Better than most! - Lead Low Voltage Technician Remote Technology Security Services Employee Review

Company is working hard to grow

Company is struggling to meet demand (short staffed)

Good place to learn many, many skills (and you'll be expected to know all of them) and work with cool (but some out of date) technology: • Configuring, installing, maintaining and repairing industrial, commercial, institutional and government video surveillance systems, access control systems, intrusion detection systems, computer systems and servers, networks (including switches, routers, WAPs), audio and video intercom systems, TVs, projectors and other low voltage systems as well as installing door hardware for ACSs such as maglocks/strikes, card readers, contacts, PIRs, gate operators, barrier arms, and turnstiles • Pulling, terminating and testing CAT cable, fiber, and various low voltage wires • Installing/bending conduit (EMT, rigid, aluminum, PVC) • Coordinating with customers and other contractors • Training customers on the use of their systems and maintaining good customer relations • Creating detailed documentation • Acting as project manager • Managing a helper (if you're a lead) • Working at heights (Climbing extension ladders, operating lifts, climbing water towers, scaling walls or whatever is necessary) • And more. Also, the more you know, the more you'll take away from IT, engineering and sometimes sales - being nearly a one man show (with your helper) -You'll get to see a lot of interesting sites and interact with various customers -If you're desperate for money, you'll be hired and get a paycheck every 2 weeks -With the exception of the top management, everyone else is very nice, knowledgeable and willing to help. -As a whole, RTSS does good work, but the technicians are the ones who make it happen - and they are very knowledgeable. After a project is "engineered", it's up to the technician to re-engineer/re-design as necessary (often necessary) and point out errors and/or parts that need to be ordered/reordered. The technician essentially acts as an engineer, IT technician, network technician, project manager, and sales all in one. However, you don't get paid as much as they do. By the way, boss pays himself a generous salary, to the family as well, and also uses the company card for all of their personal purchases on top of that salary

-Lots of out of town work, which can be every week for months at a time. And at a moment's notice (hardly ever a 2 week heads up) -Long hours, nights and weekends at no additional compensation or appreciation ("by choice" but expected), unless you are hourly. It'll be insisted that you are on salary, but there is no comp time (and the owner will yell at you if you ask). So, salary is essentially hourly with no OT pay. Also, if you take off more PTO than the little you're given, it will be taken from your salary/pay - even if you put more hours and effort than anyone in the company and you're a top performer. -Little acknowledgement or appreciation of efforts from upper management. Some around the office have very kind words, but hardly any good words come from the bosses -Medium to high turn around for technicians. They are desperate for people having the turn around that they do, so you'll be needed. The equally desperate are hired, a fact known so you'll be taken advantage of and used -Benefits are up and down. Medical, dental, vision and 401k weren't around when I was hired, but were offered before I left. They're not guaranteed to stay - vision was taken off before I left -Negative work environment / poor management. There's no interest in growing the company, even though management may seem like they want to. The company serves management and the family. Management will try to make the company seem attractive enough to get employees, but doing as little as possible for that and paying you as little as they can without it seeming like you're being screwed. New ideas or better processes aren't cared for . Ultimately, they're crooks and want to make as much money as they can off of you and the hard work and talent employed there, then retire in a few years soon. The engineering department are jerks and also pretty much run the company - they can do what they want without consequence, since that position is essential to the company (highest management will stick up for engineering and not you every time) even though engineering's work is slow and mediocre. Operations are a derivative of the owner and the engineer - they're too good for you. -Anyone can actually pretty much do what they want without worry of being fired. If you're a technician and screw up, you'll just be put to do busy work in the warehouse (organizing, cleaning, running errands, etc). You'll have to screw up badly to not have a job -Inefficiency. In all areas of the workflow. The process from project start (start meaning design) to finish is terrible. Scheduling is terrible. Operations does their best, but highest management changes it at the drop of a hat. It all becomes frustrating on a daily basis the longer you work there Advice to technicians: Be prepared to go out of town your first week or the next. It's all on the job training. If there's something you don't know, expect to teach yourself how to do it. You'll be sent out to a site to "figure it out" (try to read manuals, look at Google, and look at YouTube out of the customer's sight though). You're expected to deliver professional results, and if you don't you'll be talked down to and negative of even after you leave (also, if you're not liked, there's a few in the company who will lie to make you look bad). There's little to no company training. The training that's there is mediocre at best. Just learn all you can while working at RTSS and move on. Stay at least a year, and work as a lead technician - you'll learn a lot more than as a helper. Don't stay more than 2 years, depending on how much you've learned. Don't work extended hours or weekends unless compensated fairly. If you do work outside business hours, it's all on you - the boss will tell you that it was your choice and that he doesn't owe you anything for it. Don't expect to get appreciation or recognition for your work. Don't do things other techs won't do, can't do, and/or are dangerous. Just keep your head down and realize RTSS is just a job and nothing more than a stepping stone, and definitely not a place to retire from. Move on as soon as you can. Grass is definitely greener at a different job, and RTSS is definitely not as lax as they'd have you think. Also, have tolerance for disrespect ("thick skin") - take insults and attitude without support from highest management