Having worked in Information Technology departments since the mid 90’s, I’ve seen a lot of change. As you might expect from technology, things move fast, as technology continues to improve at a rapid pace. But the biggest change I’ve seen is the feeling that most businesses have towards IT and IT spending. As a systems administrator in the 90’s I remember feeling as if companies never saw the true value of their IT departments, to the point where they were even described as ‘cost centers’. It felt like pulling teeth trying to secure a budget from the business for things that I felt were critical, such as proper backups with low recovery point objectives, and highly available networks that can withstand a failure without a big fire drill of scrambling engineers while hundreds of employees sit idly waiting for you to fix it.
Around the mid 2000’s, I started to see the change, as more forwarding thinking IT directors starting making the case for IT being about ‘business enablement’ rather than just a cost center. Looking at IT in this way really changes the conversation. Instead of thinking “How much is it going to cost me to keep my network up?” , it becomes “how can my investment in technology improve my business and give me an edge against my competition?”. It seems a more commonly heard phrase now, and I’m not certain who to attribute it to exactly, but around 2010, I first heard it from the CEO of a company I was working for that “Every company is a technology company!”. He definitely understood and began to really leverage technology for his companies growth. IT staff loved it as well! Who doesn’t want to feel valuable while at the same time working with the newest and best stuff?
Now more than ever companies get this. Everyone is interested in learning more about cloud services, SDWAN solutions and next-gen security products. Some of these may make sense for your business and some may not. Or they all might but it’s a matter of prioritization. That’s where a consultative sales approach can be invaluable to your organization. Working with a sales team that has this consultative mindset can provide great benefits, because as a solutions provider, we are able to see where these technologies fit in companies of different sizes and verticals. We can share that earned knowledge and help you decide what is best for your business, and help prioritize projects that bring the best value.
“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
Since every company is a technology company, getting outside perspectives on the newest technology is critical for success. Our clients get to benefit from not just their own experience, but ours as well. If you have been considering these new solutions, consider reaching out to us for a conversation. We love talking about technology and how companies are leveraging it to achieve their objectives.
Written By: Lee Jolly, Account Manager for LookingPoint, Inc.