Technical Support Worker Day in Russia Date in the current year: August 1, 2024

All companies that produce technology products (devices and/or software) or provide technology services (for example, mobile services, Internet access, etc.) offer technical support to users of their products and services. Some companies have their own tech support service, while others prefer to outsource technical support.

The structure of technical support is usually multi-tiered. Businesses divide their technical support into several tiers to provide customers or users with the best possible service in the most efficient way, as well as to reduce the load on their tech support engineers. A multi-tiered support system usually consists of Tier 0 (self-help) and three or four actual tech support levels.

The self-help tier includes FAQs, wikis, digital virtual assistants, chat bots, and other solutions that enable users to access information and resolve issues on their own without contacting tech support. Tier I is the initial support level. Its specialists are the ones who directly communicate with customers. Their primary task is to collect as much information about a customer’s issue as possible. In addition, they help customers solve the simplest, most typical problems, which usually account for about 80% of the user problems.

For Tier I tech support specialists, communication skills are arguably more important than technical knowledge, although they undoubtedly need to know enough about the product or service to help users solve the most straightforward problems and thus reduce the load on Tier II specialists, who focus on more advanced issues.

When a customers contacts tech support by phone, e-mail, web chat, etc., he or she is responded to by a Tier I tech support specialist. Even if the task of solving the customer’s problem is transferred to the next level, the customer will continue to communicate with the Tier I specialist, who will serve as an intermediary between the customer and Tier II specialists.

Tier II is a more in-depth tech support that deals with more complex issues. Tier II specialists are technicians with deeper knowledge and more experience regarding a particular product or service. However, most problems dealt with by Tier II specialists are still typical, they just require more knowledge and experience to solve than Tier I specialists have.

Finally, Tier III is usually the highest level of tech support. Its specialists handle the most difficult or advanced problems, or problems that have never been encountered before. Sometimes the tech support system also includes Tier IV, which represents delegating the solution of a problem to a vendor.

The work of tech support employees at all levels is equally important, since the efficiency of a company’s tech support service depends on how well specialists of all tiers communicate with each other and with customers. In addition to technical knowledge and experience, tech support specialists need nerves of steel and an ability to work under stress.

Technical Support Worker Day was created in Russia to express gratitude to people who devote every minute of their working time to solving other people’s problems as quickly and efficiency as possible, but often aren’t thanked enough.