Trying to Help Charity Orgs Can Hurt

[Meggers]

Our little outfit used to like to help charity organizations and churches with no cost product and no charge labor. Just a pro-bono thing we used to like to do. We received a call from a local church a while back and they explained that they were in need of a computer and some work. We told them that we'd be happy to help and provided them with a computer for no profit. We spent many hours inside the church setting up the new PC, the network, the wireless, their accounting software, photocopier etc. We were adorned with praises of "thank the Lord for these fine folks".

The next day we got a number of calls for followup assistance; the wireless wasn't stable, the office assistant needed training for their accounting software, what can we do about this? can you do something about that? and on it went. We were booked with work and couldn't get on site within twelve hours (as requested, if you can believe) and explained that we'd setup a time to manage their service requests within a few days. Not one problem could've been considered an emergency and afterall, its pro-bono and we have paying customers (please step to the back of the line sir).

This wasn't good enough for the pastor and he explained to me that if that everything wasn't working just right, questions would be raised about what the church had paid for (I don't remember getting anything out of the deal, do you want your personal satisfaction back?). He was so bold as to ask me if the church needed to buy another computer in order for us to continue to service them, and of course there was a sprinkling of "but we thought you were our new IT people?" with puppy-dog eyes (one date and the relationship is completely defined without our knowledge) Its important to mention that the work they were requesting wasn't related to the new hardware we sold at no cost. Every problem they had from the moment we stepped foot in the church had been in existence for quite some time. Their accounting software hadn't been running for years and yet they were adamant that all of their technology had to be serviced immediately

We explained that we'd be happy to continue to provide service but we couldn't get back for a few days. The next morning we received a message that our services were no longer required by the church.

We've ceased all charitable services and now have little interest in the church.

[Bright_Star]

Did they somehow forget that they got their computer equipment for FREE?

[Saydrah]

I think no longer helping anyone is a bit of overkill- I wouldn't continue to shop at a retailer that I knew was punishing all the charitable causes in the community for the selfishness of one CHURCH <---- not necessarily a charitable group, depending upon the church... some do lots of good for their communities, many do none.

[draco664]

I think no longer helping anyone is a bit of overkill- I wouldn't continue to shop at a retailer that I knew was punishing all the charitable causes in the community for the selfishness of one CHURCH <---- not necessarily a charitable group, depending upon the church... some do lots of good for their communities, many do none.

Many store policies are created based on the actions of one customer/small number of customers. Doesn't mean it's fair or just, only that it isn't worth the store's while to continue with the status quo.

In this instance, what if every church in the area started coming asking for free support?

Yeah, it sucks, but like that one impatient motorist that causes the accident on the road that holds hundreds of people up, shit happens, we're just the people who have to mop it up afterwards.

Draco

[Saydrah]

Maybe I did not make my point clearly enough-

If I knew that a retailer was helping some specific charities, but one of those specific charities was rude, so they stopped helping ALL of them, I would find somewhere to shop that continued to be generous with the community. I make it a point to shop at stores that support local charitable groups- started it when stores started helping the horse rescue where I was a board member at the time, and now I've found that there are lots of independent retailers who do their part for the community by supporting local organizations. Fabric is the only thing I still buy from retailers that are not involved in the community, because I haven't found a fabric store that is yet- I prefer to spend money somewhere that the owners are making a living but also helping out the community at large.

In any case, in the animal rescue world, there are lots of great people and a few jerks. The jerks tend to be loud and the Directors of their particular groups. If, say, Petsmart stopped helping all animal shelters because one animal shelter was rude about it, I would take my business to Petco (if I shopped at either in the first place- I get my pet stuff from independents who give MORE help than the big guys do to animal rescue and who are also friendlier, but I digress)

[BookstoreEscapee]

I'm not a mod and I don't see any in the "Who's online" list at the moment, but before things get too heated, I'm just going to say this might be a topic better suited for Fratching.

Have a good night.

[bainsidhe]

I used to work in a hotel's executive offices and we would DAILY get requests for donations. Sometimes people sent letters, emails, or called directly to speak with the GM. As a general rule, I don't think the hotel donated to any of the requestees, but I feel that was more of a business choice. In particular, because it would be showing favoritism to one group over another and our hotel, being 4-star at the time, was very concerned about image. On the other hand, we were very involved with the local chamber and would team up with certain events/rooms/etc... Keep in mind it's all part of trying to bring business to the hotel, but these things also benefited the community and brought outside business into the city.

In the end, it's hard to pick and choose who should benefit from your charity. In time, hopefully the bad taste this solitary experience left will fade and your store will decide to continue the good work that has benefited others. It's unfortunate the recipients didn't appreciate your donation the way you expected, but I say, focus on the previous good, see what went right, and duplicate it. If the work before made you happy, it will again.

[Pedersen]

Computers are such an oddball thing, they really are. Take a look at the price of the typical consultant, and you will see prices over $100/hr.

Now, my own personal experience as to why this is the case: Honestly, computer people get tired of being called on to solve the problems, and especially the problems that groups like this specific church have and create.

Re-read what the OP said: the accounting software hadn't worked in years. Suddenly, someone had to be working on it within 12 hours. Sadly, this happens far too often. I've been forced to ditch a "friend" who ws viewing me as their own private technical support hotline, and then insulting me while I worked on his problems.

Very often, once people start giving out free computer advice, one of three things happens:

1. Their advice sucks, and at least 2/3 of the advice they give causes things to break worse.
2. Their advice is good, but always ignored, because it's free.
3. Their advice is good, or even great. The person who benefits begins counting on that person to do everything, right away, and for free.

Sometimes, there is a happy medium. That sometimes is far less frequent than it should be, though. As a result, exorbitant fees are charged by computer repair places/people primarily to discourage the recipient from asking for the advice. Add in that their advice actually costs real money, and now they will be listened to.

Doing charity work for the computer field is hard, especially if you do it on your own time. You've put in a full day at work, then get home to deal with it even more. Usually from "friends" who never talk to you unless their computer is acting up.

I imagine it's like what doctors go through, too. In general, it sucks. Because of that, I do my very best to avoid doing it at all. I even try to avoid letting people know I know them, because somehow I will hear about all their computer problems and need to know how to fix them right away. I even go so far as to hide myself away in non-Windows land just to be able to say "Sorry, I don't know Windows."

Does it suck? Yes. But, just as everybody else likes to have a life outside of their job, so do I. And having that life, and not having it revolve around computers, is actually a nice thing.

Having said one of the most inflammatory things I can say, let me also say this: I do my best to help family and friends. I help out on the forums here. Why? I really like this community. I don't feel like I'm being used. I don't feel like I'm just a worthless thing to be called upon whenever the computer breaks.

I actually feel like this group is friends. But computer charity work is not something I do, not if I can at all help it.

I'm sorry if I've offended anybody, but I felt compelled to explain some of the thought processes that go on for the computer people of the world.

[wagegoth]

A lot of small companies simply don't have room in their bottom line to donate much, if anything, to charity. I ran a small business for my parents that was new, so didn't do much more than break even. (It can take years for a new business to do more than pay for itself.)

We would regularly be asked for donations by different charities. Now, maybe, we could have donated a little something to one charity or another, but we decided the best thing was to say, "No," to all of them. If we had donated, we would have gotten some publicity, but we would also have gotten more people asking for donations. Also, do you refuse all religious groups? Do you refuse all political organizations? Do you only donate to the no-kill animal shelter? It was simply safer for the business to explain that we really didn't have the funds to donate.

[protege]

Does it suck? Yes. But, just as everybody else likes to have a life outside of their job, so do I. And having that life, and not having it revolve around computers, is actually a nice thing.

That's *exactly* why I no longer help certain relatives with their computer problems. I got tired of wasting my time, only to get screamed at, and feeling that my time is worth more than the $0.00 I was getting. I work with computers 9 hours a day at work--the last thing I want to do, is come home and get screamed at because my father's Crapaq is running slower than the 12-year-old laptop currently serving as my fax machine.

I also got tired of having my time wasted with stupid questions that could easily be answered by opening up the "Computers for Dummies" books, and doing a little reading

[MadRocketScientist]

I actually feel like this group is friends. But computer charity work is not something I do, not if I can at all help it.

I'm sorry if I've offended anybody, but I felt compelled to explain some of the thought processes that go on for the computer people of the world.

I second that. I stopped working in IT altogether because of people who could not understand that my time and knowledge has value and I have a right to be compensated for it.

Now I just help certain family and friends, and they all know to at least offer payment and let me refuse it, rather than just assume I work for free.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I was lucky...whenever people came in asking for donations, or if they could post flyers for their <whatever event>, I just said, Sorry, we can't do donations at the store level, and we're not allowed to post things. And if they insisted I just called the Community Relations Manager or the MOD and they told them the same thing (they could also get them the corporate number for that sort of thing).

We did have one group who put flyers out on our vestibule table with all the flyers for our store events. I saw them and asked the manager if they had permission, since it was odd, and of course they didn't. She tossed them and a few days later I noticed they were back.

[wagegoth]

I was lucky...whenever people came in asking for donations, or if they could post flyers for their <whatever event>, I just said, Sorry, we can't do donations at the store level, and we're not allowed to post things.

Missing children posters were the only things we would post in the windows.

[Seshat]

Another thing about donations and community work: sometimes a small business won't itself do community/charity work, but the owners and employees all do individually.

My parents' business didn't do charity work per se, though they did provide a service for the handicapped that wasn't available anywhere else and did it at a very low profit margin. However, my parents were extremely active in community projects which they felt were worthwhile, and where they were particularly knowledgeable and thus could give a great deal.

The industry they were in was low profit margin, so they didn't donate money or things which could be easily converted to money - they donated time, expertise and effort instead. Most of their staff did much the same - donating time, effort and expertise to the things they deemed important.


As for computer help: count me as another of those who tries to avoid letting on just how computer-geek she is. It gets far too badly abused.

[Damien]

where to begin here....

at my previous workplace, I was a full time teacher (and if anyone thinks it is 'easy' then I dare you to take on my 8th graders) as well as the network administrator... for a small dinky rural school back in Australia.... mind you I was totally self taught...

I was a victim of my own success - got teh school from having 4-11 working computers to over 40, a new server, greater securirty, an email system etc....

Now, I will point out that my primary duty were my classes and my classes only...

but every day, my class would get interrupted by the other teachers with all manner of computer problems and they wanted it fixed NOW! The principal allowed me to say "no" if I was in preparation or teaching.... my time allowance was 1 hour per week to single handedly run a whole school network.... it ended up being 20-25 hours a week... this on top of the mandated 21 hours of teaching and 20-30 hours that is typical of needed for preparation

... also I was the OHS rep and lab tech....

I made a 2nd grave error - I volunteered to install a network in the local... dare i say it... CHURCH!

every day, despite any and all efforts - I was labelled a choice of the following examples (you may recognise these) - incompetent, lazy, useless, dreg, dog, rat, bludger, idiot, moron, dumbass, etc... also being told by a frustrated computer uswr that I 'deserved my uncle's death' then another saying the following EXACT words (they were seared onto my memory they were that cruel):

"Good thing your goddaughter was stillborn, she would have suffered with you as a godfather"

The damned Bishop of this church was one of the ring leaders... and the school council....as well as the staff.....

The loneliest 18 months of my life. I seriously hated everything.

It has taken me 8 months of counselling and 17 months working in a great work environment here in Japan to overcome their cruelty...

even though I ama member of the Tech committee at work, they do know what I escaped and make no such demands and when I do the odds and ends (not my job at all) I get thanked and praised, if I cannot work something out, they say no worries, thanks for trying.

I help my neighbours out as well when I can in this way and the same thing - praise and thanks - no hurtful comments, no insults (and the odd tray of cookies - YUM)...

But the shadows remain, I never deserved any of that.