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Welcome to the FCS Newsletter, COVID Edition 2020
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Hey everyone, Happy Distancing! I mean welcome to spring!
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"The Only Constant is Change"
If this isn't true for 2020 then it's never been true! Social distancing, defined as roughly 6 ft between you and a non-family member when you are gathered with others or out and about, is now a thing. People gathering around computing devices to take part in events they used to attend in person is also a thing more than ever. It isn't just for shut-ins anymore. . . unless you're self-quarantining. If we enter lockdown, we're all basically shut-ins at that point.
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To that end I want to remind everyone that I am available for remote techsupport services during business hours from 9am - 4pm. Book ahead if you want a 9am or 10am time slot. I need to plan ahead myself for those time periods the way my health goes. Because of my allergic asthma I am also not going out much because my coughing, sneezing and blowing my nose will more than likely freak someone out and I need to keep things low-key.
My current general rate is $50/hr plus GST. I encourage everyone to visit my website and make use of the purchasing, service requesting, and booking features I built into the site a couple years ago. Purchasing will make use of your credit card or paypal, which provides both you and myself with a contactless method of paying for my services. If you don't have a paypal account, their system still lets you pay by credit card. I can also accept e-transfer. Call your bank if you have never done this before, so they can walk you through doing it for the first time from your online banking in your browser.
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We don't know how long self-isolation, quarantining, and the need for social distancing will go on. But if you need techsupport during this time, remember me, and perhaps share with your friends.
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Changed Phone Number!
Don't forget that back in 2018, FCS got a new business phone number! It is a Vancouver number, as that was the closest area code the free service could give me. Quality is good in various wifi zones I've tried it in. This is a wifi phone, meaning I won't get calls or texts when not in wifi zones, just as a heads up. However, as like many others now, working from home is preferred, the wifi here is pretty good!
If you aren't familiar with the new business number, please visit the website: http://www.fa-ct.com again. I strongly encourage everyone to start using the website more often to purchase techsupport and stay in touch.
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A quick recap on site improvements:
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1) Purchase time blocks to always have techsupport available whether you have the funds at the moment you need it or not. Just purchase your desired number of blocks ahead of time and those will be billed against whenever invoices are sent out to you. See past newsletters for instructions on adding a password to your existing account. The email address you receive my invoices at is the username on your account already. It just needs a password and you're good to go. (Purchases can now be paid for using bitcoin if you know anyone wanting to do their online purchases in this fashion)
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CONFUSION HAS BEEN REPORTED regarding the use of time blocks! While I'd hoped the image of the time block on the website would have cleared up any confusion, it is best to think of time blocks like gift cards. When you are given a gift card for Walmart, sometimes it covers the entire purchase, sometimes it falls short of the entire purchase, and sometimes you have something left on the card for another purchase in the future. Time blocks work the same way. When you purchase a time block, sometimes it will cover all of a tech support session, sometimes only part of it, and sometimes you will have funds left over for a future session.
2) Use the on-site ticket system to keep all your issue-related emails in one place without fear of accidentally deleting anything you may want to revisit. Start a ticket using the time block ID and order #, and you'll automatically be moved to a screen upon completion of the ticket where you can request a day and time for me to deal with your requested servicing. I've tested the workflow and this system works great!
3) Get the new phone & text number for FCS.
4) Read past newsletters
5) Read blog entries written by FCS.
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Who You Gonna Call!?! FCS!
Hopefully everyone is staying safe and staying healthy. Don't forget to boost your immune system during this time, stay away from sugary drinks and sweets, and get lots of Vitamin C. If you do have to go out, remember to wash your hands when you return.
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Stay safe, and get creative with how you use the new social landscape.
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