Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Organizational Development Program?
What is Excellence in Service Operations?
What is the difference between Excellence in Service Operations and TSIA Rated Outstanding?
What is J.D. Power and Associates CTSS?
Why did TSIA create the Organizational Development Program, and what benefits does it have?
What are the different levels of certification a company can achieve through the Organizational Development Program?
What are the operational scoring criteria, and how were they developed?
What help do I get from TSIA as I go through the program?
Who performs the Assessment, and what will I learn from it?
Who does the Audit, and what will I learn from it?
How does the Diagnostic Evaluation differ from the other Organizational Development Program offerings?
What is the TSIA Advisory Service? Who delivers it, and what do I get when I engage them?
Who is PRTM, and why/when would I need them?
How can I use the Excellence in Service Operations Certification?
What if I get Excellence in Service Operations certified and then decide to go for the J.D. Power and Associates Certified Technology Service & Support customer satisfaction certification?
Does anything I did under the Excellence in Service Operations program apply?
How are customer surveys conducted when I go for the J.D. Power and Associates CTSS certification?
Is there a difference between Excellence in Service Operations certification for the entire service/support operations (i.e., 80-plus percent of the call volume) and the Rated Outstanding certification at the module and/or location levels?
How is the pricing structured, and what is the time period I have to achieve certification?
How do I find out more about Value-Added SupportSM?
What is the Organizational Development Program?
The Organizational Development Program is an integrated certification program
designed to help member companies assess, evaluate, improve, and recognize
their support operation capabilities.
The Assessment module is designed to help member companies understand how their current performance compares to the industry, a selected set of peers, and/or their strategy. During this phase an evaluation is included that provides a detailed comparison of selected elements of a member company’s service and support organization against best practices, and documents the differences.
The Improve module is designed to create a specific improvement plan for selected areas that leverages a range of capabilities, including other TSIA member organizations, TSIA Advisory Services, and PRTM consulting services.
The Recognize module is designed to measure performance against selected individual or all relevant support modules and, as warranted, award functional and/or location-specific certification from TSIA. The Organizational Development Program is organized around support-related functions—Core, Assisted, Non-Assisted, Field, Depot, Channel, and Outsource Management—that are evaluated for their operational effectiveness (audit process) and voice of the customer (survey of customer satisfaction) when compared and benchmarked against industry best practices, peer companies, and customer expectations. The program is supported by TSIA executive management, program management, Advisory Services, and the TSIA consulting partnership with PRTM, a global consulting service firm specializing in support operational effectiveness and valued-added support transformation work.
The Organizational Development Program is designed to:
- Help member companies identify gaps in both operational effectiveness and the ability to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction. Where shortfalls exist, TSIA works with member companies to build plans and assist in the improvement process.
- Recognize operational excellence at the functional (e.g., Assisted Support), location, or enterprise levels.
Companies that assess and certify all aspects of their
support organization have the opportunity to achieve TSIA’s Excellence in Service
Operations certification. Upon successfully completing audits of the full set
of support modules, a member company then may choose to validate their
performance with their customer base by implementing the J.D. Power and
Associates customer satisfaction survey. Achieving the highest levels of
customer satisfaction will allow a member company to receive the J.D. Power and
Associates Certified Technology Service & Support (CTSS) certification. CTSS-certified
member companies then have the opportunity to license and market the J.D. Power
and Associates brand to their customers and prospects for a period of one year
following successful completion of the survey process.
What is Excellence in Service Operations?
Excellence in Service Operations is a TSIA-branded industry certification that
recognizes outstanding service operations across all aspects of a customer
support business and includes an in-depth audit of all significant support
operational functions. The functions or modules include: Core Operations,
Assisted Support, Non-Assisted Support, Field Service, Depot, Outsource
Management, and Channel Management. Member companies participating in this
program certify their entire support organization (Global or North America).
What is the difference between Excellence in Service
Operations and TSIA Rated Outstanding?
Both Excellence in Service Operations and TSIA Rated Outstanding utilize the
same criteria. However, with TSIA Rated Outstanding you can select a single
support function or support center location to be audited. With Excellence in
Service Operations certification, the functions and locations included in the
audit scope must include operations that represent at least 80 percent of all
support case volume. Both certifications require on-site audits, and both audit
reports include an in-depth review and analysis of support operation functions.
Excellence in Service Operations can be used as a step toward the J.D. Power
and Associates CTSS certification. Contact your TSIA membership development director
to determine the best option for you.
What is J.D. Power and Associates CTSS?
J.D. Power and Associates CTSS (Certified Technology Service & Support)
certification is the highest level of certification in operational excellence
and customer satisfaction that is awarded to companies in our industry. It
certifies that customers are receiving overall superior support as a result of
the performance of a company’s technical support operations. It also recognizes
excellence in meeting the J.D. Power and Associates standards of customer satisfaction,
as measured within the member company’s customer base. Companies that achieve
J.D. Power and Associates CTSS certification have the option to also license
the J.D. Power and Associates brand and incorporate that brand into defined
aspects of their marketing.
Why did TSIA create the Organizational Development
Program, and what benefits does it have?
TSIA created the Organizational Development Program in response to member requests
for a program that allows members to assess, evaluate, and improve specific aspects of their service business.
The Organizational Development Program enables members to assess their support
operations and create specific improvement plans where necessary. The program
provides recognition for service excellence at more granular levels of a
service organization, while also helping top-performing organizations with the
readiness and/or improvement requirements for a full-scale audit of their
support offerings. The Organizational Development Program is the foundation for
the J.D. Power and Associates certification of customer satisfaction and helps
member companies determine their readiness to pursue that level of
certification.
What are the different levels of certification a company
can achieve through the Organizational Development Program?
Companies can achieve either North American or Global certifications for TSIA’s
Excellence in Service Operations and J.D. Power and Associates Certified
Technology Service & Support. Companies also can achieve location- and/or
support module-specific certifications with the TSIA Rated Outstanding
certification.
What are the operational scoring criteria, and how were
they developed?
Each module of the program has its own unique set of best-practice performance
criteria. The criteria as well as the standards for performance were
established by a committee of over 50 companies. These companies range from
small and medium-size software and hardware companies to some of the largest
technology providers in the industry. All companies provided input on the key
performance criteria as well as best practices to determine the thresholds for
Excellence in Service Operations and J.D. Power and Associates Certified
Technology Service & Support certification. The program criteria are
reviewed and enhanced on an annual basis to ensure the highest standards are
being maintained.
What help do I get from TSIA as I go through the program?
Once you enter the program, TSIA assigns a program manager as well as a TSIA executive
to guide and support you through the process. Companies entering the program
assign their own program manager to work with TSIA and coordinate their
internal team and program deliverables.
Who performs the Assessment, and what will I learn from
it?
Utilizing TSIA’s powerful benchmarking data, the Assessment is done via Web
conference or on-site. The assessment is performed by a TSIA expert and will
include a detailed report on the member company’s performance against the
industry and peer group data points. The TSIA expert will assist the
participating member in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of their
performance against these standards and averages.
Who does the Audit, and what will I learn from it?
Audits across the entire support organization for the Excellence in Service
Operations certification are performed by two auditors—one from TSIA and one
from J.D. Power and Associates. Companies certifying a subset of their support
modules or locations will be audited by one TSIA auditor. These auditors have
extensive support services backgrounds and will provide detailed scoring and
feedback on performance against the best-practice audit criteria that is
outlined in the program materials for each module. These criteria are also the
foundation for development of corrective action plans that may be necessary to
bring a company up to the required top levels of support operations
performance.
How does the Diagnostic Evaluation differ
from the other Organizational Development Program offerings?
Although the Diagnostic Evaluation utilizes the same rigorous criteria to
assess your support operations as our other ODP programs, it does not result in
certification. A Diagnostic Evaluation can be used as a valuable first step
toward preparing for a future certification, or it simply can be used to
identify how your company differs from best-practice organizations, allowing
you to assess, improve, and achieve service excellence faster and more
efficiently.
What is the TSIA Advisory Service? Who delivers it, and
what do I get when I engage them?
This service allows our members to have access to the experts in the industry.
These experts help members with in-depth gap analysis, corrective action plan
development, and tactical support in achieving the highest levels in
operational excellence. Members who take advantage of the Advisory Service will
know how to increase their operational effectiveness and efficiencies quickly,
thereby translating into higher productivity and lower costs for the delivery
of higher levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty. TSIA Advisory Service
analysts also can be engaged on a wide variety of topics outside of support
improvement, e.g., Who are the top outsourcers for tier 1 support in Indonesia?
What are the leading companies providing IVR services for companies under $2B
in revenue?
Who is PRTM, and why/when would I need them?
PRTM is a leading global consulting organization that has been in business
since 1976. PRTM is focused on creating competitive advantage for their clients
by changing the way companies operate. PRTM management consultants work with
senior executives to develop and implement innovative operational strategies
that deliver breakthrough results. The firm is a leader in operational
strategy, supply chain, product development, and customer management. PRTM has
16 offices worldwide. Member companies will want to engage PRTM when they are
looking for longer-term and deep tactical engagements with experts who not only
design but also help implement operational support transformations
How can I use the Excellence in Service Operations
Certification?
The Excellence in Service Operations certification can be used in a variety of
ways to recognize a member company’s achievement both internal and externally.
The TSIA Excellence in Service Operations brand and logo can be used in all
forms of external advertising or internal communications. Hot links can be
provided to give your customers and prospects information on what this
certification means to them when evaluating the merits and value of businesses
and products.
What if I get Excellence in Service Operations certified
and then decide to go for the J.D. Power and Associates Certified Technology
Service & Support customer satisfaction certification? Does anything I did
under the Excellence in Service Operations program apply?
Excellence in Service Operations recognition is the foundation and prerequisite
for J.D. Power and Associates CTSS certification. If an organization decides to
achieve TSIA Rated Outstanding recognition at only the module or location
level, then the timing and successful completion of the audit process for the entire support operation will dictate
eligibility for the J.D. Power and Associates CTSS certification.
How are customer surveys conducted when I go for the J.D.
Power and Associates CTSS certification?
J.D. Power and Associates surveys customers who have had a recent support
experience to determine their satisfaction level. Your customers will receive
an e-mail inviting them to participate in the research survey. The survey is
conducted over the Internet and is anonymous, and it can be delivered
immediately after the completion of the service event or within six months of
completion of the service event. The second step is the comparison of these
customer satisfaction results with a benchmark database that J.D. Power and
Associates maintains for this program. This database tracks the customer
satisfaction index for the technology support industry. The threshold for
certification is defined as the 80th percentile, so your
organization’s ratings must be in the top 20 percent of scores to qualify for
CTSS certification.
Is there a difference between Excellence in Service
Operations certification for the entire service/support operations (i.e., 80-plus
percent of the call volume) and the Rated Outstanding certification at the
module and/or location levels?
Yes. If an organization elects to certify at just the module and/or location-specific
levels, the case volumes for the module or location don’t have to represent 80 percent
of the enterprise support volumes. Achieving passing marks on this narrower
scope of the audit criteria results in a TSIA Rated Outstanding certification (e.g.,
TSIA Rated Outstanding, North Carolina Assisted Support). TSIA Excellence in
Service Operations requires that the locations and modes of support that
represent 80 percent or more of the closed cases are audited. This broader
scope allows a company to claim Excellence in Service Operations for their
North America or Global or European, etc. operations.
How is the pricing structured, and what is the time
period I have to achieve certification?
Pricing varies based on the size of the member company and the number of
modules, locations, and/or selected levels of certification. Please contact
your membership development director for details. Certification must be
complete within 24 months of contract signature or within 12 months of the first
audit—whichever is sooner.
How do I get started?
Contact your membership development director. He can provide you with more
in-depth information and get you started on the path to excellence!
How do I find out more about Value-Added SupportSM?
Value-Added SupportSM (VAS) is the future of services and is based
on a solid foundation of operational excellence. Value-Added SupportSM
helps drive product consumption, and as a direct result, drives more product
revenue, margin, and overall customer satisfaction. To learn more about VAS,
please contact your membership development director.