LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwired - October 19, 2016) - The Technology Services Industry Association (TSIA), the leading association for today's technology services organizations, honored technology companies that have received certification in Support Staff Excellence and Operational Best Practices for 2016. These top organizations were publicly recognized for their achievements at the Technology Services World (TSW) conference held this week in Las Vegas.

Support Staff Excellence (SSE), offered by TSIA and delivered by Miller Heiman Group, is a powerful staff development program that enables the delivery of a superior customer service experience through the development of the most critical service delivery resource a company has: its people.

The Certified Support Staff Excellence Center designation leverages performance metrics that ensure the entire service organization's staff internalizes key elements of the training program and can improve their interactions with customers on a sustained level.

The companies that have achieved Certified Support Staff Excellence Center status for 2016 are: Alcatel-lucent Enterprise, Axway, Brightcove Inc., CallidusCloud, Cisco Systems, Corptax Inc., GE Digital, Kaspersky Lab, Marketo, Riverbed Technology Inc., Transcend Insights, Tricentis, and Verisign Inc.

Also being recognized at the conference were the recipients of TSIA's Operational Best Practice certifications for 2016. TSIA's Operational Best Practices (OBP) program provides organizations with the opportunity to be recognized at the geographic or global level, or to achieve the highest level of certification -- Certified Technology Service and Support -- which includes validated recognition by J.D. Power. The four TSIA OBP programs include Rated Outstanding, which allows an organization to target recognition in a specific area of strength, Excellence in Service Operations, which enables a company to recognize regional or global support operations, Certified Assisted Technical Support, and Certified Technology Service and Support, jointly developed by TSIA and J.D. Power with the focus of giving a business' enterprise customers confidence in that organization's support services capabilities.

The 2016 organizations honored at TSW are as follows:

• Avaya: TSIA Rated Outstanding, North America Assisted Support Certification
• Deltek: TSIA Rated Outstanding, Global Assisted Support Certification
• Intermedia: J.D. Power Certified Assisted Technical Support, and TSIA Rated Outstanding, North America Assisted Support Certification
• Marketo: TSIA Rated Outstanding, North America Assisted and Self-Service Support
• Palo Alto Networks: J.D. Power Certified Assisted Technical Support, North America and TSIA Rated Outstanding, Global Assisted Support Certification
• Verisign: TSIA Rated Outstanding, Global Assisted Support Certification
• Cisco Systems: J.D. Power and Associates Certified Technology Service and Support and TSIA Excellence in Service Operations, Global Certification

"We're honored to publicly recognize and congratulate these leading organizations at TSW for their outstanding achievements this year," said Thomas Lah, executive director of TSIA. "By going through these rigorous evaluation and certification programs, these companies have proven their dedication to excellence and their unwavering commitment to their customers."

To learn more about TSIA's Operational Best Practices and Support Staff Excellence programs visit the TSIA website at http://tsia.com/

About TSIA
The Technology Services Industry Association (TSIA) is the world's leading organization dedicated to advancing the business of technology and services. Technology services organizations large and small look to TSIA for world-class business frameworks, best practices based on real-world results, detailed performance benchmarking, exceptional peer networking opportunities, and high-profile certification and awards programs. TSIA corporate members represent the world's top technology companies as well as scores of innovative small and mid-size businesses in four major markets: enterprise IT and telecom, consumer technology, healthcare and healthcare IT, and industrial equipment and technology. TSIA's editorial blog, Inside Technology Services, is widely recognized by technology service professionals for providing thought leadership and insights into industry trends and best practices. Visit us at www.tsia.com, follow us on Twitter @TSIACommunity, or connect with us on LinkedIn and Google+.