With in-house IT support in Oklahoma City, you assume your IT manager prioritizes the needs of the business. Relying on your IT manager’s integrity can blind you to solutions you can and should take advantage of. Is your IT manager really looking out for the business, or just himself? Is he or she giving you good feedback, or bad advice -- trying to maintain the status quo?
Whose Word Do You Trust?
Often, executives assume that their IT manager knows exactly what he’s talking about. After all, they’ve gone through the company’s hiring process, and likely have the skills and resume to back any claims they make. However, you should realize that your IT manager is a human being, with everything that implies; he may also have fallen behind the times. Consider this:
• Technology changes rapidly
• IT personnel require continuing education and training
• Your IT manager may only have expertise in one out of the many IT related fields
Have you sent your IT manager back to school? Is he or she abreast of what’s going on in the IT field? You can usually tell from your IT manager’s proposals.
For example, does your IT manager advocate changes that take advantage of current trends? Are they forward-thinking changes designed to boost productivity, profitability, or operability? If so, then your IT manager likely has his ear to the ground. If your IT manager consistently turns down ideas involving certain upgrades to your network, hardware, or software, there’s a chance he isn’t fully committed to the company’s growth.
The human aspect
If you have an IT manager that hasn’t upgraded his skillset in some time, it’s possible he is just trying to stay employed. He will recommend solutions that fall firmly within his outdated realm of understanding.
You can easily see this in action when other consultants, managed services providers, and Oklahoma City IT support groups suggest alternative solutions. Does your IT manager
• balk at these propositions,
• complain about them,
• or try to shoot these offers down?
There’s a chance they’re only trying to protect their job. This is especially true if the IT manager cannot fully or properly explain, and verify, why the proposed solution wouldn’t work for your business. Since it’s your in-house provider, you will likely just accept his word and move on.
The Dangers of an Untrustworthy IT Manager
When you have an untrustworthy IT manager, you actually do your business an incredible disservice:
• Your company’s tech will not advance.
• Your business may stagnate.
• Your other IT personnel may leave or not perform as they should.
In addition, you may find yourself with IT solutions only your IT manager knows about. If the manager leaves for other opportunities, you're left with custom hardware and software no one else can make heads or tails of.
Listen to Those Third Party Offers
A good way to combat all of this is to simply listen to the third party offers that come to you. Make sure your IT manager explains fully why certain solutions won’t work. Then, get a second opinion.
Look at an outside vendor’s proposal. You may see where another solution will disrupt, eliminate, or supplant some of your IT manager’s duties. This is a big clue that you have an IT manager who is only looking out for himself.
You can send your IT manager’s concerns back to the third party and see what they have to say in kind. A good Oklahoma City IT support company will not lead you astray. Seek professional opinions and solutions from reputable IT consultants, like EMSCO Solutions. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions about this article, or you are interested in our services.
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