Day In the Life of….

Operations Director

As Operations Director it goes without saying that no two days are the same. Along with my operational role I also head up both the Marketing and the Service Teams.

My day starts with ploughing through my emails before dealing with any issues/queries raised by staff, which can also occur at any point in my day. These vary from client queries or HR issues to reviewing and amending a process to assist in the company becoming more efficient, to implementing a Quality or Health & Safety procedure.

I am also still actively involved in the delivery of our Marketing, delivering the strategy and the day-to-day content plan, so it is fair to say that I wear numerous badges within my role. The variety though motivates me and when I’m integral to solving a colleagues’ problem or I've implemented an improvement to the overall business, then I achieve immense satisfaction.

Senior Technical Manager

I start most of my days between 06:00 and 07:30hrs depending on where I have to be. The travel could be anywhere from the south coast up to Aberdeen and the work involved could be software and hardware service visits or carrying out commissioning and configuration of projects which will mean I am away for about 3-4 nights a week.

As well as completing this work I am always on hand in case a client has an issue, or Presales require some confirmation on a design spec. Service visits involve updating the firmware on all devices to ensure the latest version is running and checking all sensors are reporting correctly and that any alerts that happen notify the correct people.

When configuring sites I am responsible for ensuring that certain subsystems are configured correctly this includes; UPS systems, Generators and Environmental monitoring systems. During the commissioning phase I am responsible for testing the complete project emulating the day-to-day running and stressing the kit to ascertain the performance of the data centre matches the client's requirements.

I also provide training to clients on the operation of the equipment within the DC along with detailed training on DCIM software.

I finish work around 17:00hrs, but my phone is always on and I take calls at anytime if a client needs me. With the different type of clients and environments we work within, no day is ever the same as there is always a new challenge that needs a solution or a procedure that needs to be followed.

 

Sales Director

As Sales Director for Workspace Technology Ltd my ultimate responsibility for revenue generation within our organisation rests with me!, so unsurprisingly a typical day for me is to apply a constant focus on the Sales aspect of our business.

We are pretty strategic in our approach, and focus on targeted areas where we have good levels of success where collaboration is absolutely key to maintaining and developing long term relationships with all Stakeholders in the sales process. Central to our approach to the market is always to seek to understand where we can ‘add value’ to existing and potential clients businesses and organisations.

So how does that play out on a daily basis?

I walk to work, it’s an enjoyable route even when it’s raining! that takes me through a very old park, apparently dating back to 1689! I’m not great at getting up early, unless of course I have to be somewhere in the Country, so I usually arrive in the Office at around 9.00 am.

I normally start the day checking emails and correspondence from the early risers. I will usually then get a brief from the Technical Director or Head of Pre-Sales on where we are with producing the many tenders and proposals we get involved with.

We have some great CRM and lead generation tools which not only provide potential opportunities but also offer a good view of the direction the market is taking, agility and staying relevant where your market offer is concerned is key to maintaining success, so normally spend some time each day using these tools to gain knowledge of who’s doing what and where, and how we can interact.

We have a really professional and dynamic marketing team, and discussions around new initiatives, topical subjects, social media, blogs, market collaboration etc are a regular event.

Another part of my routine will be looking at our short term and long term pipelines, compiling a list of questions to discuss with the Sales Team. We have a great technical team who produce our bids but I will get involved in writing copy where required to provide articulation of value to our potential and existing clients.

In between I will be analysing budgets and margins, and attending to the general commercial tasks associated with the sales management role.

Whilst I may not be the first into the office am normally the last to leave, and get back on my walk home, usually get in at around 7pm, spend a bit of time in the gym, have a meal with the family; not a great TV fan (except maybe if there was some football on like there used to be in the good old days!) so most evenings are spent clearing up emails, researching, passing out leads to the team, working on proposals or strategies etc and that’s me done for the day.

 

Business Development Manager

Welcome to my world as a Business Development Manager I drive the teams mad screaming “Team Work Makes The Dream Work” but seriously working closely with all the other roles at Workspace Technology is what enables me to succeed. My average day can start anytime from 6am and finish anything up to 11pm. I am very lucky that no day is the same for me, every day throws me in a different direction.

My role is split into two areas, Account Management  and New Business Development.

Account Management is all about my existing client base, making sure they are happy, building relationships, trust and providing an excellent customer experience, and to be the face of Workspace Technology.  Of course I cannot do this on my own I am lucky enough to have a strong and expert Service Team assisting me along the way.

New Business Development can range from manning a stand at a conference to attending a breakfast networking event or an evening event. Building and developing partnerships and relationship with large resellers and attending client sites and holding conference calls.

I have to know my audience, my product, build trust and most importantly be able to listen to the clients' requirement to succeed. I have the backing of an excellent Technical Design Team whose knowledge in unrivalled and they eat, sleep, dream data centres and constantly strive to provide me with efficient and cutting edge bespoke designs so makes my job easy!

I love keeping my customers happy and assisting to drive the business forward and landing new clients.

Lead Generation Executive

Hi, my name is Annette Bradley and I'm the Lead Generation Executive here at Workspace Technology. I have been working in sales for many years and have vast experience across multiple sectors.

My day-to-day role involves working with my colleagues from the Sales, Marketing and Maintenance & Support Services teams to help bring in new business and better serve our clients. My job is extremely interesting as I have the opportunity to speak to a wide variety of people. This could be from anyone working in education to the military.

Since I have been working at Workspace Technology, I have had the fortune to develop some extremely positive client relationships and produce leads and make appointments for our Field Sales Team. Researching into businesses and their needs is an important part of what I do, I thoroughly enjoy my job and am lucky enough to work with a great team.

Marketing & Sales Assistant

My role as a Marketing & Sales Assistant is incredibly varied. I work extremely closely with the Operations Director and together we create a Marketing Plan for the year which is unique to our business and our clients.

My role sees me produce original content, which is informative and useful for our clients, which can be anything from an eye-catching infographic to a detailed eBook. We also design and create all our own website content, literature, graphics and videos in-house and recently even added Podcasts to our list of content.

With an extremely exciting year ahead filled with interesting planned material that will be shared with all our followers, clients and prospects, ensure that you keep checking us out on social media and our website.

Technical Director

As Technical Director I oversee three key departments for Workspace Technology including:

• Data Centre Design Team
• Technical Implementation Team.
• Project Management Team

I work closely with the Design Team to ensure we correctly interpret and develop data centre designs that best match our customer requirements. Working with the team I endeavour to ensure we consistently review and improve, technical accuracy, constructability, energy efficiency and overall quality of designs and documentation presented through from Pre-Sales to Construction Phase and “As Installed” handover documentation.

The Technical team provides a wide range of technical services including but not limited to Environmental Monitoring and Data Centre Infrastructure Management design & configuration, Data Centre Audits, Consultancy, Generator & UPS Commissioning and Data Centre Integrated Systems Testing. Day-to-day activities include technical guidance, ensuring ongoing training and ensuring the latest techniques and configuration parameters are deployed to ensure maximum energy performance for our customers.

Finally, as of part the Technical Director's role I oversee the installation & delivery of data centre infrastructure. This aspect includes a wide range of tasks as required to ensure projects are installed to a high standard, on time and to budget. This starts by ensuring a smooth handover from the Design to the Project Management whilst maintaining ongoing design support throughout the installation process. Other aspects include the implementation and overseeing of documentation control, ensuring effective programming to maximise resource productivity whilst reducing risk, ensuring high standards of Health & Safety are maintained and ongoing cost management & control are implemented throughout the project delivery phase.

The Technical Director's role demands a wide range of skills with an eye for detail which can make all the difference between an acceptable standard to an exceptional as installed project.

Senior Site Supervisor

I normally leave the house around 6am and then I travel to site. I start by signing in, finding my site contact and getting my work permits and making sure my RAMS are up-to-date.

After this I will pick up any materials that have been delivered and take them to the area where we are starting the cable run. With my colleague we will lift up the first floor pit, tie the cable onto a pre existing rope and go to the next pit, normally shown on a drawing and lift this pit. One of us will feed the cable while the other pulls the rope until we have the cable. Then we will measure how much we need, tie onto the next rope and pull to the next pit, closing off the previous pit until we reach our destination, normally through into a building to a server room cabinet. Once both ends are in the server cabinets I will splice one end at a time.

I will set up my table, prep the cable and the fibre patch panel and splice the cable onto pigtails, doing the same at the other end. Once complete I will test the cable, label the patch panels for reference and screw the patch panel into the cabinet. I will then see the customer, ask if they are happy with the install and then sign out before leaving.

A Construction Manager

My day starts with the alarm going off bright and early. I do a lot of travelling for my role as Construction Manager, visiting sites up and down the country, so I normally pack an overnight bag depending on where I am going.

I like to arrive on site early to start the day and today I am heading to Yorkshire to fit acoustic vents to a modular data centre. We fit acoustic vents which help to keep the noise of the servers to a minimum.

I then have a 210-mile journey to Luton to see another of our long-term clients. This time I will perform a room integrity test, which needs to be carried out on their second-floor server room. A room integrity test should be carried out annually to make sure the data centre can withstand 10 minutes of fire if the worst should happen. Once the test is done and a detailed survey is handed to the clients for remedial works highlighted by the test. These works will be booked in by our MSS Team for completion at another time. After a long day, the journey home finally begins.

 

A Senior Project Manager 

The working day commences from 7am which starts with the travelling to office/site location. This time is generally used checking in with the guys where necessary concerning projects.

The day-to-day running of the team consists of both administration duties and dealing with clients and internal staff on a general basis. Project meetings can be a part of everyday life especially at busy times.

The role doesn’t come without its problems, but the task is to satisfy the client by overcoming this with a solution to allow the projects to stay on target. Finally at the end of day the phone is on should any of the team need to contact me on any matter.

A Lead Designer

I start most of my days around 8am so I can prep work prior to other Designers coming into the office.  This includes reviewing work completed by Engineers to ensure it is correct and any documentation is up to standard. I will then review what projects are currently live for the Design Team; this includes both pre-sales design work and post sales design development. I will assign projects to each team member for completion depending on the work loads of myself and the design team members.

Once the rest of the team has been assigned work I will focus on my own projects for the majority of the day, this work can be a combination of new design and quotation creation, tender assessment and technical responses, post-sale design developments, documentation and engineering resource updates, or visiting clients onsite for consultancy engagements.

We have a good team of Engineers at Workspace Technology, but sometimes new questions arise during design development that requires client input, so the Design Team will either liaise with them directly or via the salesperson responsible, once we have feedback the designs and quotations can be finalised ready for approval before being sent out to the client.

Throughout the day I will periodically assess the work the other team members are completing to ensure they understand the requirements of the projects and the work is proceeding as expected. At any given time Workspace Technology will have a number of active projects in construction so the design team will always be on call to answer questions from clients or our own Project Management team on our solutions and recommended equipment and work together to solve any site problems that may arise. I have also somehow managed to become the company excel guru so at some point during the day I will inevitably be asked to fix colleagues' spreadsheets or formulas, which I am always happy to oblige.

With the varied work of the Design Team there is never a “standard day” as every day brings new projects with new challenges to solve.

A Service Co-ordinator

I usually start my day by working through my e-mails, responding to anything urgent from either my personal inbox or the service team inbox. I will then chase any outstanding jobs that are still open on Protean with our suppliers for completion reports. I also have regular tasks scheduled in my outlook calendar for working on renewals and when these come up as scheduled I will work on these. When these works are all completed and I feel up-to-date I will then look to work through my in-trays, checking and chasing any works that can be completed so I can sign red folders off, and chase any quotations that are awaiting a PO to proceed. In the afternoons I will go through my list of clients for account management to see if any are due a call to arrange a review meeting, as well as mopping up any other e-mails or issues that have come up.

The caveat to all of this is that this is all in a blue sky world, and on a service department that is very rarely the case. If at any point I receive a fault call then I cease what I am working on to process this as soon as possible. The callouts are bound by an SLA, and the client is entitled to a response within this time frame, so I will log the callout, chase for updates, and inform the client on attendance accordingly. Once a callout has been fully actioned I will then look to return to my other tasks.