RICK ADKINSON
Hutto, TX *****
****.********@*****.***
www.linkedin.com/in/rickadkinson
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Technically-oriented, customer-focused, Service and Support professional with extensive experience as a service provider for all types of business. Proven ability to reduce costs and improve problem resolution. Areas of expertise include system planning and installation, customer support, and follow-up/evaluation. Results-driven with excellent customer relations skills. In-depth understanding of computer hardware and software. Consistently ranked as a top contributor. Key skills include:
Operations
Computers/IT/IS
Administration
Construction
Customer Service & Support
Equipment Configuration
Equipment Management
Equipment Repair
Internal Quality Audits
Policies/Procedures
Process Operations Improvements
Project Management
Employee Training/Coaching
Vendor/Customer Communications
Safety Training
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Redesigned and streamlined the team checklist for new service planners. Clarified roles and departments that were responsible for the line items. Brought in new planners who, in under 2 months, were successfully bringing products to market on schedule.
Overhauled education path designed to take a new rep with basic skills on the products to fielding calls in about a month. Streamlined it into a 2 week process where reps were better trained to successfully take customer calls in a reduced time.
Developed problem determination scripts for situation where multiple calls on the same issue was causing customer dissatisfaction and increased cost for the field in replacing parts incorrectly due to insufficient training. Resulted marked improvement in customer satisfaction as well as an 80% reduction in incorrect replacement of parts.
Developed a study course for reps who failed on first attempt at user certification test. Used the material that was already being used but reorganized it into the style of the test. Resulted in a success rate of 85% first time passing the test versus the 25% prior to the course as well as a reduction in cost for the center for retakes of the test.
Spearheaded a plan to re-design area to better utilize the space and allow for better implementation of the staging process when sales volume increased beyond capacity of staging. The following month the number of machines that were staged was increased from approximately 100 to 135. This increase continued for several months until we were processing over 300 systems a month with no bottlenecks in production.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
IBM, Austin, TX 1998 – 2009
Global Service Planning Representative 2007 – 2009
Responsible for managing Engineering Change Announcements (ECA). Reviewed and published weekly updates of product development status with the goal of addressing areas of improvement on assigned products. Utilized database and spreadsheets to determine status of various projects for global team of 30 members.
* Guided product development for I/O devices resulting in easier servicing of I/O devices by field personnel with consequent reduction in cost of service.
* Reduced overall service cost by effectively processing ECAs. One complex ECA impacted over 20K machines worldwide.
* Published field communications using IBM tool RETAIN resulting in 80% improvement in repair of various systems.
* Developed IBM IH clusters switch on a time scheduled that was reduced by 50% of clock hours and insured quality support structure.
* Streamlined flow of issues by redesigning product development checklist for service planning requirements for new products
Advisory Professional Support Representative, Atlanta, GA 2000 – 2007
Responsible for training team of 30 local representatives, 50 remote representatives, and maintaining up-to-date information for Support Center on Processes and Procedures. Interfaced with the next level of support and coordinated education on new products on a monthly basis.
* Improved customer satisfaction by identifying areas of representative weakness and implementing training to combat.
* Tracked the progress and success of the Support Center showing consistent gains in customer satisfaction and call closures.
* Selected to participate in the course development for a specific machine.
* Developed AIX, IBM OS for System p machines’ study course for department representatives to assist in user certification.
* Co-authored website resulting in a more defined service guidelines for specific product set.
* Participated in development of Support Education Course, resulting in a comprehensive service training package for the field and the support center.
Support Center Representative, Atlanta, GA 1998 – 2000
Provided action plans and parts to Field Service Representatives for customer repairs in the field nationwide.
* Completed 80% of customer calls with resolution and repair system remotely.
* Implemented procedures to improve customer satisfaction of calls to the support center resulting in an increased NSI to 90% for the center.
DICKENS DATA SYSTEMS, Roswell, GA 1991 – 1998
Staging Supervisor
Guided the building of custom configuration IBM RS6000. Supervised 6 technicians in the building and configuration of custom systems.
* Redesigned staging area to accommodate the building of larger number of systems which improved the output from 120 machines monthly to over 300 machines monthly.
* Introduced a quality checklist process for the custom configuration of systems resulting in improved accuracy of product completion.
EDUCATION
BA, Ministerial, Southeastern College of the Assemblies of God, Lakeland, FL, 1980