When a Japanese managed services provider took the leap to hands-on work with network environments, PCs, peripherals and servers, the company knew it would require an all-encompassing business plan — and industry certifications to match.
Enter CompTIA, which helped Tokyo-based Tact Machine Service Co. Ltd. implement a training program focused on CompTIA PDI+, CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+.
Investment in certifications was nothing new for Tact, but the dramatic internal improvement the company has seen since working with CompTIA is another story. Since the implementation of the training program, Tact has seen a rise in staff performance, communication dynamics and customer satisfaction.
Tact doesn’t require its employees to complete CompTIA certifications, but recommends and promotes them with incentives like reimbursement for training and completion-based performance bonuses.
“In an economic situation like this, we believe the value of CompTIA certifications can be seen in the way certifications evaluate a professional’s practical skills to implement tasks,” said Masayuki Takishita, head of the company’s IT solution group.
Visible Impact on Staff Performance
Clients of Tact demand a broad range of services, including general maintenance for clients, networks and servers, rather than vendor-specific hardware or software, according to managers in the customer service department. CompTIA certifications prove workers have the skills and knowledge to handle those demands.
“Having our engineers certified in CompTIA appears to give clients the confidence we provide an optimum environment from a vendor-neutral aspect,” Takishita said. “We also found that offices with a higher rate of CompTIA-certified staff have outperformed those with a lower rate of CompTIA-certified staff.”
The training also has employees collaborating in new ways, according to personnel development team leader Katsunori Nakayama. Tact employees who had already earned CompTIA PDI+ were seen studying together for CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+ after recognizing the training’s daily applicability. “It’s very interesting to see CompTIA certifications facilitate the work group communication,” Nakayama said.
The Concept of the ‘Ideal Engineer’
The company reports positive customer reviews since incorporating CompTIA internally, and the Tact management team has set high goals for the future.
“We hope, through CompTIA certifications, the concept of the ideal engineer within our company will evolve even more,” Nakayama said. “To achieve this, we will promote the certifications not only to newly hired engineers, but all of the existing engineers as well.”
Managers feel that once Tact engineers are supplied with a solid foundation through CompTIA certifications, they should be well on their way to building up their technical knowledge and service technique to ensure even higher customer satisfaction levels.
