What next?

[GKRAMER]

I am currently working for a multi-national IT company in the UK as a 2nd line support analyst. Due to a couple of large contracts being lost it looks like there will have to be some major cut backs in departments i.e. jobs!

I have always wanted to work for myself so am looking at this in a positive way. I already have an owned license of Kayako, so I thought about putting a couple of adds in local papers etc for residential support and eventually move int to business support contracts? Might even use LogMeIn to provide remote support as well?

As I mention above I am going to start by offering support to residential clients, I thought that I would also be a good to have a webstore (OSCommerce) to sell some items. I was thinking about selling like a 1hr support ticket, so the user gets 1 hours worth of support.

Has anybody else done this before, and have any advise?

Cheers

Guy

[craigbrass]

You should search this forum for Pay Per Ticket modules. There are currently 3 :-
- One by TicketPay but questions have been raised about if the module is up to scratch.
- One by SoftAir but they have now shut up shop and no longer are developing it.
- One by another developer but this hasn't been announced yet as it is still in progress.

[GKRAMER]

Thanks Craig, I will take a look

[gbrown100]

Hey Guy,

I would be interested in how you get on - I am in the same situation...

Things are shaky where I am also, have managed to get a business client and am offering a support contract via eSupport. I will be settings up mutliple clients and giving them access based on a service contract but will also be providing pay per incident for self employed consultants that are affiliated with my clients. I'd be interested in how you get on with the ticketing system.

As regards selling items, there are VAT implications to this... You have to be VAT registered in order for business clients to be able to claim back VAT. If you are looking at a shop for purely residential customers it shouldn't matter.

[GKRAMER]

Originally Posted by gbrown100

Hey Guy,

I would be interested in how you get on - I am in the same situation...

Things are shaky where I am also, have managed to get a business client and am offering a support contract via eSupport. I will be settings up mutliple clients and giving them access based on a service contract but will also be providing pay per incident for self employed consultants that are affiliated with my clients. I'd be interested in how you get on with the ticketing system.

As regards selling items, there are VAT implications to this... You have to be VAT registered in order for business clients to be able to claim back VAT. If you are looking at a shop for purely residential customers it shouldn't matter.

Hello there, I am sorry to hear that you are also in similar situation. I hope all goes well for you with your new venture also, you will have to let me know how you get on.

You are correct on the VAT issue also, I will focus on residential customers to start with and when I am making enough or getting enough interest from businesses I will become VAT registered.

Cheers

[craigbrass]

You can sell to businesses if you are not VAT registered. It just means they don't pay it in the first place so don't have to claim anything back. The business is no better or worse off either way.

[gbrown100]

Indeed you can however the business customer will get it 17.5% cheaper than you can sell it for since they can claim back the VAT from a VAT registered supplier, for services however it is the advantage of the non vat registered person.

[craigbrass]

No, I think your misunderstanding how it works. Let me give you an example.

None-VAT Registered Company
Service Price: £500.00
VAT: £0.00
VAT to Claim Back: £0.00
Total Actually After Claim Backs and Everything: £500.00

VAT Registered Company
Service Price: £500.00
VAT: £87.50
VAT to Claim Back: £87.50
Total Actually After Claim Backs and Everything: £500.00

So as you see, they pay the same in the end.

[gbrown100]

Indeed this is all the case and I do understand

What I was trying to convey in my own sweet way was that if you resell goods (not services) then you are at a disadvantage. Lets not forget that the start of the conversation was:

As I mention above I am going to start by offering support to residential clients, I thought that I would also be a good to have a webstore (OSCommerce) to sell some items. I was thinking about selling like a 1hr support ticket, so the user gets 1 hours worth of support.

I took this to mean both goods and services.

From supplier you buy goods at £100, you pay 17.50 VAT so you have to resell at at least £117.50 to break even (lets pretend you do not have other bills here...)

From supplier company buys goods at £100, pays 17.50 in VAT which they claim back so they actually pay £100. They only have to sell at £100 to break even.

This all means that when selling goods, anyone purchasing from a VAT registered source and reselling to a business immediately has a disadvantage.


Anyway - Important thing is, if I ever get eSupport working on the Mac Mini I'll try using a pay incident system myself and post back my results!