Reply to: oncall support

[lukemg]

Fortunately, I don't do a job that requires 24/7 support, but I know some who do, and they don't get anything like 4.00 ph for it, often the payment is no more than "keeping their job" (obviously they do get paid extra for the 'on call' time).

tim

Sounds a bit permie menatality tim, I know people in this position as well. This guy is a contractor, and in a very strong position to dictate terms, keeping his job isn't the deciding factor.
Don't underestimate the grief of doing this cover, people I know who have done it really hated it, make sure you are compensated to balance this. I would be looking for approx 2 days pay per week of cover + minimum 2 hours charge per call out + any additional hours or parts of. Plus, if the call is after 10pm I would be looking for time off in lieu the following work day (i.e. late start)

[quickweb]

You seriously only charge £4 per hour for this sort of thing?

We worked out the rough amount of time needed to achieve certain, repeatable tasks, per month. It wasn't 24x7 but could run 8am-7:30pm, and maybe some emails, setting up things on weekends.

This normally resulted in something like 2 full chargeable days per week on a use it or lose it basis. If it went over I swallowed the difference, if they didn't call me, I did better.

[Angela_D]

What agreement did you come to in the end ?

[eternalnomad]

More important question is of course, do you really want to do it? If you're not bothered then price yourself high as then, either way, you're a winner.

no I dont to be honest but I dont want to be seen as holding the client to ransom.

If I see no serious attempt to make the injuns get themselves in a position to support this stuff then I will start hitting them hard with the hours.

[ratewhore]

I used to get £4/hr on-call when i did that type of role but that was a few years back. Then, hourly rate from the moment the phone rang. Minimum billable time - one hour. Soon adds up...

More important question is of course, do you really want to do it? If you're not bothered then price yourself high as then, either way, you're a winner.

[eternalnomad]

OK You are right, I misread that you said weekly rate.

I don't see that whether I would compromise my personal life for 4 pounds an hour or not is the right question. The question that you first have to answer is whould you, or anyone, be prepared to compromise 100% of their personal life at all? I suspect that most people would say no. That is why 24/7 support is provided by a rota of n people where n does not equal 1.

Fortunately, I don't do a job that requires 24/7 support, but I know some who do, and they don't get anything like 4.00 ph for it, often the payment is no more than "keeping their job" (obviously they do get paid extra for the 'on call' time).

tim

under normal circumstances I would not do (nor ever have done) such work myself (I value my personal life too highly) but due to the fact that the injun support team are not yet ready I am going to do it to help the client

It will be on a rota basis where N=2 and I hope it wont goon longer than a few weeks (andI know it wont go beyond 16th June cos I wont be there anymore)

[tim123]

tim I still dont think you understand - I am not paid my normal hour rate +25%just for sitting watching TV

My "bonus" for sitting and watching TV is

(my weekly rate + 25%) minus (my normal weekly rate ) divided by all the non-working hours in a 1 week period

example assuming I am on 2500 per week and work std 40 hours per week:-

((£2500 + 625) - (2500) ) / ((24*7) - 40)

625 / 128

= £4.88 per hour, which OK is not to be sniffed but it does mean alway remaining available to connect to system and sort out issues.

Would you be prepared to put your personal life on hold (evenings and weekends) and restrict where you can go and what you can do on an evening/weekend for £4.88 per hour ?

In addition to this, if i do get a call then I am paid my std. hourly rate + 25% for each hour actually working or part thereof.

OK You are right, I misread that you said weekly rate.

I don't see that whether I would compromise my personal life for 4 pounds an hour or not is the right question. The question that you first have to answer is whould you, or anyone, be prepared to compromise 100% of their personal life at all? I suspect that most people would say no. That is why 24/7 support is provided by a rota of n people where n does not equal 1.

Fortunately, I don't do a job that requires 24/7 support, but I know some who do, and they don't get anything like 4.00 ph for it, often the payment is no more than "keeping their job" (obviously they do get paid extra for the 'on call' time).

tim

[eternalnomad]

So I did understand right. I don't give a toss about the commercial mumbo-jumbo, I'm talking about what *you* actually have to *do* for the money.

Tell me, why should the payment that you receive for the above, be more than you would receive for actually sitting at the client's site whilst: "remaining contactable, sober, able to connect to coporate network and willing to resolve issues with a major production environment should it go tits-up"?

Sorry, but I think you are over stating the 'on call' availabity charge by a factor of 5 or more. And I'm suprised that anyone would even consider paying it.

Just my 2p. Good luck with your plan.

tim

tim I still dont think you understand - I am not paid my normal hour rate +25%just for sitting watching TV

My "bonus" for sitting and watching TV is

(my weekly rate + 25%) minus (my normal weekly rate ) divided by all the non-working hours in a 1 week period

example assuming I am on 2500 per week and work std 40 hours per week:-

((£2500 + 625) - (2500) ) / ((24*7) - 40)

625 / 128

= £4.88 per hour, which OK is not to be sniffed but it does mean alway remaining available to connect to system and sort out issues.

Would you be prepared to put your personal life on hold (evenings and weekends) and restrict where you can go and what you can do on an evening/weekend for £4.88 per hour ?

In addition to this, if i do get a call then I am paid my std. hourly rate + 25% for each hour actually working or part thereof.

[tim123]

No you are not.

The deal will be :-

1) A payment for offering the service of agreeing to remain contactable, sober, able to connect to coporate network and willing to resolve issues with a major production environment should it go tits-up outside of my currently contracted office hours.

In other words, sort of a retainer for restricting what I can and cannot do during my own personal time

So I did understand right. I don't give a toss about the commercial mumbo-jumbo, I'm talking about what *you* actually have to *do* for the money.

Tell me, why should the payment that you receive for the above, be more than you would receive for actually sitting at the client's site whilst: "remaining contactable, sober, able to connect to coporate network and willing to resolve issues with a major production environment should it go tits-up"?

Sorry, but I think you are over stating the 'on call' availabity charge by a factor of 5 or more. And I'm suprised that anyone would even consider paying it.

Just my 2p. Good luck with your plan.

tim

[expat]

They supply mobile to swap between the permie & you so the help desk don't phone you when you aren't on call

Oh yes, good point! Try billing when you're called at 4 a.m. and you're not on call that week.

[vetran]

my deal

1 days money for each week you are on call. if called 2 hr minimum.

Standard time if before midnight, after midnight you come in to the office 8 hrs + 1 hr to get up + travelling time. Weekends / BH 1.5 time. Xmas etc negotiable.

15 mins average to get online, they call you first so you have that 15 minutes as thinking time.

get yourself a 3G card for data, bill use of that to them.

They supply mobile to swap between the permie & you so the help desk don't phone you when you aren't on call, they also get to pay for the 3 hour call to India to explain how to edit a text file, use tail etc. Or the 4 hour conference call about why the permie tape changer unplugged the SAN.


As you say it may well be very profitable.

[eternalnomad]

Before I forget, get yourself a premium rate phone number for them to use too.

Nice one !!!!!


"For security and training purposes, this call may be recorded. All costs are charged at £6 per minute. Calls from a mobile phone may be more, please contact your operator"

[The Lone Gunman]

Before I forget, get yourself a premium rate phone number for them to use too.

[eternalnomad]

Am I understandting this right?

No you are not.

The deal will be :-

1) A payment for offering the service of agreeing to remain contactable, sober, able to connect to coporate network and willing to resolve issues with a major production environment should it go tits-up outside of my currently contracted office hours.

In other words, sort of a retainer for restricting what I can and cannot do during my own personal time

2) In addition to the above, should I be contacted, the charges would start on an hourly basis or part therof.

[tim123]

Am I understandting this right? You want time and a half for sitting at home watching the TV, whilst waiting by the phone just on the off-chance that someone will call?

And everyone else thinks that this is reasonable?

I'm in the wrong job.

tim