CSC Spotlight: Mike Hagerty
This article is the first in a series to showcase the Unisys analysts who support EAE and Agile Business Suite. Interested in seeing someone you work closely with featured? Send us your nomination: ABSuite@unisys.com.
A long-time Unisys veteran, Mike Hagerty began his career in Stockton, California, in 1978, where he supported the installation of LINC software on some of the earliest Burroughs mainframes. After five productive years on the West Coast, Mike transferred to the Unisys Application Support Center in Atlanta – the city he still calls home today – to serve as an analyst for the newly formed LINC Support Group. Today, Mike remains an integral component of the Unisys customer support infrastructure, and is one of our most valued and trusted Customer Support Analysts. Developing Agility recently talked with Mike about his history with Unisys, what’s changed in the last 30-plus years, and what excites him day-in and day-out.
Developing Agility: Run through a typical day in the life of Mike Hagerty.
Mike Hagerty: I start each day by checking on what support calls have come in overnight. I’ll then work through each until I’ve helped the customer fix it or passed it over to engineering for further attention.
We have a system that documents every touch a support ticket receives and a knowledge database that catalogs all fixes. So, we now have a great store of information at our fingertips. Plus, the ability to connect remotely to our customers’ systems really helps to streamline the process. When I compare this to how things worked 30 years ago, I’m amazed by how much more efficiently we can manage calls, coordinate resources, and get a fix out to the customer.
I still like to jump on the phone and talk things through. I may be old-school in that sense, but it often helps to more quickly clarify a
question or issue.
DA: What gives you the most satisfaction in your role as CSC analyst?
MH: Many things have changed over the years, but what really hasn’t are my day-to-day responsibilities. And this is a good thing, because I’ve always enjoyed digging into a customer’s problem, isolating a bug, determining a workaround, and working with engineering to get a fix.
I can be a bit obsessive about finding the answer, too. If it doesn’t come to me right away, I’ll comb through our databases to look for similar issues and fixes or dig into the code. I like to make sure our engineers have all the information possible before I bring them into the mix.
DA: What were some highlights of the last year?
MH: I saw a tool I created called TrackerStats get adopted by engineering. It’s always a great feeling when something like that happens.
I also helped TIES, a customer I’ve worked closely with for quite a while, complete the migration of its EAE applications to AB Suite on Microsoft® Windows®. It’s always rewarding to shepherd a customer through this process. The next step will be to work with TIES to move its development environment over to AB Suite.
DA: What would you think customers don’t know about the CSC that they should?
MH: Most customers we talk to have been with us for a long time, so they’ve seen the changes and know the best way to contact us. So, my biggest focus is on making sure new customers, or a new hire at an existing customer, understand the process. When we’re able to educate our customers, everything just moves much more smoothly.
DA: If there was one thing customers could do to make your response more effective and efficient, what would that be?
MH: Communication is key. I view my work with customers as a partnership, so the more involved they are in the process, the better. I want customers to feel open enough to come back to me with questions or concerns along the way. In the end, it always leads to a better result.
“Mike Hagerty is the most thorough and knowledgeable support analyst that I’ve ever worked with. His support of our efforts has been exceptional and was a major contributor to our successful implementation of Agile Business Suite 2.0.”
– Helmut Porcher, Director of Systems Software and Operations, TIES
About the Unisys Customer Support Center
Staffed by analysts in over 20 countries, the Unisys Customer Support Center (CSC) is the front line of support for any customer
experiencing a hardware or software issue. Although calls are typically handled within the customer’s country or region, a support
request can be picked up by any CSC analyst. Team members routinely engage fellow analysts across the globe, ensuring that problem resolution “follows the sun,” and that the right resources are employed, regardless of location. Team members also continuously share knowledge, experiences, and best practices – all with the goal of getting the best answer to the customer in the shortest amount of time.