Help desk Tier 2 support staff handle complex technical support questions.
While help desk Tier 1 personnel can field questions about basic equipment or network functionality through a phone call or instant messaging chat with users, help desk Tier 2 staff are crucial for solving problems that often need more time and an in-person touch.
As organizations become more IT-focused, help desk tickets will call attention to a wider variety of issues. To determine how many help desk Tier 2 support staff your organization likely needs, consider these factors:
The size and scope of your organization
If your company has fewer than 500 workers, an employee-to-help desk Tier 2 support staff ratio of 18:1 is likely adequate. If you have between 500 and 10,000 employees, the ratio is around 25:1. Of course, geography is also a consideration, since help desk Tier 2 staff members probably need to be on site. A 500-person office may require a lower percentage of IT staff than an organization with 100-employee offices across five different cities.
Here's how to determine your help desk tier 1 requirements.
Changing IT needs
According to research by Robert Half Technology and HDI, 66 percent of IT professionals believe that technical support centers will need higher IT support acumen in the future. This means your current help desk Tier 2 staff will probably have to expand their knowledge base. Additionally, you may need to hire more help desk Tier 2 professionals with differing skill sets so you can get the benefits of specialization without losing the productivity advantages of speedy service.
The role of IT in your business
IT no longer operates in a silo, as tech-savvy personnel are increasingly involved in critical business decisions that aim to deliver security and performance across the entire organization. As the chief information officer takes a more prominent seat at the executive table, other help desk Tier 2 professionals with business acumen could see their roles change.
If you’re planning to expand the responsibilities of more tenured or skilled IT staff to help the organization meet new objectives, you may need to consider hiring additional support personnel to ensure the help desk can continue to respond effectively to everyday demands from the business.
Do you need to hire more help desk professionals? We can help.
