Technical Operations Manager Andrew Murphy and his team keep Internode's customer-facing and internal systems running around the clock. "Our challenge", says Andrew, "is to maintain the highest standard of service to our customers, while continuing to innovate, and supporting the company's strong growth".

Andrew joined the Internode team in 2006 after 10 years' experience in software development management at Motorola's Global Software Group. Prior to that he held a number of development positions in Telstra's Information Technology Group.

"My previous roles prepared me with a breadth of technical background, strong project management skills, and a sound engineering approach. Internode has all the same technical challenges as the bigger companies - just on a different scale and without all of the bureaucracy. But I'm certainly enjoying managing projects across a company with staff in three offices, compared to trying to do the same across three continents."

"At Internode, things are far more dynamic, and juggling priorities between new products and new features, is a daily part of my role."

Andrew's goal at Internode is to build on an asset that the company already has - its reputation for top customer service, and to make Internode's online tools the best anywhere in the industry.

"We have some fantastic staff working for us, and a great relationship with our customer base, who are an endless source of good ideas for new products, features and ideas. I want us to utilise that relationship to build a new set of tools that empower our customers to conduct almost all their business with Internode online, so that picking up the phone becomes a choice for customers who like to communicate that way, rather than the only way to do certain things."

In his spare time Andrew participates in endurance sports - ultramarathoning and rogaining (that's long-distance orienteering, not hair tonic of the same name). He lists his most significant achievements as running the full 84km of Tasmania's Cradle Mountain Track in 12 hours, and winning his first 24 hour rogaine event in 2006. Understandably, there are Monday mornings when Andrew comes into the office for a bit of a rest.

"There are so many things that pushing yourself to the limits teaches you. Probably the biggest and most obvious one, is that most people don't actually realise where there limits really are. With training, preparation and persistence, most people are capable of far more than they think. And the confidence that comes from achieving what most people consider out of their reach, is a tremendous asset, for all aspects of life."

Andrew lives on a property in the Adelaide Hills with his partner Liz, daughter Irulan, and his faithful Massey Ferguson tractor, which is as old as he is, and in slightly better condition.