It’s Amanda Harrison’s turn in the spotlight this month…

Sharing her nostalgia of playing Pac-Man on a retro Atari games console, to creating new gaming memories with her son using virtual reality tech, Amanda shares her hopes of demystifying the complex jargon within the sector to make it more inclusive, and why sometimes it’s all about asking the right questions to ensure your solutions aren’t just ‘off the shelf’ one size fits all.

The floor is yours Amanda – your 60 seconds start now…

How did you first get into the world of tech?

It was a bit of a fluke really – it was my first full-time job when I left school. I started in a customer service role discussing billing, services, fault troubleshooting, and general enquiries. I loved working with people and quickly realised I enjoyed learning about the technical side to the role too. I was given the opportunity to go out on site visits with engineering and networks teams so I could see what the job truly entailed – I was even able to help pull out fibre optic cable in the middle of Glasgow City centre! I was hooked from then.

And what is your earliest memory of tech in your life?

Atari games consoles – my favourite was Pac-Man, I absolutely loved that game.

What’s the one quality you need to thrive in this environment (especially at Vapour)?

Adaptability. Tech is ever changing alongside customer needs and expectations. Change is something that you need to be good at handling, and it makes the job so much more exciting.

At Vapour we are always learning about new innovations and developments, constantly looking for better ways to do things and disrupting the status quo.

And what is the one thing you would change about the tech sector?

Jargon, there is way too much of it. It can sometimes make it hard to break down the barriers for people to adopt new technology. If it was made simpler – so that everyone could understand – everyone could benefit.

Why do you think Vapour stands out in the channel?

We have years of knowledge and experience in the technology industry, and we are passionate about what we do. We’re a great team that loves to get under the skin of our customers, to ensure we can support them in the best way possible. And our services have gone far beyond the conventional voice and data solutions you typically see in the industry.

Complete the sentences:

The best piece of tech ever invented is...

Satellite navigation, as it means I never have to worry about getting lost or trying to read a printout of AA route finder on a long car journey! It’s made travelling so much more direct and straightforward.

The next purchase on my (personal) tech wishlist is...

A virtual reality headset so that I can start to enjoy gaming with my boy.

The biggest misconception in the channel is that...

You have to order off the shelf. We can tailor solutions to fit various requirements – it’s all about understanding what you want the technology to do. At Vapour we ask the right questions so that we can personalise our offering. That’s when things become really powerful and often effortlessly simple too.

By the end of 2022, our tech will have made organisations far more...

Flexible, with the ability to work anywhere, any time. The pandemic has pushed this technology forward, but many organisations are still not using the cloud to its full potential when it comes to security, agility and conveniency. I’d like to see more of this going forward, as many companies only have a ‘sticking plaster’ at the moment.