This time last week, I was on the verge of landing a significant IT job—deploying and configuring one server and about 10 iPad and PC clients for a new business.
The lead came through my Yelp business page, which I created recently (no paid ads yet). I’ve been seeing a steady uptick in inquiries, and that’s been encouraging.
In my proposal, I outlined the technical skills I could bring to the table, along with my price for the full network setup. I also offered to begin researching the best options for hardware—Dell or otherwise—as well as WiFi access points, a router, switch, firewall, and antivirus protection.
The setup seemed pretty straightforward: one server, seven iPads, and one PC for general use, with the option to scale up. The iPads would be accessing a web-based Point-of-Sale (POS) platform, meaning they wouldn’t need to be connected to each other or the server—but the overall network still needed to be secure, especially to prevent unauthorized access.
I’ve configured Active Directory and managed domain networks before—starting with my own home office setup, where I built a network server and three PC clients from the ground up. That’s exactly how I would’ve approached this client’s project.
But after I sent my proposal, the client asked me to “hold off” while he spoke with his partner. I had a gut feeling the price gave him pause.
Two days later, he emailed to say he found another vendor who would complete the job at a discounted rate.
I had mentioned to him that this would be my first full-scale network deployment for a commercial client. Still, I didn’t try to match the competing offer. Instead, I thanked him for the opportunity and said I’d be happy to reconnect if he ever needed additional IT support.
That’s how it goes in business—some wins, some losses. But every interaction helps me sharpen my approach and gain experience. And today? I’ve got a call with another potential client who needs help fixing her Microsoft Surface Pro 11.
Onward.
