[yourapostasy]

24x7x365 is an expensive support option, and not all customers need/want it. I found that if I budget staffing for a manager and 7 employees, create "slots" for access at different tiers (segment by business hours in different time zone ranges, response time, and support contract duration), price access to 24x7x365 slots accordingly, the price-first customers will sort themselves out. Good support that performs properly as a function of the continuous development cycle is staffed by highly-technical and high-soft-touch skill sets, and it is expensive to find and retain those people. Don't shortchange them or yourself, and charge the market accordingly.

3-7 years is about the maximum I would expect an unsustainably-structured support organization to last before people burn out, so you had a good run.