Search is not limiting words in quotes. SailPoint search functionality should return different results depending on if quotation marks are used around the attribute value if the attribute value is common.
Ex:
attributes.department:“Technology” should return all users within ONLY the Technology department
attributes.department:Technology should return all users in Technology, and any other similar department (like Technology Management, for instance).
The bug I am seeing happen is with the first search, attributes.department:“Technology”, is returning Technology and Technology Management identities.