Pros
After an unfortunate experience at another tech company left a very bitter taste in my mouth, I was approached by a recruiter to work for a TouchNet. I was hesitant to get involved in another "all flash no cash" situation, but TouchNet turned out to be very different from my prior employer. Firstly, TouchNet is a very stable company. They've been around since before the tech boom of the late 90s and have maintained steady, modest growth ever since. In other words, I don't believe they've used and abused VC money to grow too fast and have not had to do mass layoffs for any reason. For me, that was a very comforting sign. TouchNet management also views you as a whole person. They care about what is going on in your life and are considerate of your work/life balance. I did not encounter any mandatory overtime or weekends. You work your regular business hours and go home. I know of several people (myself included) that dealt with personal situations that necessitated frequent absences from the office. As long as the work did not suffer, this was not a big deal to my supervisor. They were more concerned that we were okay than whether we were putting in exactly eight hours a day. I have worked for other tech companies that have amazing quirky perks, but they also demanded 14 hour work days, weekends and mandatory overtime. TouchNet let's you have a life outside of the office and that is refreshing. I didn't see a lot of burnout. There are also unexpected financial and other benefits. I consistently received bonuses and raises while at TouchNet. Of course, you need to be your own advocate. You can't just sit around and wait for someone to hand you a reward. Work hard, volunteer for things, be a person that other people want to work with and you will see yourself rewarded appropriately. The president has a sales background. Of course he is doing to respond well to people who know how to negotiate their starting salary and will reward those to know how to promote their skills and achievements. I felt my salary was very competitive. I could have made a smidge more elsewhere, but I would have had to spend a lot more time at the office to do it. Also, I felt management wanted to invest in my success. If I needed something like software or a piece of equipment, they would get it for me. After working for companies who scrimped every penny, it was nice to not have to beg for resources. It was actually a bit of a culture shock and took some adjustment. I was so used to having to "make do" and cobble together solutions, I didn't realize I could just do it properly the first time. TouchNet used to be a very small company and tries to maintain a family-like atmosphere to mixed results. Some people just aren't very social. Parties, outings, picnics and such just don't appeal to more introverted people. If you are more extroverted, you can take advantage of the company tickets to sporting events or internal social events. TouchNet's culture celebrates "joiners." If you can get behind "Beach Day," you'll probably do well at TouchNet. I left TouchNet because my spouse relocated. If I had stayed in the KC area, I would still be working for them today. I have recommended TouchNet for colleagues and hope to return to TouchNet if given the opportunity.
Cons
Many people, particularly those in management positions, have been at TouchNet for over a decade. People typically don't job hop at TouchNet. This is great for stability and institutional memory, less great for upward advancement. TouchNet has more of a horizontal hierarchy and that really limits opportunities for advancement. Yes, you can make more money and you can manage projects relatively quickly, but actual supervisory opportunities are less likely. It can be done as evidenced by some members of upper management, but it is the outlier not the norm. As I previously said, TouchNet used to be a very small company. Unfortunately, it no longer is a very small company and the culture has not changed as the company grew. Dan Toughey is a very hands-on president and that is good in that he knows pretty much everything that is going on in the office. It can be frustrating to be 80% complete on a project only to have the direction changed by Dan. He also is a very visual person. His work-style often requires almost daily revisions and meetings to discuss the revisions in order to achieve what he envisions. This can be frustrating to some. Once you get used to the process and anticipate the revisions, you understand why he works this way and why he is successful at what he does. Still, it was maddening at times.