How would you address this?
themagicone
Member Posts: 674
I'm going on a long rant. I just have to get this off my chest, please ignore if you like.
I've been at my job at a small MSP (small meaning just me and the owner) for almost 2 months now. Today I just had enough and if I didn't cool off I would of probably did something I regretted. My boss has oversold/undersold/mis-sold to every single customer he has. Everything he has sold since I've been there has basically been blindly done. I'm left to put on my "This was the right solution" hat and make it work.
It's hard to explain most of the situation but like today... He sold a new computer to someone. Didn't ask what software he needed or used, what kind of hardware he had that needed to be hooked up to the computer, etc. Pretty simple sales questions. I show up to transfer files to the new computer... User was like well how do I hook my LPT port printer? You need to buy an adapter, this computer doesn't have a port for that. User - wells where MS Office, I use that non-stop? Um this computer doesn't come with office, you need to spend X amount for that. At this point the customer is pretty well pissed that he got a computer that he can't use with his printer and doesn't have office.
Other customer... He sold them a $5,000 server because their current server was running slow with quickbooks. My boss was like well we can't add anymore memory to the current server so they needed a new one. Almost any IT person should of been able to see that their current server had Server 2008 foundation installed and that was why it was limited to 8 gigs memory. So not only did they get a new server, he sold them on in house exchange. There is only 6 users in the dang company. What they needed was an in place upgrade to 2008 R2 and an extra 8 gigs of memory. If they really wanted exchange (which they didn't, their current email system worked great but my boss sold them on it) a hosted solution would of been a lot lot better (and cheaper). Oh.... They kicker in this whole mess.... The new server he sold them only has 16 gigs a memory. So now we are running SBS 2011 w/ exchange, that alone eats 12-13 gigs of memory, there is no room to move over the QB database and run it properly. Now they have to run both servers and didn't really accomplish anything (except spending lots of money).
Ok last one - Finance company. I have had a few posts about this place already. They use a very old piece of software to run their business. The manufacture won't support it and the head office won't ether. My boss goes and sells them all new Windows 7 computers. Doesn't think about if that software will work, the legal requirements for them to be encrypted, etc. I get sent to install them. Guess what? The software work work on the new computers and there is no support to make it work. Workaround? Now I have them running both computers for the next YEAR so they can RDP into the old computers to run the software. The encryption software was something that needed to be ordered, and the lead time is over a month. When does he bother ordering it? Oh after 3 weeks since the computers have been installed and the owner told him he can get finned big time if is he caught without it. I told him the day I installed them we needed it and I gave him the options. The other issue, the run Adobe acrobat... They want it installed on the computers. Do they have discs? No Do they have the keys? No... But they for sure think it was included with the computers. Again he didn't bother to inquire about any of it before blindly selling the new computers.
I don't want to quit and I like the experience I'm getting (when I'm not cleaning up the above mentioned messes, which are turning in mostly all I'm doing). Just feel that at this pace I doubt he'll have a business to work at.
/Rant off.
I've been at my job at a small MSP (small meaning just me and the owner) for almost 2 months now. Today I just had enough and if I didn't cool off I would of probably did something I regretted. My boss has oversold/undersold/mis-sold to every single customer he has. Everything he has sold since I've been there has basically been blindly done. I'm left to put on my "This was the right solution" hat and make it work.
It's hard to explain most of the situation but like today... He sold a new computer to someone. Didn't ask what software he needed or used, what kind of hardware he had that needed to be hooked up to the computer, etc. Pretty simple sales questions. I show up to transfer files to the new computer... User was like well how do I hook my LPT port printer? You need to buy an adapter, this computer doesn't have a port for that. User - wells where MS Office, I use that non-stop? Um this computer doesn't come with office, you need to spend X amount for that. At this point the customer is pretty well pissed that he got a computer that he can't use with his printer and doesn't have office.
Other customer... He sold them a $5,000 server because their current server was running slow with quickbooks. My boss was like well we can't add anymore memory to the current server so they needed a new one. Almost any IT person should of been able to see that their current server had Server 2008 foundation installed and that was why it was limited to 8 gigs memory. So not only did they get a new server, he sold them on in house exchange. There is only 6 users in the dang company. What they needed was an in place upgrade to 2008 R2 and an extra 8 gigs of memory. If they really wanted exchange (which they didn't, their current email system worked great but my boss sold them on it) a hosted solution would of been a lot lot better (and cheaper). Oh.... They kicker in this whole mess.... The new server he sold them only has 16 gigs a memory. So now we are running SBS 2011 w/ exchange, that alone eats 12-13 gigs of memory, there is no room to move over the QB database and run it properly. Now they have to run both servers and didn't really accomplish anything (except spending lots of money).
Ok last one - Finance company. I have had a few posts about this place already. They use a very old piece of software to run their business. The manufacture won't support it and the head office won't ether. My boss goes and sells them all new Windows 7 computers. Doesn't think about if that software will work, the legal requirements for them to be encrypted, etc. I get sent to install them. Guess what? The software work work on the new computers and there is no support to make it work. Workaround? Now I have them running both computers for the next YEAR so they can RDP into the old computers to run the software. The encryption software was something that needed to be ordered, and the lead time is over a month. When does he bother ordering it? Oh after 3 weeks since the computers have been installed and the owner told him he can get finned big time if is he caught without it. I told him the day I installed them we needed it and I gave him the options. The other issue, the run Adobe acrobat... They want it installed on the computers. Do they have discs? No Do they have the keys? No... But they for sure think it was included with the computers. Again he didn't bother to inquire about any of it before blindly selling the new computers.
I don't want to quit and I like the experience I'm getting (when I'm not cleaning up the above mentioned messes, which are turning in mostly all I'm doing). Just feel that at this pace I doubt he'll have a business to work at.
/Rant off.
Courses Completed at WGU: JIT2, LYT2, TFT2, SJT2, BFC2, TGT2, FXT2
Courses Required For Me To Graduate WGU in MS: IT Network Managment: MCT2, LZT2, MBT1, MDT2, MNT2
CU Done this term: 16 Total CU Done: 19
Currently working on: Nothing Graduation Goal: 5/2013
Courses Required For Me To Graduate WGU in MS: IT Network Managment: MCT2, LZT2, MBT1, MDT2, MNT2
CU Done this term: 16 Total CU Done: 19
Currently working on: Nothing Graduation Goal: 5/2013
Comments
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ptilsen
Member Posts: 2,835 ■■■■■■■■■■
Everything I've seen from your current employer from your past posts has left me with a really bad feeling. Your boss is irresponsible and incompetent, IMO.
Don't get me wrong -- the problems you are describing are not necessarily uncommon at smaller MSPs & consulting firm. Mistakes happen. However, the degree to which and frequency with which these problems are occurring is alarming. Your boss is reckless, even negligent. Sending an inexperienced engineer at a production SBS server migration as one of his first assignment is simply dangerous -- don't get me wrong, you handled it well, considering the situation.
What's your resume look like? I'm not saying you should up and leave, but you should have plan to begin searching at some point in the near future. That is not an environment you want to be in long-term. There are other MSPs of varying sizes in the Cities, and there are plenty of large organizations that will have server and network positions open. -
themagicone
Member Posts: 674
I think I had a lot of people worried when I was asking about that job. You have no idea how much yours and other people comments helped. That was yet another case of they didn't need exchange nor did they need to spend $5k+ on a new server. With only 4 users in the office (different one than above), to do in house exchange is a waste of money.
I'm really pushing on my own business. I just finished my LLC paperwork and working on insurance. Next month or so I hope to have PLT License. My goals would be to create a "group" of techs in the metro area and just offer managing services to them. I love doing side work and piece work but hate the paperwork, following up on invoices, etc. Figured it is a start of an idea at least. Once I get my PLT and my LLC it opens a door to push myself out there for more consulting work.Courses Completed at WGU: JIT2, LYT2, TFT2, SJT2, BFC2, TGT2, FXT2
Courses Required For Me To Graduate WGU in MS: IT Network Managment: MCT2, LZT2, MBT1, MDT2, MNT2
CU Done this term: 16 Total CU Done: 19
Currently working on: Nothing Graduation Goal: 5/2013 -
nethacker
Member Posts: 184 ■■■□□□□□□□
that is reckless IMHO, you know better than all of us, decide on what you want to do and do it. But if i were you, my resume will be active by now.JNCIE | CCIE | GCED -
cyberguypr
Mod Posts: 6,928 Mod
I concur with ptilsen. This guy is either a) stupid and can't make the right decision due to lack of knowledge or b) doesn't care about customers and is just on a mission to sell as much crap as he can or c) all of the above. By your description it sounds like this is his modus operandi. Heck, when I was younger I had a side gig doing installs and repairs as well as selling hardware and software to SMBs. I never sold anything they didn't need. I could've done it and attributed it to being "young and stupid".
Honestly I don't know how you can work there. No job is perfect but this is ridiculous.