After Hours Standby

A common question that we get is “we are doing X to the database this Saturday evening at 10:00pm, will you be available if something goes wrong and we need your help?”

Customer Perspective:

Typically, the customers perspective is, will you be available at no cost to stand by, then if things go really bad, we will be happy to pay you to fix the problem.

Business Perspective:

For me, this type of request translates to, I must block out some time where I can’t schedule other work, personal time, or entertainment, but this is time that I might be paid for if something goes wrong, but if everything goes as planned I get nothing for my time.

Family Perspective:

Sorry family, but I need to possibly work Saturday evening (maybe not), and that weekend outing will need to wait until another time. I might earn some money, or I might not, depending on whether I am really needed.

Customer Service:

At Stedman Solutions we like to maintain an extremely high level of customer satisfaction and that is where this specific scenario gets tough. I want to do everything possible to keep the customer happy, but I also don’t want to do it for free.

I have tried a couple of times presenting to the customer that we will charge a discounted rate for the standby time that you are asking us to do. That has always been declined, which indicates that the need to have someone on standby was never great enough to justify the expense associated with that.

What I do know:

• People generally don’t like to pay for standby time.
• Most standby situations require no help at all, but for the rare occasion that something is needed it is usually serious.
• Weeknights are easier to commit to than weekends from my perspective, but clients often times want to do those type of projects on the weekends.
• We don’t mind working weekends, and we do it all the time. We just like to be paid for the time.
• We don’t mind reacting to emergencies. In fact this is a big part of the business and we do it frequently, but we don’t do it for free.

Options:

• 1. Do the standby work for free, and assume it is just part of the job.
• 2. Don’t offer the standby assistance.
• 3 Charge for the standby work it, perhaps a discounted rate (50% of normal) to be standing by and ready to respond.

I am not sure what the right solution is, and I want to do what is right to keep customers happy. How do I keep customers happy in this situation without giving my time away for free?

What are your thoughts on this type of work?

 

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