[Industry Question] How Do You Pay Support Staff?

[ComputerTrophy]

So I was wondering (mainly for small VPS hosting companies), how do you pay support staff?

Per ticket? How much?

Per month? How much?

I'm asking from the perspective of a new VPS hosting company, where profit isn't easily gained without hard work.

I found an 11-year old example here: http://d.pr/i/2UGL

 

[shawn_ky]

That's a good question. I would think in the early stages, it's a lot of 1 or 2 man shows of those that have a vested interest. Would be interesting to find out. I know a couple on here are techs for larger companies... 

 

[ComputerTrophy]

I mean in the future, when the company expands.

 

[Slownode]

You can hire me for $30 an hour, I can offer support on all levels and in all departments. lol

 

[ComputerTrophy]

But seriously, how much do you guys pay?

Minimum wages: https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

 

[notFound]

For a host like yours which isn't tax registered, or registered at all from the looks of it here in the UK minimum wages don't mean anything, it won't be official. Personally, I see many smaller hosts with per month payments and a  little larger ones with per week etc, and then there are some in between with per ticket payments. At least that's how I see it.

 

[ComputerTrophy]

Well, how much do you guys pay, @Infinity?

 

[drmike]

People get funny about money and disclosing any details of their corporation

I know IPXCore was shopping for support folks on a per ticket basis in the past month or so on here.  That was top level support to field incoming tickets and handle the RTFM or delegate to someone else with tech-know-how on as-needed basis.   $2 per ticket.

http://vpsboard.com/topic/805-level-1-tech/

If anyone needs a Level 1  tech, I'll do all the tickets you have @ $1 per ticket

 

[MannDude]

Contract pay, per week.

Thought your workers can only be 'contract workers' for so long before they need to be employees, as I understand.

 

[drmike]

Thought your workers can only be 'contract workers' for so long before they need to be employees, as I understand.

In the USA, the IRS dictates who and what is a contractor.  It's a truly abused and muddied area by many employers / companies.

There is no limit on the duration of contract that turns the person into an employee. Instead, in determining employee or contractor status there are certain jobs, control over the person doing the work, where the work is done, nature of the work, etc. that help determine contractor or employee is proper relationship.

Many contractors are in actuality employees and being part of IRS deception / employee abuse.  Problem with enforcing things like that is a company caught abusing status simply will then go and outsource the work, especially abroad where no one cares and will even whisper about such status.

 

[Slownode]

Tickets are awful for commission style work because the amount of work a ticket needs can be 5 seconds to an hour depending on the problem.

You really just need to do regular auditing of hourly work.

The ISPs I know pay min wage(10.25) to $25 depending on the support position, the shady ones pay below min with outsourced labour and illegally clock fewer hours.

Also... please don't start a host unless you're very good at security...

 

[RyanD]

We have only full time employees, paid hourly / salary. 

Salary expectations for good techs are going to be 30-75k/yr + benefits.

 

[Francisco]

Liquor.

Francisco

 

[shawn_ky]

Sounds like some pretty good pay, especially working remotely... I might need to look into some part time work after my normal work hours... (wouldn't need benefits!)

 

[Jade]

Contract pay, per week.

Thought your workers can only be 'contract workers' for so long before they need to be employees, as I understand.

That's how it works? If your staff is being paid as 'Independent Contractors' then eventually you have to make them a full time employee?

 

[shawn_ky]

Not necessarily. Depends on a lot of factors as @Buffalooed alluded to....

 

[splitice]

Independent contractors, they send me an invoice for their services weekly.

So I don't have to worry about any employee tax issues I currently don't employ any Australians.

Liquor.

Francisco

 

Are you hiring?

 

[drmike]

BuyVM is my favorite.  Paying in Russian Vodka   Hey I know drunks then end up that route normally.  Makes me want to employ them and then own the local pub too.

No one is paying in food vouchers, tacos, etc. ?

 

[Reece-DM]

It would depend, if your outsourcing support tickets to a third-party rather than a real support worker, then per ticket you can expect around $2 - 5 this is due to the vast amount of people offering support services in india ( I swear they never sleep!) which has drastically taken the pricing down per ticket, but then again the work is spread between a lot of people. Biggest problem I found using third-party support, you will face a lot of broken english & them trying to get tickets done quickly rather than putting time into it.

For level 1 work, I've always been around £7 - 8 an hour depending the the timeframes etc.

For level 2 + I can expect around £8 - £12 an hour.

It all boils down to what is required from the staff when being employed, the hours worked and the technical support actually required within your levels of support.

 

[MartinD]

Stick them on a 0-hour contract. Seems to be the 'done thing' these days.