02
Sat, Nov
2 New Articles

IMHO: SMB IT Still Gets Little or No Respect

Commentary
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

IT shops in large enterprises and even in the upper end of small-and-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have over the past several years been elevated to the upper echelon of either a line-of-business (LOB) or even a "business partner" in those organizations. However, in SMBs, and most especially in the "S" businesses, this is not a reality and is actually pretty far from even a glimmer of a concept.

It's Still All About Perception

In many SMBs, IT is still considered a cost center—pure and simple. Overhead. Never mind that every business process—unless the business is still using an abacus—has been automated, developed, implemented, supported, and/or maintained by IT. Worse yet, there are IT shops still bearing the moniker "Management Information Systems" (MIS) or, even worse, "Data Processing" (DP). Makes one think of punch cards. Don't get me wrong; punch cards were the noble predecessors of today's server technologies. Aren't you yearning for the good old days? I digress....

There remains an invincible disconnect or misconnect between IT and the other LOBs. IT is the gander, the ugly ducking, the second-class citizen that is merely tolerated by the grandiose LOBs: finance, operations, and marketing. And let us not forget the most exalted of all LOBs: sales.

Part of the reason for this is, today, most of the managers seated in finance, marketing, operations, etc. are no longer computer illiterate. Recall if you will the painful moment when these managers plucked the apple from the tree and received the knowledge of the PC and then, in their infinite wisdom, thought they could run their entire organizations on Excel spreadsheets, thus begetting client-server and thrusting the world into chaos and darkness. After all, if they could run their household finances on Excel, why not run their entire businesses on it? Maybe they like the color blue. And I've got beachfront property in Montana for sale.

It is precisely because of this mentality that SMB IT shops are so often beset—no, plagued—with requests for programs so ludicrous that it conjures up Rumpelstiltskin-like images of IT staffers frantically trying to spin flax into gold.

Most IT professionals can recount war stories of their LOB brethren requesting that they write this or that program, which is virtually undoable because it is beyond the laws of computer science as we know them and would require technology on the order of a Star Trek Replicator to produce. Or the specs, even if there are specs, are incomprehensible, incomplete, were written by a non-human primate, or have been accidentally smudged because they were written on a cocktail napkin.

There is a somewhat fascinating (or maybe irritating) irony here that should not be overlooked. While LOB constituents may know how to use their PCs (OK, this is questionable) and think that the programs are so easy that even a cave man can use them, in fact they actually have no understanding of what IT work is, the degree of difficulty of that work, or the countless hours required to accomplish that work. Their perception is based on their own experiences with PC technology and personal service applications—read that to mean games. So when they ask the IT staffer to write a program, they think it is akin to setting up an Excel spreadsheet. The best analogy I can offer is that these folks are like two-dimensional beings living in a three-dimensional world. You get the picture.

Sadly, IT directors and managers in many SMB organizations must acquiesce to and accommodate their LOB counterparts' requests, especially those of executives to whom they report—usually finance or operations executives—even when the deadlines (usually yesterday) are ridiculous. And they are squeezed between staff who are overworked (usually because the projects are so ill-defined so that they must virtually pull rabbits out their hats) and upper management, who has no idea how long it really takes to do the task it has ordered IT to do. Oh, and by the way, these LOB executives are the same people who buy any excuse from the marketing department hook, line, and sinker as to why they can't deliver on time and on budget.

Moreover, it is the IT staff who work the late nights, the weekends, and the holidays—even testing applications after patches or other maintenance has been performed because the LOB staffers forgot they were supposed to do the testing. Then, the piece de resistance is that if the project fails or there are problems, IT is the scapegoat. So many SMB IT managers have fallen on the proverbial sword that they look like Swiss cheese. OK, so what's an SMB IT manager to do?

IT Professionals Unite: You Have Nothing to Lose

Sadly, this is not a problem that can be fixed presto. However, SMB IT shops should look at and try to emulate the manner in which their larger enterprise brethren behave and start setting some goals. Remember, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" (Confucius). Below are some suggestions:

  • Operate as if you have a P&L (profit and loss). Record, document, and demonstrate the value of the IT organization.
  • Find a sponsor. Ferret out an executive in the organization that is a kindred spirit, someone who gets it about IT.
  • Market, market, and market IT. The rest of the organization blows its horn; SMB IT shops have to stop being shy and retiring and proudly articulate their accomplishments, like everyone else.
  • Learn to walk the walk and talk the talk. This applies to IT staff as well as to IT management. Nothing tunes out LOB folks like IT doublespeak. Learning the business and the business language, contributing, and making sound and viable recommendations will begin to earn SMB IT shops an ear, respect, and someday a seat at the table.
  • Sell, sell, and sell IT. Why do you think the sales department has been conferred with demigod status? IT has to sell itself, its talents, and its resources—however humble. IT must be able to convince other LOBs that in-house IT should be the contractor of choice, especially if there is talk of outsourcing.
  • Do the math. SMB IT managers must learn to stand tall and not be intimidated if upper management or LOBs demand projects be done under unreasonable timelines and budgets. IT managers must know enough to competently and convincingly state their case so that a fair compromise may be reached.
  • Get friendly with the C-level executives. SMB IT managers and directors and VPs should eventually report to the CEO, so get to know them.
  • Share the responsibility and the glory. SMB IT managers should never bear the burden of a project alone. Ensure that the requesting LOB put some skin in the game.
  • Stay frosty. Always try to be one step ahead of the organization. Anticipate where possible and have contingency plans in place.

It is time for SMB IT shops to demand their rightful place as bona fide LOBs in the organization with the same rights and privileges as their LOB brethren.

Maria A. DeGiglio is President of, and Principal Analyst for, Maria A. DeGiglio & Associates, an advisory firm that provides clients with accurate and actionable information on business and technology initiatives. You can reach Ms. DeGiglio at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


MARIA DEGIGLIO

Maria DeGiglio is president and principal analyst of Maria A. DeGiglio & Associates. Current clients of Maria A. DeGiglio & Associates include the Visiting Nurse Service of New York ; Experture, LLC; and MC Press. Ms. DeGiglio has more than 20 years of experience as an IT consultant, industry analyst, and executive. From 1997 to 2005, she worked for Andrews Consulting Group and the Robert Frances Group.

 

Ms. DeGiglio received her Masters Degree in Health Advocacy from Sarah Lawrence College and graduated Cum Laude from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree.

 

 

Ms. DeGiglio has worked with IT and C-level executives to enable IT alignment with business goals and to implement best practices. She has experience and expertise in both large enterprises and in small- and medium-sized business. Ms. DeGiglio has authored over one hundred articles, reports, and white papers.

 

 

Since 2004, she has worked in the healthcare industry and in health IT investigating the legal, ethical, and regulatory aspects of creating, implementing, and exchanging electronic health records (EHRs). Ms. DeGiglio is an expert in security, privacy, and HIPAA regulatory compliance.

 

 

Ms. DeGiglio may be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: