In this video, I’m showing an example of an onsite service call for one of my Field Nation alternative clients where I made $150 for one hour of work. This is something you can do as an independent information technology field tech.
This job was to convert a site from their existing broadband internet connection to a new, much faster, internet connection. All I had to do was connect the new modem to the Cisco Meraki firewall and test with the client.
I have been in the freelance IT tech industry since 2000 performing work for Field Nation alternative clients, on Field Nation since 2010, and on Work Market since 2011. Field Tech Academy wants to give you the secrets of 20+ years of experience how you can succeed as an Independent IT Field Tech.
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Video Transcript:
This is Michael with Field Tech Academy. And today we are out in the field on a Field Nation alternative client ticket.
This is a good example of a network closet. They’re dirty. I’ve got spider webs on me.
It’s the environment. So if you’re considering becoming a field tech, this is what you’re looking at.
For today’s call, I’m going to be connecting to this new road
router modem that was installed by the local carrier.
I’ve got to connect to a Cisco MX firewall, which is not in the rack, ironically. It is mounted on the wall behind me.
We’re going to do speed tests, and we’re going to talk to the client and do test and turn up.
This is a very typical job.
With this job, I’ve got my laptop so I can do testing
do speed tests and to make sure that we have connectivity.
I
personally use a tablet so that I can do paperwork. And I have a good big screen
to read documentation on. And then, of course, I’ve got my cell phone so I can be in conversations with people.
I like to have separate devices personally so that I don’t have to be talking on the phone and reading at the same time.
With almost every service call that you’re going to be on, unless it’s a trouble ticket, you know, like an actual pure troubleshooting ticket, then your client is going to send you
or your buyer, however they refer to.
They’re going to send you documentation. So on this work order I’ve got PDF document,
I’ve got a word document, I’ve got sample photos.
And I’m going through that right now just to see exactly what they want done and how they want it done.
An important aspect of doing these calls is your documentation, your deliverables, your photos, your paperwork.
Since I’m using multiple devices and for future purposes, I use Google Drive. You can use Dropbox. You know, some sort of you can use OneDrive.
Basically just need a
good source to have all your documentation
You want all your documentation online, because if you’re out in a field and a client calls you and says, hey, I don’t have a piece of paperwork,
I don’t have a photo that I need.
You don’t want to have something stuck at your office.
You want to have everything accessible so that you can upload it in real time and not have delays.
interesting
fail by the LEC is they put the modem on top of a rack instead of in the rack or in that rack. And these racks rotate, pivot. So this is to get left here,
this is too tall for this. So if this was swung over this would just get knocked off on the floor.
Come on LECS, and LEC is a local exchange carrier, the phone company.
The internet provider.
So we’re going to relocate this.
So all in all, that was a pretty simple call. Spent about an hour on site. It was a flat rate of $150.
Can’t complain about making hundred $50 for an hour’s worth of work.
You know, moving the modem wasn’t part of the original scope.
That’s where you, as a tech,
need to think for yourself and do what’s best for the site and what’s best for the client.
I moved the
modem up onto a shelf.
got me closer to the Meraki firewall.
I was able to run a cable over the Meraki firewall
I was able to switch over
to that new modem as the primary circuit and do speed tests.
You know, getting 300 megs download speed and 280 something upload speed is pretty nice, especially for this location, which is kind of out
in a smaller town.
Again, the client on this service call told me exactly what they wanted. They gave me the details of the modem so I would know exactly what device I was looking for. They told me exactly what port they wanted to plug into on the Meraki. They. They identified the Meraki.
As you can see, these calls are really not that complicated
when everything goes right.
If things were not right, you know, if you have to troubleshoot cabling and things like that, you’re going to have to have a baseline of skill set
and technical ability to do those things.
But if you’ve got that baseline,
don’t be afraid of these service calls.
What I want to do is teach you how to
find Field Nation alternative clients, how to bid on these jobs
and
be better at what you’re already doing.
Be able to work for yourself and make money out in the field.
If you got value out of this video, please
like this video, subscribe to the channel,
and check out our other videos.
Also, be sure to check out
fieldtechacademy.com.
I’ve got some coaching services available and a couple of packages that might interest you,
and I love to be able to help you get out in the field and make a living
as an independent IT field tech.