IT Weapons is 13 years old on Sunday June 16^th.  Visitors to our office occasionally notice the numbers above our reception desk. The superstitious types might think 13 is a source of worry – not us.  Every ITW Anniversary is an opportunity to get nostalgic looking back, and excited looking ahead.

Jay and I drew a simple timeline on the whiteboard in our office and we’ve been asking Wepz to come in and mark all important dates/milestones from our collective history. In the coming months this will become an interactive mural in our office; and another important stop on our official office tour (fun fact: we’ve conducted over 500 tours since we moved to our Goreway facility). These milestones are the basis for the stories that we tell; they paint the pictures that define us, our culture, and our methods.  Here are a couple milestones that emerged from our whiteboard project that you might find interesting.

This spring marks the 10^th anniversary of the ITW Cloud.  5 visionary clients signed on for what we then called “Shared Services.”  Along with dozens of others now, those first 5 cloud clients are still with us … As their businesses have grown, we’ve been inspired to innovate and grow with them.

You’ve seen our license plates right? Each member of our team is given a Wep # when they are hired and after 2 years on the team, we get them a license plate. The first 6 Wepz had license plates right away and our convention was “ITWEPONx”.  Mine is ITWEPON1, Jay has ITWEPON2 (years later, these also ended up being our twitter handles).  Unfortunately, after the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the government of Ontario issued a letter to us stating that “ITWEPON” was offensive and no new plates like this would be allowed. And so, since November of 2001, our plate convention has been “ITW XXX). Strange huh?

Looking ahead, what’s happening?  More growth and a few new solution offerings.  As of this week, we are 70 Wepz strong. We added 2 new departments and planted a few more seeds across Canada to help us grow geographically.  Our Managed Print Services Pilot has been hugely successful.  On the mobility front, our Next-Gen Mobile Device Management program is looking fantastic … In fact, our Security team has been demoing the technology with clients this week. Jay and I are very excited to see these two solutions formally launch this summer.

So, happy birthday IT Weapons, and here’s to 13 more Weapons Grade years.

The Message

We had a dozen Wepz and 10 clients in Anaheim last week for the annual Citrix Synergy conference. The guiding theme for all their solution development and strategy is now “Going Mobile”.  The integration and presentation of all their products as a unified set of solutions to mobilize the enterprise is a fantastic turn in their evolution.  And a natural one for Citrix.  Given the product releases they announced and the demos they put on, they’ve obviously put a ton of investment into their mobile access technology, the SaaS GoTo product family, and especially my favourite: ShareFile.  It’s one thing to see the carefully crafted and rehearsed product demos on a stage … Those are always impressive, and sometimes 6-12 months away from being Weapons Grade enough for us to roll out to clients.  However, to actually see the stuff in action with IT professionals around the conference was pretty cool.

2 episodes struck a chord with me and provide a cool glimpse into what we can achieve right now with some of these technologies.  First, coming down a conference escalator on Wednesday morning with Jeremy I saw an IT guy – like you or me- talking to, laughing at, and eventually kissing his iPad.  I knew right away what he was up to … Having a Skype call with his kid(s).   By the time we got to the bottom, this guy was typing feverishly on the same iPad screen; as it turns out – he was now inside a virtual Windows 7 desktop using Citrix Receiver.  I had to say something; letting him know how cool it was to see someone living and breathing a happy work/life balance.  He agreed.  Think about it … While he was at a conference on the west coast, he was still able to take a few minutes and hang with his kids in the morning before they head to school on the east coast.  Then catch up on a few work emails, review a document really quick, close the iPad and head to another conference session.

The second episode came on the trip home from Anaheim.  We were in the car on the way to the airport; a 30 minute ride.  Brett, Nuno, Jay, and a few others back at the office had a big conference call scheduled to review a proposal for a new client.  Rather than re-schedule or participate haphazardly simply over the phone, Brett used the tools available.  He hopped onto the free hotel Wi-Fi before we left and using ShareFile, he put the PowerPoint slides we were going to review onto his iPad locally (inside the ShareFile client).  When the call started, he and Nuno used GoTo Meeting as a call bridge to connect to 6 other people and they were able to follow along the presentation content locally so Brett didn’t chew through a bunch of roaming 4G data … And they remained productive in the conversation.

Truly mobile. Truly productive.  This stuff works.  Are you ready to mobilize your enterprise?

Here’s a slight dramatization of the most rewarding meeting I’ve had in a long time.

The client has 120 people with a small IT team and they are set grow this year with a Calgary acquisition.  In the meeting was IT Director Peter, CFO Steve, and the owner/CEO James.  I love seeing business owners take an interest in IT, but I feel bad when they get inundated with techno-talk; losing sight of the business forest through the IT trees. Shady sales people like to exploit these situations, I like to help prevent them.

After the usual introductions, CFO Steve and Peter the Director laid out their goal of improving their IT systems and reducing their costs.  Jason and Chris (one of our Account Manager) did a great job introducing ITW’s award-winning managed services and cloud solutions.  I watched their body language, Steve and Peter were delighted, leaning forward and asking lots of questions to Jason and Chris who were equally engaged.  The owner, James, looked over the table at me and nodded–he hadn’t spoken a word since introducing himself 40 minutes earlier.

He was clearly lost on the technical stuff but he also seemed kind of down.  I know that look very well.  I leaned forward to him,“it’s a lot to take in, eh?”  He sighed and then shrugged.  I asked him “pardon my bluntness … but why are you in this meeting?”.  He said he didn’t really know. I smiled and said “may I tell you why I think you are?”  He returned the smile, “Sure, go ahead”.  I said “Well, by the looks of your existing IT stuff, it’s been a while since you have invested.  Steve  (the CFO) said you have 2 large clients coming on-board soon, which will require hiring 20 more mobile support staff and you are also looking to acquire a competitor in Calgary and their IT stuff is gonna be worse than yours.  You are here because this might be the most important year in your company’s last decade.”

I continued, “You know that IT has been something you could throttle back on to save money in the past.  You are here because you know if you don’t embrace IT, this growth could damage the company you’ve built over the last 20 years.”  I leaned in close, “You are here because you don’t know if these guys [I thumbed toward everyone at the whiteboard] are the guys to help you through this growth.”  James, ever the veteran business man had quite the poker face.  My assessment was either dead to rights or dead wrong.

He said “I guess you’ve got most of that right.  We’ve kept our IT spending low while still growing this business.  Now all these new hires want access to information and have sales quoting ability from the road.  We need more sales people and today’s sales people need technology we don’t have.”

“I know we need to modernize and we need it done right.  I’ve trusted these guys [he thumbs toward the whiteboard] for many years … They are smart and they are loyal.   So you can just forget about outsourcing them!”  I knew I liked James.  IT Weapons doesn’t do “outsourcing”.

“James,” I started “changing your approach and looking to chart new territory can be risky. Innovation is the hardest kind of work and you need people you can trust. It is plain to see that you are passionate for this company – it’s your baby – I get it.  You misunderstood my gesture about “those guys”.  In our 13 years, we have never recommended to a client to remove their staff and replace them with ITW.  And no client ever has.  But here’s the thing James; by your own admission, these guys know your business and you trust them.  They may be the best IT people in your [widget] industry.  Imagine you had them focused 100% on your business and not the back-end technical plumbing.  they would be adding more value to your business, no?”

They could be finding ways to use apps to improve process and information flow, to help your key people make better decisions faster.  They will be able to focus on the business integration of your new site in Calgary.  Consider all those new people and mobile devices – who is going to figure out which application will empower those folks best?  If you have “those” guys focused on the day-to-day operations of this existing company, who is going to handle all your expansion and optimization stuff?

“Steve says he wants to save money, but you and I both know you need to spend quite a bit here.  If you try to build this yourself, your existing business will suffer.  If you hire new IT folks they will build it and when its time to run it, they will leave for the next big project – maybe to your competitor.  You need a great IT partner to jump in the trenches and run things while your guys empower the business.  I think you’re starting to realize that your IT team needs to sit at the boardroom table with you, not fiddle around in the server room.”

As the guys at the whiteboard finished up, CEO James thanked me, hopped up and huddled with his team for a few moments.  Then he waved and left.  CFO Steve stared at me for a few seconds, “Well, that has never happened.  James usually tosses vendors out of here and then yells at me for wasting his time.”

My chat with James was one of the coolest business chats I have ever had.  CFO Steve continued, “Well, he said that as long as Peter and I don’t think IT Weapons is completely full of shit, than I can do whatever it takes to get this project done.”

Ever bought the same car twice? Plenty of people do it.  Why repeat yourself? Isn’t variety the “spice of life”?  That sentiment might ring true when it comes to salad dressing, but cars, homes, and especially your business are not things you ought to experiment with.  You drive that thing because it never lets you down – you get a new one every few years.  The folks at the dealership come to know you and they take care of all your issues without question.  Why do they do it?  Because every good organization rewards and respects loyalty.  And they secure that loyalty by providing good value.

I recently came to the end of a 3 year lease and I had to decide what car to go with next. I decided a few years ago that I will only lease a vehicle; to make sure I’m always driving a car under warranty.  I love that peace of mind.  As a kid, I knew every single car on the road – every stat – I read all the car magazines.  For my first few car purchases I made long drawn out decisions.  But as time went on, car details became less important.  Make no mistake … I’ve always liked having something cool, but I tended to be quick and “scientific” about it. Examine the reviews, take a test drive, sign the paper and move on.

But this most recent car really got my blood flowing again.  It stirred up my old passions and I can honestly say it’s been my favorite car – ever.  It’s not the hottest or fastest one around, but I adore it.  Naturally, I wanted another one! The crappy thing is that the newer model with the same cool engine cost WAY more now. Out of my budget.  So now I had to shop around for something else. Ugh.

With so many car enthusiasts on the ITW team, there was no shortage of advice about the fastest, newest, hottest thing. I was back to where I was 10 years ago; longing for performance, scouring dealerships for a vehicle that was just like my last one and lost with indecision and getting great recommendations from lots of smart people.  Kinda like you when you get inundated every day by vendors vying for your attention and your IT dollars.  They are smart, they know their stuff, they all offer something compelling.  How do you choose?

Then it dawned on me, part of what I love about that car was the dealership’s service and support.  These guys drove a loaner to my office 40 KMs away when some maintenance took longer than expected. These folks called me regularly to make sure everything was running smooth.   Maybe I couldn’t get the same car in my budget, but I could get something close when it comes to engine performance and fun, but guarantee myself that same level of awesome service.  I trust them.

That’s why I am sticking with my dealership.  I love the service.  I am a service-oriented person – for me, things are all about “the experience”.  When I travel, when I go out to eat.  I like doing business with nice, smart people who are sensitive to my needs.  Be clear, I am not talking about luxury goods and expensive restaurants.  I can’t stand pretense, I hate wearing ties, and my favourite place to eat is a small diner down the road from my house.  It’s about value and integrity.

That’s what IT Weapons is all about.  Every time Jay and I talk to someone about our business or we interview a new Wep, he articulates our philosophy the same simple way “Do a good job and the client will call you back.”  When a service company is excellent, you stick with it.  That’s the talk I talk … and staying with my dealership is the walk I walk.

Citrix has some cool messaging around the idea of mobile workstyles and workshifting. Like most cool ideas … they aren’t really new, but Citrix has done a great job showing how the trends toward mobility and a decentralized workforce are shaping the future of IT. Recently, Jay & I met up with Mark Templeton, Citrix CEO, at their head office in Florida.  We traveled down for a Platinum Partner business update and see his vision for Mobile Workstyles. Why the Cafeteria? They have a Genius Bar set up there.   Mark’s long been one of our most important mentors, so this was a treat.

Mark said it’s things like the work they’ve done in their office that really prove a business is committed to the evolution to a more mobile workforce. It was a great conversation; Jay and I took away A LOT of education on business philosophy and strategy for ITW and our clients. Can’t wait to share it.  In short, people are re-thinking work. Our collective philosophy on work and life and how we spend our time is changing. Connectivity to email and online resources is ubiquitous. I can’t think of the last time any executive I know didn’t check email while on vacation. Your work is always with you now … it’s an activity, not a place you go.

Some might balk … All this constant connectivity is encroaching on people’s lives and ruining their ability to be “present” with their family and friends. Instead of paying attention to your daughter’s dance recital, Bad-Dad is checking his email or stepping out for a phone call to close a deal. I agree, that’s too much. But I don’t blame the devices or the technology … I blame the guy who can’t manage his priorities. I work hard (and so should you) to keep that balance and not neglect loved ones or any work obligation. For me, I love the fact that I can be on the beach, my kids are playing, and I can take 5 minutes to check in with Jay in the office. Sure, it’s an electronic leash – but its a very very long flexible leash!  Forget that … It’s not a leash, it’s more like a lifeline! I was chatting with a client once – they were asking if I’m ever ‘offline’. I said it was rare and usually only due to inability to connect. They said they were a bit sad for me – but were very happy for them! I believe the quote was “I’m so glad you guys are on MY SIDE!” (Jim – Rule #2 is “Never leave your Wingman”)

At your six,

Ted

You’re probably burning out your corporate IT folks.  With the pace of change and innovation increasing and the organizational demands on IT growing, there are still only 40-60 hours per week to get stuff done.  The vast majority of IT’s time is spent keeping the lights on. The precious remainder is spent on a crumb of R & D or training to keep up.  Never mind about taking a proper vacation.  Unless there is a change in the laws of physics or a major increase in IT budgets (HaHa) … something has to change.  In progressive organizations, it has already started.  The first lesson is realizing that getting external help to look after your IT systems isn’t about replacing anyone.

Change always requires some heavy lifting and initial investment. But, done right, re-thinking your IT will net more than just keeping IT folks off the ledge and preventing stress leave.  Your organization can flourish.  Here’s the thing: the burden of upgrading and managing your IT infrastructure needs to be shared or offloaded completely.  I submit that accounting sub-ledgers need to be modified and costs need to be shuffled.  If you call it ‘outsourcing’ I call you a ‘dinosaur.’  You will NOT be laying off your IT folks and paying another company to run your IT.  That never works. 

Before we started IT Weapons, Jay and I got ‘outsourced.’ And we saw the consequences first-hand. We have always understood that it can’t work because the outsourcing company has no idea how your business flows, who’s who, or what makes your organization unique. They probably say they do … but words and facts don’t always line up.  Any MSP or VAR out there who purports to replace your whole IT team is selling you snake oil. 

My suggestion is to draw a line within your IT department; delineating priorities and opportunities between business demand and IT execution.  Maybe your IT folks should be renamed to Business Analysts.  The idea is to start changing the perspective and interpretation of IT’s role in the organization. Today’s effective IT pros must become experts in listening to your various lines of business and stakeholders.  They must be able to identify technology ‘gaps’ and turn that data into specifications and the relevant KPIs to track the success of new tech implementations. Armed with that understanding of the genuine business needs, they can engage an outside IT partner and establish a strategic cooperative relationship where projects and back-end private cloud infrastructure are managed by the partner, but answerable to the internal IT staff. If you’re still thinking of this as ‘outsourcing’, you’re missing the point.  You’re not evolving.

This is the same evolutionary path followed by hydroelectric power infrastructure in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Economies of scale, standardization, and efficiency were all gained by everyone involved as organizations and regions centralized on what has become today’s shared power grid.  The same is going to happen with the back-end plumbing of your organization – and your internal IT folks need to be part of that evolution.  Just as today it’s ridiculous to think that you should have a manager of electricity at your business – pretty soon it will be anachronistic to have a computing resource administrator. 

Your brilliant tech folks need to be part of the business not part of the plumbing. IT will be a valuable piece of your business arsenal – a cherished member at the boardroom table and not ‘overhead’ or a ‘cost centre’.   Change your thinking … Don’t ‘outsource’ anyone … liberate your smart people, and they will help your business flourish.