CAREER DEVELOPMENTCASE STUDY

What does your current role involve?

As Customer Services Support Manager, I look after thepeople processes and services offered by the PrimaTechnical Implementation, Senior Support andHelpdesk Teams.

I'm also an active account manager for several keyclients and contribute to business-wide initiatives aspart of the Prima Management Team.

My role is to ensure that all of our existing customersenjoy a fantastic experience using the PrimaNet suite ofapplications, by dealing effectively with any concerns orqueries that may be raised with the various expertswithin the team.

Tell us a bit about your background

Following my GCSE exams I knew I wanted to pursue acareer in IT. I chose to leave high school and study at mylocal college in Redditch which ran a BTEC NationalDiploma in Computer Systems.

Following an interesting and varied course at college Ithen moved on to the University of Derby where Iundertook a four-year course in Computer Systems,with a specialism in Digital Entertainment. I initiallywanted to work in 3D animation, but found that most ofit involved complex mathematical algorithms and quitelong iterative processes - so not as much fun as I firstthought!

However, my course included a placement year, duringwhich I worked for the Ministry of Defence in Bath; thiswas based in the Warships Support Agency where I gotinvolved in support work using analytical skills andworking with large data sets. It was here that Igravitated towards problem-solving, as I had to look athow to make ships on the ocean reliable for the durationof their trips without repair using bespoke software. Ilearned a huge amount about the world of work in thisrole and was even able to re-visit the team after myplacement to perform real world testing as part of myfinal year software project.

What did you do after university?

My first main job was with an IT firm specialising inwarehouse management solutions, where I got agood grounding in WMS and Stock Control.Further to this I gained substantial experience incustomer service and support processes. I lovedthe business and the role but found that the out ofhours work required was too substantial and so Ibegan looking to move to a more workableschedule, to which an opportunity arose at PrimaSolutions.

What has allowed your career to progress anddevelop here?

Prima has allowed me to develop because it's amid-sized business which allows hard work anddetermination to be recognised. The business hasan ethos of nurturing talent and allowing people tosubmit their ideas at a high level with its open doorpolicy.

Personally I have always tried to lead by exampleand profess a desire to work for the benefit of theteam rather than for myself. I feel that it is thisapproach that has led to my efforts beingrecognised and rewarded with opportunities as aresult.

ANDREW GRETTONCUSTOMER SERVICES SUPPORT MANAGER

Tell us about your Prima Journey

When I first joined Prima, I started as a Junior SupportAnalyst in the Helpdesk working alongside AndrewClanchy. I loved working in Helpdesk as I really enjoyproblem-solving, which was complex and challengingbut at the same time peaked my interest.

I worked hard to learn as much about the applicationsand processes as I could and to build a good relationshipwith the customer base. There is a great managementethos at Prima that allows those who wish to putforward ideas to do so and I was encouraged to developwithin the role.

After a couple of years in the role, a vacancy opened fora new Helpdesk Manager. Being confident in myabilities I applied for the role alongside externalcandidates. After presenting my ideas for developmentto the management team, Prima put their faith in meand I was given the job.

I worked extremely hard in that demanding role and wasable to succeed with the support of my team. This alsoallowed me to work more closely with the managementteam and to understand the impact of customer serviceon wider business activities.

Following this, a new customer came on board in ProjectServices and they needed support to deliver theimplementation. I was happy to take on the experienceto learn more about how new projects were delivered.Following successful delivery of the project I was invitedto stay engaged with that customer in an accountmanagement capacity.

Over time this role developed further and I expandedinto my Account Management role full time. Thisallowed me to grow into working with larger, morecomplex customers with challenging deployments and agood commercial oversight.

The final and most recent step in my journey has been togrow into the leadership role of Customer ServicesSupport Manager. This builds on my experience withpeople management, process and customer-facing skillsalongside my understanding of project process.

I love that this role gives me a clear view of operationsacross the business and importantly allows me to sharemy experience with new employees who join the Primateam.

What is the best part of working at PrimaSolutions?

The best thing about Prima Solutions is the widevariety of opportunities you can get involved in. Akey part of this is the chance to work with a vastrange of people with different skills and roles. Inthe first half hour of being in the office today I willhave spoken to a manager, a designer, adeveloper, a support analyst and a customer! I getto learn from everyone here and learn howsoftware development and business works, bytaking advice from the in-house experts.

How has working at Prima Solutions shaped yourcareer?

Prima Solutions has transformed my career frombeing unclear which direction my role in IT wouldtake, to understanding where my strengths lie. Ienjoy working with a team delivering successfulprojects and maintaining exceptional customerservice through strong internal and externalrelationships.

I now understand many different areas of thesoftware and the business, providing me withinvaluable experience. Furthermore, I have beenable to work with many highly skilled contactsfrom our expanding customer base, giving me agreat understanding of the wider market.

Ultimately, you get out of Prima what you put in. Ifyou push yourself and approach others in the rightmanner and you want to contribute new ideas,you will be well received and can really moveforward in your career.