Hello everyone! 
I’m Steve Harp, and I have recently joined the team at RDA Systems. Now that the first 90 days are behind me, I should share with you some of my thoughts about my team and this organization.
First of all, I’ve found the people at RDA to be a phenomenal group to work with – and that is saying a lot, since I’ve worked with some very fine people in the past. Each of my coworkers at RDA is exceptionally skilled in his or her craft and contribution to the team; I can see exactly who brings what expertise to the table at every meeting, in every project assignment. So, I have to say each member of our team is unique and different in his or her knowledge and skill. What they have in common is also pretty amazing in today’s world: everyone on the team has an innate customer-oriented perspective in every task and every decision he or she makes. They don’t even have to try to do it – it just comes naturally to everyone on the team. It is the common denominator, the common motivation in every project and task. How many companies today can say that?
I came to RDA Systems with the arrogant assumption that I was going to dazzle everyone with my exceptional knowledge, skill, and insight within the first few weeks. Within days after I started, I came to the humble realization that I had much to learn and much preparation to do, to come up-to-speed with these folks. I very much wanted to fit in, but I had so much farther to travel in my skills to significantly contribute to this team. And the funny thing is, I was challenged, humbled, and motivated to do just that. Wow! What a great group of talented people to work with, and I’m proud to say, I think they value my contribution and hard work. They helped me tremendously as I grew into my position on the team. The dedication to making customers better at what they do carries over to helping the new kid get his feet on the ground.
Do you want to know a little more about me? I am an Atlanta native and have lived and worked in the north Atlanta area throughout my life. I served in the U.S. Air Force and used the GI bill to complete my BBA at Oglethorpe University. Afterwards, I completed an MBA at Mercer University and helped start and manage a family-owned manufacturing company. Between school and helping my family get a fledgling business off the ground, I fell in love with computers and software development. Most of my career has been in software development and systems support, and I cannot imagine a more challenging and rewarding career. I’ve often been amazed that people were willing to pay me to do something that’s so much fun!
My career didn’t take as many twists and turns as most in the software industry, but when I initially explored RDA Systems, I was immediately impressed by an article on their web site titled “Merry Christmas” – not “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Xmas” or something similar in the bland, “politically correct” genre. The company has steadfast values that are clearly aligned with my own. This excited me more than any company I’ve ever known, and the more I read about RDA Systems, the more I wanted to join them. Now that I’ve worked with RDA Systems for a few months, I find that the company and its team members are as genuine as my first impression.
Most of our customers first meet me (on the phone) when I respond to their CyberSupport tickets. They file a CyberSupport request through OpenRDA, and I am one of several technical support staff who visit the call board hourly to look for issues that we can help with. For example, I continuously scour the CyberSupport tickets looking for just about anything that deals with the OpenRDA software or getting the software to work with your equipment – say, your printer stops working for OpenRDA, or you install a new printer and it works just fine except when working with OpenRDA. You might file a CyberSupport ticket, and within a few hours, I’ll likely see your request and give you a call. Together we will work through your issue, and my goal is to get you up and running with the least amount of effort on your part – as quickly as possible. My goal is to get you going, and fast.
We might even talk about other items that have been troubling you, but you just haven’t asked for help yet. I will try to help you on any of the software troubles you have – or I will find someone who can help you. We might even speak several times in the same week, and some clients end up calling me directly for more urgent issues. I like it when I can solve your problems easily and get you going again quickly. It really makes my day.
So, keep sending in those CyberSupport requests, because I welcome the opportunity to work with you – I like to solve problems!
Now that you know what really makes my day, you know that our entire team is customer focused, and you know that RDA Systems recruits highly skilled people who share the same values, you understand why I really love being a part of RDA Systems. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say I’m honored to play even a small, modest part in such a great company.
