Crystal Internet

Crystal Internet one of the first local ISPs back in the day. This was before the broadband revolution, back when you had to connect to the internet by making a call with a dial-up modem and getting speeds of up 56k!

My role at Crystal Internet was to man the help-desk and provide support to some 300 users on the network. The company utilized a UNIX server and it was my job to ensure it's stability and performance in conjunction with Crystal Internet's system administrator.

I was the sole installer, going on-site to both business and homes setting up their internet needs, including providing hardware as required. Crystal Internet provided their service both south and north of the river, so I ended up with quite the knowledge about Perth's suburbs!

Given I had an interest in HTML and graphic design I was given the opportunity to build, edit and run Crystal Internet's webpage. I learnt a lot about domain names, hosting, coding and web design during the time with Crystal Internet, which later became a most useful skill in assisting many others with their webpages.

Main Responsibilities and Duties

• Provide phone support for 300+ users
• Installation Technician as required
• Basic system administration

Skills and Experience

• Experience with UNIX based server
• Telecommunication exposure
• Professional Phone Manner
• Heavy Customer Focus exposure
• Advanced HTML knowledge

Compiled by David Innes

Perth, Western Australia

Bird Cameron

Bird Cameron Chartered Accountants (part of the RSM Group) was another step forward in my IT Industry experience. I was employed by this firm to be their National Co-Coordinator of Computer System for Western Australia. It was long title indeed yet it meant I was responsible for providing phone support for all the offices in the state.

There was 100+ users to provide support for; making the work place quite busy and demanding. In addition to the user support roles I was the roll-out technician for new computers and new users in the state office.

From my exposure in my capacity as help-desk support I gained further knowledge with Lotus products; such as Notes and 123 as well as various accounting software including but not limited to Quickbooks and Mind Your Own Business.

Various support roles saw me doing end user support on-site within the Perth office assisting with various problems users had with both software and hardware. I was trained up to do purchasing orders for the office's computer needs and on the odd occasion through out the day I became the repair man for the many photocopiers in the office.

Main Responsibilities and Duties

• Provide phone support for Western Australian branches
• Roll-out (Hot stage) new PCs and various hardware
• On-site user support as needed
• Purchase Hardware and Software (Licences) 

Skills and Experience

• Knowledge of the "Mind Your Own Business" software
• Gained experience with Lotus software packages such as Lotus Notes
• Customer Support exposure, including phone support
• Requisitions and Book Keeping
• Understanding of Quickbooks program

Excelsior

Excelsior Managed Superannuation was a company based in Perth that dealt with various levels of super funds. Clients included large scale corporations, non for profit companies, medium level business as well individual retirement portfolios.

I began work with the company part-time as a filing clerk. But it wasn't long before I was given a chance to develop my administration abilities in a more demanding role as a Benefit Payments clerk. This role gave me my first exposure to experiencing client service over the phone with a professional manner, resolving many issues regarding customers problems; be it with simple account queries or complex administration duties.

Due to my noted abilities during this time, I received the opportunity to be supervisor of the benefit payments department. During this time I implemented a number of technological improvements to our system, including an automated spreadsheet-styled program that organised, sorted and interacted with the in house AS6000 database systems increasing the payment process ten-fold.

It was because of this computing work that I was offered a job with the Information Technology team as a systems administrator. Working within a small team of three, I gained much experience being exposed to help-desk support for over a 60 user network. My personal computer knowledge and growing experience within the department gave me noted praise from the management and my peers.

Main Responsibilities and Duties

• Supervising and supporting a team of five
• Developing system procedures
• Administration of all benefit payment claims
• Main point of phone inquiries for clients
• Provide support for computers and end users
• Perform backup and audit for database

Skills and Experience

• Lotus Notes and Lotus 123 packages
• In house AS6000 system
• 2 years of customer focused phone support
• Filing, Book Keeping and Letter drafting
• Procedure implementation
• Training and Support for new systems

Compiled by David Innes

Perth, Western Australia