Help Desk Institute Announces Internet-Based Support Practices and Performance Research Report

Business Wire, July 1, 2002

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

Help Desk Institute (HDI), the world's largest industry association for help desk and support professionals, today announced the release of its newest research report, iSupport Report: A Benchmark & Analysis of Internet-based Support Practices & Performance.

Internet-based support has become a hot topic in the service and support industry over the last few years. Support organizations have begun investing in, developing and/or procuring new ways to resolve their customers' problem. With this new report, HDI -- the industry leader in research on the support industry -- takes a hard look at the present and future state of Internet-based support. The report, developed in conjunction with leading industry companies, BenchmarkPortal and Support Performance, contains metrics, guidance, and strategies for processes, investments, and performance for Internet-based support and self-service technologies.

Some significant findings include:

-- 55% of the respondents (who indicated having implemented some iSupport) claim to have "better" customer satisfaction afterwards.

-- About one-third of the respondents have thus far experienced a better (i.e. lower) Total Cost of Support or Cost per Incident.

-- Almost 62% have realized an improvement in at least one of the following: improved customer satisfaction, staff satisfaction or cost.

"The iSupport Report explores the extremely timely topic of Internet-based support, and represents an area of interest and momentum that is critical for the industry to address. HDI is pleased to bring this cutting-edge research to our membership and the industry at-large," says Ron Muns, founder and CEO of HDI.

"This report exemplifies the value of making information available in a format that provides meaningful peer group and role model comparison," adds BenchmarkPortal CEO, Bruce Belfiore.

"The iSupport Report provides much-needed credibility and qualification of in-depth performance measurement to Internet-based support," says Dick Szymanski, general manager, Support Performance.

The report is now available for purchase through the HDI eStore (www.ThinkHDIeStore.com) and through Benchmark Portal (www.benchmarkportal.com).

About Support Performance

Support Performance (formerly Integrity Support Consulting) has been providing support operation Assessment, Benchmarking and Certification since 1993. Specializing in the use of industry standards and a vast, private repository of industry-wide performance metrics in defining the right improvements to undertake makes Support Performance unique among consultative resources. Clients include Adaptec, Lam Research, Nextel, NIH, Qualcomm, Shaklee, Tektronix and many other help desk, tech support, call center and field service operations. See www.supportperformance.com.

About BenchmarkPortal

BenchmarkPortal is THE source for best practices information for contact centers of all varieties. We provide our data, the world's largest and most credible database for contact center metrics of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Help Desk and Technical support, to contact center professionals via a series of unique and actionable reports and "point and click" web-based ad hoc access tools. With these tools managers can compare their performance against an appropriate peer or role model group of contact centers, make fact-based decisions regarding capital investment, personnel, procedures and more, as we contribute ultimately to improvement of the performance of customer service and support as a whole, worldwide. See www.benchmarkportal.com.

About Help Desk Institute (HDI)

Help Desk Institute (HDI) is the world's largest industry association for help desk and support professionals. HDI's mission is to lead and promote help desk and support professionals by empowering its members through access to timely and valuable industry information, encouraging member collaboration, and establishing open standards, globally recognized certification and training programs. In addition to membership, certification, and training, HDI produces the highest-rated industry event, the HDI Annual Conference and Expo, for help desk and support professionals. HDI is member-focused and remains vendor-neutral in its efforts to facilitate open, independent networking and information sharing within the association network. Membership exceeds 7,500 with members from every continent worldwide. To become a member, or to obtain further information on HDI programs, please visit the HDI Web site at www.thinkhdi.com.