Abstract
As a department within a technology company, the support organization requires some form of order to make the best use of resources. Our field of technical support has relied on the tiered structure for many years now, and it has proven very effective. There are other possibilities that may well prove even better, depending on the organizations and demands placed on the support professionals. The current state of the support structure is heavily dependent on the predominant support model of tiers based in knowledge and experience.
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References
Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations Abridged (West Valley City, UT: Waking Lion Press, 2007) pp 3–12.
James D Mooney, The Principles of Organization (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1947).
Arthur H Walker and Jay W Lorsch, “Organizational Choice: Product vs. Function,” Harvard Business Review (November–December 1968).
Phil Verghis “No More (Support) Tiers!: Savvy Support” Verghis View Newsletter April 2008. http://www.verghisgroup.com/publications/verghis-view-april-2008/ Accessed April 26, 2009.
Richard Kopelman, “Job Redesign and Productivity: A Review of the Evidence,” National Productivity Review, Summer 1985, pp 239.
Terry Dickey, Using Business Statistics (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp Publications, 1995) pp 99–107. Dickey’s book is easy to understand and presents a very complete view of the statics required to run a simple analysis of the performance-driven structure.
Paul Osterman, “How Common is Workplace Transformation and Who Adopts it?” Industrial and Labor Relations Review, January 1994, pp 173–176.
Phil Verghis “No More (Support) Tiers!: Savvy Support” Verghis View Newsletter April 2008. http://www.verghisgroup.com/publications/verghis-view-april-2008/ Accessed April 26, 2009.
Richard Kopelman, “Job Redesign and Productivity: A Review of the Evidence,” National Productivity Review, Summer 1985, pp 239.
Joe Fleischer and Brendan Read, The Complete Guide to Customer Support (Gilroy, CA: CMP Books, 2002) pp 76–79. The authors describe the Divide and Channel approach as a way in which the support organization makes the best use of its resources by dividing the support personnel depending on the medium that the customer requests come into the support department. Specifically, they address the support via email which may come to one group of support people devoted only to that medium. Others may be devoted to other mediums of communications; hence, the name Divide and Channel approach.
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Sanchez, A.R. (2009). Structures and Tiers. In: Pepper, J., et al. Technical Support Essentials. Apress. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4302-2548-5_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4302-2548-5_8
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