Should Engineers Do Customer Support? How We Built Our Support Rotation System
Blog post from Inngest
Inngest transitioned from an ad-hoc support system to a structured two-tier support rotation to improve product development and support efficiency. Initially, every engineer was involved in customer support, causing frequent interruptions and context switching that hindered productivity and slowed product development. The company first attempted daily support rotations, which failed due to persistent cognitive load and expertise mismatches. The implemented two-tier system now involves a dedicated support engineer for triage and two rotating engineers for in-depth problem solving, allowing for clearer ownership and focus. This change improved response times, reduced burnout, and facilitated feedback into the product roadmap. While the system is effective at the current scale, Inngest continues to explore ways to balance reactive support with proactive education and ensure long-term scalability. The underlying principle is to structure engineer involvement in support, turning it from a disruption into a source of valuable insights for product improvement.