What Information Technology Should Mean To You
 |
Discuss this Article No responses yet, be the first... |
Historically, IT professionals have been pretty abused. Demands to keep systems running, project deadlines, and lack of budgets have cause hardships on many IT professionals. Unfortunately, like an abused child, these workers can become very bitter people and not pleasant to work with. I have seen many IT professionals get yelled at for something that happened which was beyond their control. One time, I heard someone ask their network administrator, "What are we paying you for?" This is unacceptable behavior for anybody to be subjected to and it creates a hostile environment. No wonder so many IT professionals change jobs so often. If I can get yelled at for more money somewhere else, then what is stopping me from leaving your organization?
Information Technology is often viewed as a cost center for a lot of companies and I don't understand the mentality. It is so self defeating to view IT as a cost to the company. Shouldn't it be the number one cost savings to your business? These companies need to view IT as an investment. You put money in, hoping to gain a return down the road. There is nothing wrong with that. Most of the time, the people being helped are the ones that cost the most money.
One time, I heard someone complain that the helpdesk technician was taking an unacceptable amount of time to troubleshoot the problem. I would love to see these people treat a car mechanic in this manner. Imagine telling the mechanic that the car is not working and to call when it is fixed. He may find the problem, and he may not. But you are going to get charged by the hour no matter what, so you might want to provide him with crucial information like, the car shimmies over 55 mph. When you don't continue to help in the troubleshooting process, it takes more time to fix, costing the company more time and money that could be spent on something better. In spite of what the commercial tells us, there is no such thing as an easy button. If there were, you wouldn't need us to maintain your systems.
Systems maintenance is only one aspect of IT. Making sure the systems are running properly is very important, but it is not the only priority. Planning and growth of a company must include IT. This is where disconnection happens. Many departments fail to include IT in their growth strategy. How can we cut costs, increase productivity, and add to the bottom line? The answer may be a cheap memory upgrade to your desktops that will make Windows or office applications respond faster. It may require a costly, complex upgrade of an ERP solution that would pay for itself within one year. Regardless of the specific need, get your IT department involved. The more they know about the business, the better they can serve you.
Service should be the ultimate goal of IT. It is not something that is taught in colleges or technical schools, and that is a shame. Service is what leads to another competency that should be instilled into every student: Residual Value. When I worked for Hyland Software, the CTO, Miguel Zubizarreta, posed a question to our group before our annual reviews and raises. "What residual value have you provided for the company this year?" His follow up question was "If you haven't provided any, then why should I give you a salary increase?" Simply stated, if you have not done anything to contribute to the longevity of the company this year, then you are worth the same as last year. Your value has not increased since last year. These words will resonate with me for the rest of my career. It is why I not only provide service my customers, but my colleagues as well. It is why I constantly think about what I can be doing to improve our company.
What residual value do you provide for your company? How do you enable your IT department to provide residual value? Do you enable your IT department to be the ultimate customer service experience in your workday? Providing great service and solutions is what we IT professionals are here for. We want to help and contribute to the success of the company. What do we get out of it? Purpose! One of the basic principles of wanting to go to work every day is purpose. Purpose is a great retention tool and costs less than any benefit your company provides.
If you are not embracing IT in this manner, it's never too late. Here are some things you can start doing:
- Make the work environment a place to grow and achieve. When individuals learn from their successes, it promotes confidence.
- When there is failure, there needs to be accountability. Coach them on what they can do better next time and ask them what they need to be more successful.
- Listen to the cost justifications of buying better equipment or software; request what the return on investment would be.
- Give them purpose. Educate them on what the business processes are and what their contribution is. Discuss the desired outcome so they can deliver results.
- Provide them with training, learning materials, and incentives for certifications. A well trained IT professional has the best resources to make decisions. The benefits far outweigh the costs.
Information Technology can be a costly investment, but it can also yield the highest returns if utilized properly. You should view these as valuable resources to the team and utilize them to their maximum potential. Make sure that your IT department is your most valuable asset, not your biggest liability.
