Q&A: Australian Hearing CIO, Peter Gasparovic

Improving security and client services at federal government agency, Australian Hearing, is CIO Peter Gasparovic’s top priority.

Gasparovic has been CIO of the agency for more than two years and took Australian Hearing through an Oracle identity management platform implementation in 2011 to upgrade password security.

He is currently working on a customer relationship management (CRM) program and spoke to CIO Australia about the project.

What does your role at Australian Hearing involve?

I believe that an effective CIO needs to maintain service levels, robust systems and availability of these system.

People within my team are coming up with ideas all the time so we’re testing those strategies. My day also involves project and staff meetings.

What are some of the challenges you face in your role as CIO?

Maintaining IT as a business partner. Unlike other departments within a business, IT can easily drop off being part of the business so it’s important that CIOs maintain that partnering.

My other challenge is containing rogue IT purchases and managing the wants versus needs. Technology is a wonderful thing but people tend to go out and purchase [IT] that they want rather than need. If we manage this effectively, we can avoid this problem.

What are some of the projects you have been working on?

We’re in the process of implementing Microsoft Dynamics CRM and doing this as a phased implementation.

So far, the agency has installed campaign management and tracking as part of the CRM project. Our clients are eligible to receive a new hearing aid every three years so we use the CRM system for keeping a track of when a new hearing aid needs to be issued.

We’ve just started the customer management module and in six months’ time we’ll be starting the final phase of the CRM project which is prospect management.

What are the three biggest issues facing CIOs today?

Budget, skilled staff and mobility.

What is your favourite gadget(s)?

My iPhone and iPad. They’re a bit like a utility knife, you’ve got a lot of functionality and the products are reliable and robust.

Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick

Follow CIO Australia on Twitter and Like us on Facebook… Twitter: @CIO_Australia, Facebook: CIO Australia, or take part in the CIO conversation on LinkedIn: CIO Australia