I’ve always said “if you want to be successful in business, find out what your customers want and give it to them!”.
The other day while having lunch with a successful business man from Red Deer, I was making my pitch on what I do and how it-management.ca can provide value to their IT operation and benefit the enterprise. To paraphrase him, he said “you’ve got to scratch where it itches!” If you scratch where it isn’t itchy – you’re just wasting time.
So where does your IT itch?
If I were to meet with you for the first time, I’d ask these three simple questions:
1. What do you like about your IT operation?
For instance: what happens that satisfies you and what goes on that gives you the feeling that you are getting value for the dollars and time you spend on computing?
2. What don’t you like about your IT operation?
For instance: what irritates you and your people? Where is IT broken in your company?
3. What do you want me to do for you?
What are your expectations? What can I do that would meet with your idea of value for dollars spent on IT?
We won’t neglect the answers to the first question – if it works, don’t fix it! As a matter of fact, let’s find out why it’s not itchy and do it some more in other areas.
For the answers to queston number two – that’s where the itch is. So let’s start scratching there!
Of course, your reply to number three is your way of telling me where to scratch, how hard, and when to stop.
From here we can start to plan and strategize on how to scratch where it itches.
Dean Owen
