Managing a computer software hotline

The management of a computer software hotline has many challenges. These include cost pressures, productivity improvement, technology and staff. A computer software hotline can be an important service. It helps the end users solve problems and avoid delays. A few experts can handle most problems and once a common problem is solved that solution can be applied to many callers. With this service, end users can concentrate on their organizational functions and not have to become computer experts. However, a hotline is an overhead function and as such is subject to much cost scrutiny. Some actual experiences in managing a software hotline are described. This hotline supported both DOS and Mac based products as well as some VM based large scale products. Most of the support was provided to users over the phone, but onsite support was also provided when necessary. There was the additional challenge of staying cost effective in a changing environment. The installed base of equipment was growing. This allowed more users to be active at any one time. Also the supported software was becoming more technically complex. Additionally, newer versions of software ran in a networked environment, distributed between servers and workstations.<>