Rate My Professor Natasha Teokotai

Natasha Teokotai is a Senior Analyst in the Continuous Improvement Team within the Transformation and Improvement Division of the Office of the Chief Operating Officer at the University of Otago. The division drives change, innovation, and improvement across the university, with emphasis on process management, continuous improvement, automation, service design, and innovation labs. The Continuous Improvement Team, led by Senior Manager Katie Barrett, includes managers such as Francesca Jackson for Process Improvement and Kitty Higbee for Automation, along with analysts like Karina Buchanan, Michael Hall, Stephen Askew-Ives, and project analysts Lisa Voorwinde, Julia Pye, and Mee Moi Edgar. Based in Dunedin at the Plaza Building on Anzac Avenue, the team contributes to operational enhancements and workflow optimization.

In her career at the University of Otago, Natasha Teokotai served as Group Leader for the AskOtago project, launched in July 2018 as a university-wide one-stop multi-channel service hub for staff, students, and public queries. AskOtago features a main hub with entrances from The Link and Central Library, self-help online knowledgebase, in-person support, IT help, phone (dial 7000), text (866), and online chat services. It amalgamates 11 helpdesk functions, including IT Services help desk and University Information Centre, with a 30-desk operations center in St David II flexing staff based on demand. Additional face-to-face hubs were planned across campus during business hours. Queries cover university information and services like study dates, expenses reimbursement, and venue bookings, resolved immediately or referred seamlessly. Alongside Group Leader James Coombes, she led extensive setup efforts, including knowledgebase information, recruitment, and staff training. By May 2019, AskOtago reached 150,000 customer contacts, earning special mention from Shared Services Director David Tapp for her and the team's enormous contributions.