Help Desk Consolidation

By Sheldon Bird

Client Technologies Services has finalized plans for a physical consolidation of our staff who support the Natural Resources, Regulatory, and Administrative/Cultural agencies. Departments involved include Administrative and Financial Services, Professional & Financial Regulation and associated boards, Public Utilities Commission, State Planning Office, Conservation, Environmental Protection, Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Marine Resources, Agriculture, Economic & Community Development, and part of Health & Human Services and Education. They will be headquartered on the Eastside campus in Augusta. This move will accomplish several desirable outcomes and further the aim of the Governor's Executive Order of Jan. 6, 2005 http://www.maine.gov/oit/itgovernance/Exorder.htm .

  • The manager, Vickie Bussey, can more easily manage staff and day-to-day operations, compared with the current scattered postings. It has been extremely difficult to manage in its current state.
  • Peer support, cross-training, mentoring and other group efforts can happen with more consistency and effectiveness. Already, there are several established mentor relationships that are having positive effect.There will be better coverage across the board when faced with vacations, illnesses etc.
  • There will be a much better sense among the team of what everyone is doing.
  • Phone and field duties can be more easily shared and managed.
  • It will be much easier for staff to measure their own abilities and behaviors as part of a larger group, which will lead to many of them rising to a higher challenge and increasing technical excellence and customer service - a larger peer group has greater weight.
  • It will allow for better process documentation and more formal processes - "This is the way we do this."
  • Consistent customer interface.

File server and domain administrators responsible for the SOM computer domain will be co-located with the desktop support technicians, providing more seamless service integration and easy access to high-level technical support.

We recognize that this is a significant change in the way service is delivered. We pledge to maintain and improve the current level of service. On-site agency support presence will continue with minor adjustments. We will be meeting with individual agencies to discuss the ramifications, to describe the details and answer any questions they may have, and will be able describe the means by which we will provide on-site presence and maintain response time. We strongly believe this change will improve our delivery of service. Please wish this team the best as they begin to set the pace for excellent service.