Build an Effective Technology Support Term Paper

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A good program administrator motivates their staff and keeps morale high by understand workloads and efficiencies. They are a good leader and they instill trust in their staff members, empowering them to make decisions and work on their own without too much interference, but they know when to take control to make the team more effective. That is quite a bit of authority to balance, so a good program administrator should understand the needs of their staff members by working in their shoes before they assume responsibility.

One of the most visual and important positions in the IS department is the help desk. Help desk staff are the bridge between IS and the users, they represent every aspect of the IS department, and they are often the only staff members users ever encounter. The textbook notes that there are several key requirements for successful help desk staff members. The authors write, "A key job requirement is technical knowledge. At least equally important to that requirement, however, is a variety of communications skills and problem-solving strategies" (Regan and O'Connor, 2002, p. 249). Problem-solving abilities are extremely important in this role, and the ability to think quickly while multi-tasking is important, too. An analytical mind helps, but understanding the user's frustration or learning ability is a key factor, too. Patience is also necessary, as are the good communication skills the text authors note. Many people may think that the help desk is one of the minor roles in the IS department, but in reality, it is one of the most important functions of the department, and how the help desk staff treats their users can set the stage for the way the entire organization views the IS department. The text notes that it is easier to teach technical knowledge to a person who has good interpersonal skills, than it is to try to teach interpersonal skills to someone who does not have them, and that helps bring personalities into the discussion of successful tech support staff.

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Clearly, there are a variety of personality types that choose to work in the IS department. There are reclusive types that enjoy the anonymity of the computer environment. These personalities may not work well as a team, and they may ostracize other staff members, so they are not the best choice for tech support staff, even if their technical knowledge is extremely high. With too many negative or reclusive members, the overall team performance can be affected, creating a negative work environment that affects how the team treats users, leading to a bad reputation throughout the organization. If they deal with vendors or other outside personnel, that can lead to a negative reputation outside the organization, too. Negative or reclusive staff members need to be weeded out, or assigned to duties that are more in line with their personalities, such as programming or hardware support, with little contact with the users and other staff members.

In conclusion, a good tech support staff is vital to any organization. Poor tech support skills or a lack of good management can lead to user dissatisfaction, poor morale within and outside the department, and ultimately, a lack of productivity for the organization. Good tech support provides the users with information they can use, assesses their needs and addresses them, and adds to the productivity of the organization. A key ingredient is communication, combined with patience. Those traits can make a good tech support staff great, and that can lead to many other organizational rewards......

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