Personnel in Technology

Personnel in Technology Phillip Woodard University of Phoenix

Personnel in Technology Personnel in Technology With the paradigm shift from a business economy to a knowledge economy, where

learning about the application and development of knowledge is central, knowledge management systems operate with many objectives, including: improving the performance of organizational systems and processes, persuading people to share (Havens & Hass, 2000), leveraging and using the uniqueness of the organization to capitalize on the mix of people, processes, services and productsand making knowledge more visible throughout the organization (Allee, 1997) (Singh & Soltani 2010, pg. 145). Technology support is integral to the success of business success in our service-based economy. Managers must understand the dynamics human motivation and tailor approaches to engaging people at all levels to share information relevant to the overall mission of the organization. It is not enough to hire the best and the brightest if interpersonal skills are not part of the evaluation process for selecting customer service personnel, for instance. Leadership has a large stake in harnessing the emotions and energy from everyone in the company and turning every experience-good or bad, into something useful to improve business relationships both internal and external. Treating the employee like the most important person in the organization will carry over onto the customer, making them feel the same way. Happy customers are good for business and building effective technology support teams is the foundation of a good organization. Building an Effective Technology Support Team Teamwork is not a new idea. The basic concepts of organizing and managing teams go back in history to Biblical times; however, it was not before the beginning of the twentieth century that work teams were formally recognized as an effective device for enhancing organizational performance (Thanhain 2004, pg. 35). Taking the term technology into context

Personnel in Technology means supporting the needs of the customer with competent individuals capable of

communicating in such a manner the experience stays with the customer for life. This seems like a dream-like atmosphere for most employers, but with the right combination of social skills and technical savvy, building effective technology support teams are not too difficult. Hiring the right people to perform help-desk duties requires someone who is patient, assertive, thorough, enthusiastic, responsible, technically competent, and empathetic; possess strong communication skills, and the ability to work well under pressure (Regan & OConnor, 2002 pg. 249). The best of intentions by management in selecting the right mix for the help-desk shift leaders is just as important as hiring the direct agents themselves. College graduates with no work experience may possess the institutional knowledge by lack the intrapersonal skills to bridge their education with the background or experience of seasoned employees. Hiring people and teaching them to be technicians seem to make better sense because interpersonal skills are hard to develop in someone who does not have them. The adage it is hard to teach old dog new tricks come to mind but when it comes to people skills it seems experience outweighs education most of the time. Leaders must understand the unique personalities each team member brings to the organization and use trained professionals if available to assist in building strong technology support teams. Putting personalities aside Managers must realize the organizational dynamics involved during the various phases of the team development process. They must understand the professional interests, anxieties, communication needs, and challenges of their team members and anticipate them as the team goes through the various stages of its development (Thanhain 2004, pg. 40). Team building requires careful strategies to assess training, experience, and motivation levels. People come

Personnel in Technology from different lifestyles with cultural backgrounds that may clash with those of the organization or direct management. Some good steps for team building are:

Clear Expectations: Team members must have a clear understanding of the purpose, direction, and emphasis of the technology support team. Context: Team members must understand how their job helps the company reach its corporate goals; the big picture. Commitment: Technology support teams must commit to getting the job done and understand what it takes to earn recognition. Competence: Teams must have confidence in their technical abilities and knowledge to meet the needs of the customers and the organization. Charter: Successful teams take ownership of the mission and may develop an internal vision to support the companys goals. Control: Members need the freedom and empowerment to feel a sense of ownership to accomplish its vision. Understanding the scope of responsibility is very important. Collaboration: Working together vertically and horizontally to solve problems, improve processes, and resolve conflicts is very important for any organization. Communication: This two-way channel needs support from within the company to succeed. Creative Innovation: Teams must understand the organizational position on change, creative thinking, and new ideas. Maybe the status quo is perfectly acceptable. Consequences: Grasping the extent of achievement when teams are successful and the accountable person for submitting to leadership.

Personnel in Technology

Coordination: Determine resource allocation priorities, internal customers, or customerfocused orientation and moving away from traditional thinking. Cultural Change: The success of a number of the above areas will result in a change in business culture and ultimate support from the top down. Personalities can affect technology support teams adversely if managers take people for granted and treat everyone the same. People on both sides of the business exchange want satisfaction and success to walk hand-in-hand. Balancing resources to bring customer feelings into the decision making process is very effective in building long-term relationships. Technical staff plays an important role in building successful technology support teams, whether used as external consultants or members of the organization. Sharing knowledge, expertise, and information in todays service oriented society requires a better understanding of building relationships that strengthen a companys reputation in the services industry. Technology will continue to grow and with proper training of personnel, keep up with the emphasis on making the customer experience the best available. Conclusion Personnel in technology require a commitment to excellence in service to every stakeholder, whether internal or external. There is no magic formula for building the perfect technology support team; it takes training and a commitment from management to support the effort. Feedback from customers is very important in evaluating success of failure to meet company expectations. Information received is only useful if put into practice and communicated throughout the organization.

Personnel in Technology References

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Chow, I., & Shan S., L. (2007). Business Strategy, Organizational Culture, and Performance Outcomes in China's Technology Industry. Human Resource Planning, 30(2), 47-55. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.