to get it fixed. She was never once upset about anything with me (most of the previous calls we'd logged wound up with her irate, but every call center she'd dealt with before me was outsourced)
I took her up on her offer to contact her for some gift items. Hit her up on Facebook like she asked - first thing I do is ask if F-Secure ever got everything installed (they did, after "a few hours of work") - phew. She links me to albums showing her products. I'm instantly sold. I tell her I want to do some sort of gift for my mother (her bday is on the 21st), she comes up with some ideas and offers to do a gift basket as well. I give her my budget and my must-haves - she comes up with something slightly over my budget (by $5, after you factor shipping) with a couple of extras. I agree, I paypal her the funds and throw in some extra to cover paypal fees.
So mom's getting about $45 (before shipping and paypal fees - final total I sent was $60) worth of hand made soaps (whipped soaps, bar soaps, scrubs, gift basket, etc), from someone who's been making soaps most of her life, but only started selling them to the public about 6 months ago. I really love supporting small businesses (especially 1-2 person operations like this), especially in such a niche market. After my next check, I'll probably wind up ordering some bar soaps from her as well - she has an espresso soap that sounds really good, and the last custom soap I ordered was coffee-based (and I looooved it).
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