I think it's easiest if I say what we don't charge for as far as after hours goes...

Connectivity down or server down situations... anything else is pretty much a chargeable item...

BUT if/when the sales kiddies get informed they usually end up comp'ing it "to stay on the good graces of the client"... never mind the fact that I get the phone call at 2 am because some *** can't remember his password or someone can't recall which printer is in the remote office... or... nm i could go on forever if allowed...

Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: thirteentwenty

Anything outside of our 7am-5:30pm business hours is considered billable. It's at a higher rate if it's an emergency rather than something planned like a project.

Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: kcears

we make sure we monitor all critical issue's, based on the customers SLA the SD tickets escalates within one minute (during coverage hours) and if these hours are outside standaard business hours an on call engineer is notified (by email and phone).

So customers with a 5x13 SLA do not have ticket escalation during night.

If a customer call's outside his coverage hours all hours are billed.

of course a 5x13 SLA is cheaper then a 24x7 SLA..

Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: Hans den Boer

Depends on a lot of things.
The policy is anything routed to the emergency line, or called directly on a tech's cell (Caller ID can be annoying) is billable at the emergency rate. The only firm exception is if we're expecting the call. But like most policies, it's there so we can fall back on it, not as the rule.

If it's that high-maintenance customer who wants a half dozen agents and included 24-hr phone support for $5/mo, then we use the emergency rate to keep them in line. (btw, that's only a slight exaggeration, it's really only 4 computers.)

If it's outside business hours, but they rang the regular helpdesk and one of us answers, it's treated like a regular call. (Happens a lot in the early AM and early evening)

As for 2AM... The server room had better be on fire, or we bill it out at the full rate, and the customer is expecting it. (They're expecting it when the server is on fire too, but we're much friendlier about the cost when there's a real crisis.)

Our emergency after-hours rate is there primarily to keep people from calling us in the evening/weekend when it can wait, and ensure the on-call isn't tired all week.

Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: dwujcik

dwujcik

As for 2AM... The server room had better be on fire, or we bill it out at the full rate, and the customer is expecting it. (They're expecting it when the server is on fire too, but we're much friendlier about the cost when there's a real crisis.)

It's funny you mention a server room on fire, we've actually had that happen once... faulty electrical... but the client called us before the fire dept wondering if we were going to call or if they should cal... the sprinkler system the rest of the business... saved the business YAY!...

Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: thirteentwenty