Unit4
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  • Unit4 gave me the opportunity of a lifetime!

    By Graham Vodden
    Knowledge Manager

When approached about a new Knowledge Manager role in Unit4’s Global Support Operations, I was intrigued by the opportunity; confident that my past experience would be invaluable.  I jumped at the opportunity and to my surprise,  my family and I were about to spend a life-changing year in Wroclaw, Poland; Europe’s Capital of Culture for 2016 and home to Unit4’s new Global Support Center.  I had worked for Unit4 since 2010 as a Customer Support Analyst in Canada and I really enjoyed that role. That being said, I welcomed the challenges and changes the new position would bring.

 

I must admit that, at the age of 45, I had never travelled outside North America and I was excited by the prospect of working in Europe. I flew to Wroclaw for what was to originally be a two- or three-month stay, but it was immediately apparent that I could contribute so much more to the project by remaining in Poland until after the new system was live.  My wife and son joined me, so I had the full support of those closest to me.

As Unit4’s Knowledge Manager and part of the Global Support Operations team, my job is to harness our Support teams around the world and with them, develop customer-facing knowledge bases for the products we support.  This information is made available to Customers and Partners through our Global Support Portal, as well as to our Support Consultants through our new case management system.


Graham and Family enjoying the sights of Wroclaw

The teams I have been working with are amazing.  The people are very focused and the esprit de corps is very clear to see throughout the offices.  During my time in Poland, we designed and built knowledge bases for five of our products, and are constantly adding to that number.  These systems not only help Customers and Partners find solutions on their own, but also help improve the knowledge and efficiency of our support staff.  I have always been a staunch customer advocate, and I firmly believe that the more we can empower our Customers and Consultants to quickly find the solutions they seek, the more engaged they will be with us. 

As all good things do, our time in Poland came to an end.  While we looked forward to returning home to Canada, we found ourselves reluctant to leave.  I was struck by the omnipresence of history and culture in Europe.  On my personal time, we were able to visit many places we had only read about or seen in documentaries.  We were fortunate to have spent time in Warsaw, Krakow, Berlin, Prague and Vienna in addition to exploring the Polish countryside.  As for Wroclaw, if you ever have a chance to visit, I strongly encourage you to do so.  It is a beautiful city filled with friendly people, and there is always something new to discover.  

I could have cherished this opportunity for the satisfying work alone, but the chance to truly be a part of a Global team was what made it additionally rewarding. In this case, Knowledge is more than just Power.  It has the ability to take you places you never thought you would go.