Avoiding the crisis / response cycle.

I spoke recently with with a group managing a range of community services. The organization has depended on low-end consulting to configure and manage the gamut of its IT services. And this led to problems, naturally.

Recently, they were the victims of a financial crime, compelling them to close many dozens of bank accounts that had potentially been compromised. And the phone system was giving them fits, so their response was to swap carriers.

If this seems like tossing spaghetti at the wall, I agree. And since it’s best to view situations positively, this means some important opportunities present themselves.

Opportunities for Improvement

First, each urgent issue commands a tactical response. However relying on the parties responsible for creating the circumstances is unwise.

Second, after obtaining competent triage assistance to arrest the issues, organizations must take time to determine ‘root cause.’ Simply changing services may only replicate the issue elsewhere. Identifying the fault directs attention to the correct solution.

Third, some kind of strategy must be undertaken to avoid the crisis / response cycle. Customers depend on secure services. Considerations that provide such accommodations must be part of an on-going investment in technology. For one, IT is forever evolving. And most undersant – at least peripherally – that great IT is a competitive advantage.

We help businesses sift through their data to define a strategy.

The lowest-cost approach always results in trouble. It’s analogous to buying used cars as well as it does information technology. Some used vehicles are great. Others are just new problems to fix.

I’m writing to senior managers and owners, sometimes Boards of Directors – the best advice I’ve learned to provide as a career technologist is this:

Lowest cost consulting always leads to problems

The data perimeter you establish for counting your IT / Telecom costs is far too confined. Tangible costs are easy to recognize. But the intangible costs can far out weigh the obvious ones in a heartbeat. Taking the least cost route to supplying IT in our age is one of the most risky, unsustainable tactics imaginable.

How to find a competent, affordable agency to supply the IT services businesses SHOULD be consuming?

So how do you find a competent, affordable agency to supply the IT services your businesses SHOULD be consuming? Ahh. Great question.

We can help, and here’s how we avoid conflict of interest: We don’t supply IT services. Intead, we help businesses sift through their data to define a strategy.

Which data should you be looking at that you can’t now see?