Centralised IT operations

Dedeman runs hotels across several countries from one head office, which means one IT team answering to properties in a dozen time zones. I worked the case queue: technical support requests raised by hotels worldwide, resolved remotely or escalated.

The work was the unglamorous half of software — end-user support, hardware and software troubleshooting, printer drivers and network configuration, machine setup and first-boot configuration for new staff. I also handled account administration: creating employee accounts, assigning permissions, and keeping the records straight.

It taught me something a university project cannot, which is what happens to software after it ships and meets people who did not build it.