FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
I price my work fairly — typically lower than what you'd pay for a traditional IT support company or help desk. I believe experienced tech support shouldn't break the bank, especially for small business owners and independent contractors managing tight budgets. Every new job starts with a complimentary initial diagnostic. You get a clear understanding of what's broken, what the fix requires, and a realistic estimate — before you commit a dime. No surprises, no upsells. I'm transparent about scope: if the work evolves beyond the initial estimate, I'll tell you immediately and we'll discuss next steps together. I'd rather have an honest conversation than an uncomfortable invoice. For longer projects, recurring support, or established relationships, I'm flexible on rates. I value long-term relationships with clients I can help consistently. I accept Venmo, bank transfer, or invoice terms depending on what works for you. Simple, straightforward payment — the way it should be.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Here's how I work: Step 1 — Initial Diagnostic (30-60 min): We talk through what's broken, when it started, what you've already tried, and what your timeline looks like. This tells me exactly what I'm dealing with. Step 2 — Scope & Estimate: I give you a clear estimate based on the diagnosis. For simple fixes, we might start immediately. For complex issues, I explain the approach first so you know what to expect. Step 3 — Hands-On Troubleshooting: For remote work, I use secure tools like AnyDesk. I walk you through each step, explain what I'm doing, and keep you informed throughout. I'm not just clicking buttons — I'm solving the actual problem. Step 4 — Documentation & Invoice: Once fixed, I send a detailed invoice with a description of what was wrong and what I did to fix it. This helps you understand the issue and avoid it in the future. Step 5 — Follow-up Support: If issues come back or you hit related problems, you know how to reach me. I stand behind my work. I focus on solving your real problem, not upselling unnecessary services or directing you to automated tools that won't actually help.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have formal education combined with 20+ years of hands-on technical experience across hardware, software, and cloud infrastructure: Formal Education: Bachelor's degree in Software Development (Edenz Colleges Technology Academy, New Zealand) Bachelor's degree in Enterprise Economics with IT Systems focus (Rybinsk State Aviation Academy) Advanced technical certifications across multiple platforms Industry Experience: 20+ years in IT: Starting with computer assembly and repair, advancing to network administration, DevOps engineering, and cloud architecture Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) — multi-cloud infrastructure design and optimization Containerization & Orchestration: Docker, Kubernetes, Helm — deployed and managed 30+ Docker clusters across multiple cloud providers Infrastructure as Code: Terraform, Ansible — automated infrastructure provisioning at scale CI/CD & DevOps: GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Azure DevOps — streamlined release cycles from weeks to days Monitoring & Observability: Prometheus, Grafana, Sentry — proactive infrastructure health management Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, Firebase, Supabase — complex data architecture and optimization Backend & APIs: Python (Django, FastAPI), Node.js, REST architecture design Practical Expertise: Account recovery and security troubleshooting (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, AWS, etc.) Cross-platform mobile development (iOS, Android, Flutter) Linux system administration and Windows Server management Network design, assembly, and maintenance Hardware-level troubleshooting and component replacement I combine formal credentials with real-world experience solving problems at scale — from individual user lockouts to enterprise infrastructure managing thousands of users.