Colorado Springs, Colo. – December 16, 2003 – Help Desk Institute (HDI) (Company
Profile, Past
Stories, Case
Studies), the global leader for the support industry and the world’s largest membership association for service and support professionals, today released the
findings of the HDI 2003 Salary Survey. The study provides a comprehensive look at support center salaries for seven job categories in both the United States and Canada.
Other considerations measured included years of technical experience, education levels, and the factors used to determine salary increases. The survey
includes historical data for comparison purposes.
Overall, HDI’s survey found that, while the economy has begun to rebound slightly, the support industry continues to face many challenges as it experiences the pressures
of cost management through headcount reductions, numerous sourcing solutions and advances in self-help technologies. Given this situation, there was little change
in salaries in 2003 versus 2002, and while some have increased slightly, none have reached those reported in 2001.
Key U.S. findings include:
· Entry level salaries averaged $26,648; managers averaged $61,149
· 72% of entry level workers earned between $21,000 and $35,000, a finding consistent with HDI’s 2001 and 2002 surveys
· 49% of Level 2 workers, who have greater technical skills, earned from $36,000 to $45,000
· 49% of managers earned $46,000 to $65,000
· 42% of senior support managers earned $61,000 to $80,000, compared to 48% in 2002
· Comparisons to 2002 show a decrease in salaries for all categories at all levels of company size, with the exception of support managers in
companies that have 3 to 10 employees, where there was no change
· Customer service skills continued to be the driver for salary increases for call screeners and Level 1 employees
· Specific technical knowledge lead the Level 2 area as a factor for salary increases
· Management or leadership skills with quality of work and customer service skills were used to determine the salary increase at the
manager and director level
“As support organizations seek to become more strategic to the organization as a whole, the data contained within HDI's 2003 Salary Survey offers important insight and
decision making tools,” commented Ron Muns, founder and CEO, HDI. “We hope that support executives and managers will use this valuable tool to plan budgets,
determine staffing requirements and conduct employee evaluations in 2004.”
Pricing and Availability
The HDI 2003 Salary Survey is available via the HDI eStore (http://www.thinkhdiestore.com), or by calling (800) 248-5667.
HDI Member Price: $49.99; Non-Member Price: $99.00. Media and analysts who like a complimentary copy of this report should contact Jen McClure, A.M.P.
Communications, (510) 796-1475 or via email at jenm@ampcomm.com.
About Help Desk Institute
Help Desk Institute (HDI) is the global leader for the support industry and the world's largest membership association for the service and support industry. Founded in 1989,
HDI's mission is to lead and promote the customer service and technical support industry by empowering its members through access to timely and valuable industry
information, including reports and publications; encouraging member collaboration through events and online forums; and establishing internationally recognized, standards-
based industry 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 customer service and technical 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. HDI has more than 7,500 members worldwide, (including 90% of the Fortune 500), and more
than 55 active U.S., Canada, and Mexico chapters. For more information, visit, www.thinkhdi.com.
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