May is normally one of the more forgettable time periods of the year. The rush of the new year is over, tax season is behind business owners, and summer is coming but not quite here.
Typically when executives reach out to me, they’re nonspecific about what they need. They say they “just want IT to work,” or that they “don’t want to think about IT at all.” Those calls usually result in a meeting with the executives where we discuss the specifics of IT and how it can help advance the company if managed well.
The calls this month were much different.
Executives articulated very detailed concerns in their first communications with me.
Here Are a Few of Their Concerns:
IT Security
Several of the conversations this month were specifically about IT security. Data breaches had happened and specific actions around the breaches were being taken. Evaluations of the software, hardware, processes and people are taking place.
The emphasis on advanced IT security measures has very much been the topic of discussion, and how implementation can be obtained in the best way. IT service providers have been preaching security for many years, and now executives are asking for specific security programs to protect themselves.
Better End-User Support
We get lots of inbound calls asking us to support the IT of companies of all sizes and types. For the most part, the questions are the same: Can you support my company on an on-call basis?
My team delivers as-needed support for our clients, but we also manage the IT systems by providing all the day-to-day maintenance and support of the environment, even if no one calls in for help (since 80% of what we do is not seen by the end-user, but we do it anyway to keep things running like they should.)
Effective Use of Employee Time
On more than one occasion, I was brought in to consult with business executives about more efficient use of employee time as it relates to technology.
We spent time looking at IT roles and responsibilities. We discussed how we might be able to improve the effectiveness of the organization without breaking the budget. In one case, the executive was planning to overspend and most likely would not have realized the gains that he thought he would get.
In another conversation, we learned that software developers and IT support technicians are not at all the same, and when you interchange them, you may lose one or both. These are the types of unintended consequences I try to help executives avoid.
It looks like this summer may be full of different IT-related conversations. I’m looking forward to it.
Have a great June,
Marty
