how do you ensure your staff is working but not sleeping?

hostton

hostton

Member
I am wordering how do you all manage your staff? As a web host, your staff work from home or have to step to the office during workday?

If working from home, how do you ensure they are working but not sleeping?
 
So long as all tickets/chats are taken care of, I wouldn't care what they do in the downtime.. Is that just me?
 
hostton said:
Dont mind to share some guidelines you have? I want to be a copycat :D. please ignore if you are not confortable.
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I know the question was @ Steve, but I couldn't help myself but mention my personal rules:

1. No kids in my office.
2. Only 1 Windows PC allowed at any given time ;)
3. No kids in my office!!

Business runs smooth if these rules are followed.
 
siforek said:
I know the question was @ Steve, but I couldn't help myself but mention my personal rules:

1. No kids in my office.
2. Only 1 Windows PC allowed at any given time ;)
3. No kids in my office!!

Business runs smooth if these rules are followed.
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Thanks for your reply. All rules are important to me as my reference.:)
 
Since my home office is in my basement, I have complete isolation from everyone, including the pets and kids. I start by answering emails, reviewing Google Alerts and Trackle feedback - followed by logging into different forums and my blog.

I then log into our Intra and review all pre-sale and new sale communications, including forecasts. If any type of follow up is required, I do that (quotes, contracts, etc.). Then I'll look at tickets to get a handle on current events - and make calls or send emails as necessary.

Mostly from Trackle feedback or threads in forums, Ill look for an interesting storyline - a variation that I have some first hand knowledge of, then start gathering background info so I can either start a thread in a forum or blog about it, or both.

I'll do a minimum combined count of ten posts on forums, and write at least one article for my blog (with one featured article per week), before I start on other projects. Projects could be rewriting title tags, changing meta descriptions and keywords. Another could be analyzing our Google Ads and refining them. Could be refining content for current direct mail campaigns, or email broadcasts, updating our MySpace account - lots of stuff.

Everyday, I try to learn something new. Forums are a great place for that. I read tons more than I reply to. I've been in the ISP/Hosting industry since '96 and am still amazed at how much I still don't know.
 
siforek said:
So long as all tickets/chats are taken care of, I wouldn't care what they do in the downtime.. Is that just me?
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Nope not just you. If things are running smooth and proactive system administration is being done, then they're people are doing their job. Provided things get taken care of in a timely and professional manner, who cares?
 
As long as my staff answer the tickets and get things done to my standard of quality I do not care what they do in their downtime.
 
For the most part I pride myself on at least allowing flexability for staff. If they're scheduled for a 7 hour shift they need to be around for it (or at least within ear shot within 5-10 minutes). Since we offer Live Help on our site during the day time it's very easy to see who is online and accepting chats and who isn't. When needed, people stay late, people come in early and for that matter if they're bored over the weekends, they check in on the helpdesk to see if they can address anything too. Nice to have a core group like that.

As long as work is being done, they can load up a movie and watch that and monitor things for the network. The moment an alarm goes off, they go to work, no questions about it.

Happy staff make happy customers. ;)
 
Yep, as long as the work gets done, why complain ? lol Also, being to strick creates an environment that no one likes to work in. Being flexible keeps employees happy and just creates a fun environment that is easy to work in.
 
Steve-Hostirian said:
Since my home office is in my basement, I have complete isolation from everyone, including the pets and kids. I start by answering emails, reviewing Google Alerts and Trackle feedback - followed by logging into different forums and my blog.

I then log into our Intra and review all pre-sale and new sale communications, including forecasts. If any type of follow up is required, I do that (quotes, contracts, etc.). Then I'll look at tickets to get a handle on current events - and make calls or send emails as necessary.

Mostly from Trackle feedback or threads in forums, Ill look for an interesting storyline - a variation that I have some first hand knowledge of, then start gathering background info so I can either start a thread in a forum or blog about it, or both.

I'll do a minimum combined count of ten posts on forums, and write at least one article for my blog (with one featured article per week), before I start on other projects. Projects could be rewriting title tags, changing meta descriptions and keywords. Another could be analyzing our Google Ads and refining them. Could be refining content for current direct mail campaigns, or email broadcasts, updating our MySpace account - lots of stuff.

Everyday, I try to learn something new. Forums are a great place for that. I read tons more than I reply to. I've been in the ISP/Hosting industry since '96 and am still amazed at how much I still don't know.
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Thank you for your time to share your experiece and work flow. If you could share on how do you manage your staff, I will be more happy.:)
 
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handsonhosting said:
For the most part I pride myself on at least allowing flexability for staff. If they're scheduled for a 7 hour shift they need to be around for it (or at least within ear shot within 5-10 minutes). Since we offer Live Help on our site during the day time it's very easy to see who is online and accepting chats and who isn't. When needed, people stay late, people come in early and for that matter if they're bored over the weekends, they check in on the helpdesk to see if they can address anything too. Nice to have a core group like that.

As long as work is being done, they can load up a movie and watch that and monitor things for the network. The moment an alarm goes off, they go to work, no questions about it.

Happy staff make happy customers. ;)
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You are so lucky and you are a happy boss. They must be getting high paid.:D
 
Seem like most of you will not border the staff as long they have the ticket reply and job done in timely manner. What is the respond time in replying ticket or answering your call by your staff is acceptable by you?

Sorry for too many question. I really need some guideline here.
 
My staff must answer a ticket within 2-45 mins of it being submited....The issue at hand will determine the resolve time.
 
I've been a boss for many MANY years.. at one point having just over 450 people under me at a waterpark. The one thing that I like to think is that I pay my staff above average. When I worked for someone else years ago I hated the feeling of having to ask for a raise, and then be just given it without a fight. Makes me think just what my value was in the company. By paying the employees more than the average place, you can deter the turnover of employees and also "prevent" them from looking elsewhere for work.

As far as response times - server issues are different than tickets for us. A server issue is response time in less than 5 minutes. Tickets we aim for 15 minute acknowledgement of the issue. If it can be resolved as quickly that's wonderful, but it all depends on the nature of the issue and if a Level 1 tech can resolve it or if it needs administration hands.
 
hoston, get a hourly based report from your staff.. It is upto you to assign the tasks for them to cover their shift hours.

Steve, thanks for sharing. You lead a much disciplined life :)

Conor, I totally agree with you there, when it comes to staff. As long as there is continuous review of their performance and hikes based on performance every quarter or half yearly. they stick on with us for long. They wont mind staying overnight on emergencies. May be because they know that those overnights stays will be considered on their appraisal report :D But I love their dedication to job, to us and their assigned clients.
 
handsonhosting said:
I've been a boss for many MANY years.. at one point having just over 450 people under me at a waterpark. The one thing that I like to think is that I pay my staff above average. When I worked for someone else years ago I hated the feeling of having to ask for a raise, and then be just given it without a fight. Makes me think just what my value was in the company. By paying the employees more than the average place, you can deter the turnover of employees and also "prevent" them from looking elsewhere for work.

As far as response times - server issues are different than tickets for us. A server issue is response time in less than 5 minutes. Tickets we aim for 15 minute acknowledgement of the issue. If it can be resolved as quickly that's wonderful, but it all depends on the nature of the issue and if a Level 1 tech can resolve it or if it needs administration hands.
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That had to be one HUGE waterpark. LOL. Paying staff above average pay definitely helps reduce turnover.
 
My staff should respond to every trouble ticket that comes to our system wtih 15-25 minutes, in this case I knbow that they are working.

If there are no tickets in the system, all the serevrs are online and all the chatters are taken care of, then the staff can do anything they want to. :)
 
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