Location: Bendigo, VIC, Australia

Phone: 0434 821 343

Email: andy@andyayres.au

I am a determined troubleshooter with 18 years of experience in working with customers to identify best solutions and resolve their enquiries. With a passion for identifying issues and providing solutions using my experience in IT and Telecommunications, while effectively communicating ideas and concepts in a way that can be readily understood.

Skills

  • Customer Service

  • Technical Support

  • Microsoft 365 Administration

  • Windows Desktop Support

  • SMB Connectivity Solutions

  • PBX design and deployment

  • VMWare Airwatch Deployment

  • Telecommunications Support

  • Web Hosting Support

  • Telecommunications provisioning

  • Linux Server Administration

  • Critical Incident Management

  • Technical Documentation

  • Technical Training

  • Technical Leadership

  • Account Management

Certification

  • Microsoft Certified Professional

    • Certification number: D0W75C-31912D

  • Administering Office 365 for Small Business

    • Certification number: 5O4080-1656F2

Experience

Managed Telco Services - Senior Customer Service / Technical Support - Mar 2020 to Dec 2023

In this role I continued to provide day-to-day support to customers, whilst taking on additional responsibilities around the operation of the business and acting as a mentor to more junior staff.

  • Provided customer technical support for complex customer issues relating to email, webhosting, PBX and business grade internet.

  • Handling escalated customer billing issues.

  • Reviewing and managing wholesale supplier accounts monthly.

  • Review and audit monthly customer invoices generated by Telco In A Box.

  • Managing the supply chain for equipment necessary to meet customer requirements.

  • Provided technical input on new product ideas and processes.

  • Managing internal IT including company Microsoft 365 tenant and PBX.

  • Supporting other staff with complex and unusual enquiries.

Managed Telco Services - Customer Service and Technical Support - Jan 2016 to Mar 2020

Provided direct customer support for a wide range of issues both technical and account related as well as managing service provisioning and deployment.

  • Provisioning and supporting a wide range of services including mobile, NBN and VoIP.

  • Deployment of iPads using VMWare Airwatch to meet requirements for transmission of medical data.

  • Programming and deployment of mobile lift gateway solutions to replace decommissioned PSTN services.

  • Provisioning mobile services using Optus Business, Telstra Enterprise, Telco In A Box and Symbio.

  • Deployment and support of mobile data solutions for a caravan hire company.

  • Designing, deploying and supporting business grade VoIP solutions, and integrating NBN connectivity with backup mobile data for pharmacies in Melbourne.

Simple iD - Global Support Manager – Sept 2014 to Oct 2015

Took on managing the support operations for Simple iD, managing the small teams in Melbourne,
New Zealand, and Manchester, as well as setting up a Manila based support team.

  • Set up the Manila-based support operation from scratch, including candidate selection, training and coaching of staff.

  • Mentored staff on both service soft skills and technical skills, including answering questions and assisting with complex issues.

  • Developed KPI’s and assessment tools to manage the new Manila operations performance.

  • Managed escalated cases.

  • Managed and supported migration of businesses from Exchange server to Microsoft 365 services.

  • Liaised with senior technical engineers on service issues detected through support channels.

Simple iD - Senior Support Technician Level 3 - July 2014 to Sept 2014

Recognised as a senior technician within the company, taking on greater responsibility for large service issues.

  • Provided mentoring and guidance to more junior staff members.

  • 2IC for the Manchester-based Global Support Manager ensuring that they were fully up to speed with what was happening in Australia and New Zealand.

  • Provided Level 1, 2 and 3 support for Australia and New Zealand.

  • Server administration and support for both Linux and Windows servers.

  • Critical incident response and management for service disruptions, including providing communication to key stakeholders.

  • Manage deployment of new Cpanel hosting servers.

Simple iD - Customer Service/Technical Support Level 1 & 2 (Domains and Hosting) - Sept 2010 to July 2014

Was the first line support for website and email hosting support for our customers, as well as provisioning support for the fleet of Blackberry devices we managed for customers.

  • Technical support for mail, website and spam filtering issues.

  • Domain name registration and management support.

  • Transferred websites and email hosting from other providers to Simple iD hosting solution.

  • Assisted with implementing a Barracuda Networks spam filtering appliance.

  • Provisioning and support of Exchange and Blackberry Enterprise Server accounts.

  • Identification of service degradation issues, including initial incident response, and escalation as necessary.

Excelior - Customer Service Level 2 (Gizmo Contract) - June 2009 to June 2010

Provided frontline customer support on behalf of Gizmo, mainly focusing on Dell On Call clients. I was part of the successful initial four person pilot team that saw the program expand.

  • Diagnosing and resolving complex customer equipment issues.

  • Provided premium software support for Dell on Call customers.

  • Supported fellow staff with complex issues.

Excelior - Customer Service Billing Level 3 (AAPT Contract) – May 2009 to June 2009

After the wind up of Exceliors involvement in AAPT’s Internet Support I was moved to the Billing Team as Level 3 support.

  • Responded Level 1 billing enquiries.

  • Provided second level billing support for phone staff.

  • Managed, investigated, and resolved customer billing escalations.

  • Provided a second level of support for management.

  • Lodgment of new fixed wire orders into LOLO.

Excelior - Team Leader - Seconded (AAPT Contract) – April 2008 to May 2009

After my successful period seconded to the Learning and Development team for a large staff ramp up to meet AAPT contract requirements I was successful in obtaining a secondment to the leadership team, and was the last of the seconded Team Leaders to finish that role when AAPT fully internalised their internet support.

  • Monitored staff performance in order to be able to provide constructive feedback, and encouraged staff to develop.

  • Worked with other team leaders within the department and company to maintain a high level of performance throughout all the teams.

  • Evaluated calls based on customer service criteria to ensure compliance and identify areas for development.

  • Worked with the Senior Technical Consultants to ensure staff technical training requirements are being met.

  • Managed roster adjustments to ensure adequate staff levels to meet business needs.

  • Provided regular coaching to each staff member and developed individual training plans to address each person’s needs.

Excelior - Learning and Development Trainer - Seconded (AAPT Contract) - Feb 2008 to April 2008

Due to a requirement to ramp up the Internet Support team for AAPT from a headcount of 20 to 130 I was seconded to the Learning and Development team to put new hires through a three week induction course to prepare them to provide customer support.

  • Developed and revised technical training material to deliver to new staff during training.

  • Facilitated new staff training courses, covering technical, customer service and compliance.

  • Assessment of each person’s relative skill level and work to ensure that each has the chance to succeed.

  • Delivered feedback to new employees managers as to their level of competency, areas for improvement, and documented feedback.

  • Was recognised as employee of the month for my efforts at this time.

Excelior - Senior Technical Consultant Level 3 (AAPT Contract) - March 2007 to Feb 2008

I applied for and was successful in obtaining a promotion to a level 3 support position, giving me a greater responsibility for both technical issues, and mentoring and supporting staff.

  • Escalation point for technical issues relating to AAPT consumer email and internet.

  • Monitoring of services to identify and resolve issues efficiently and proactively.

  • Communicated known issues to staff so they are aware of larger service issues.

  • Answered ad-hoc technical requests from level 1 staff to assist in resolution of customer issues.

  • Facilitated technical training and coaching of staff to ensure technical competencies were met.

  • Designed and delivered a monthly technical evaluation for staff to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

  • Preparation and delivery of training material for new products and services.

AAPT - Customer Service Consultant - May 2006 to March 2007

Provided front line technical support for AAPT internet customers, initially focusing on dial-up, then being upskilled to handle ADSL support as well.

  • Troubleshoot and identify faults with AAPT ADSL and Dialup internet connections.

  • Prepared information for lodgment of ADSL line faults into LOLS.

  • Identification and escalation of issues relating to infrastructure to Level 3.

  • Ensured accuracy of customer records by documenting every customer interaction.

Education

[2000 to 2004]

LaTrobe University Bendigo

Bachelor of Computing (Computer Science)