Happy Thanksgiving to IT Support Managers
Here in the States, it’s that time of year again. We’re celebrating Thanksgiving! So we’ve decided to take a break from the 9 Fundamentals of IT Service Delivery series to talk about, well, Giving Thanks.
IT Service Managers, IT Techs
To the IT Techs On Call Right Now
First, I would like to apologize to the Techs who are on call over the holiday. The response to the article, IT Service Managers Biggest Pain – Scheduling On Call made it very clear this is a big pain point for IT Techs. The only comfort we can offer the Techs that are on call this weekend is that for you, “the pager” is on a rotation basis; for the IT Service Manager, they are always on call. Yes, Techs carry the pager and are the ones that go on site if need be. But - correct me if I am wrong - your IT Service Manager is right there with you. By this, I mean that they are remoting in to see what the tech sees, listening to the remediation plan, and standing with the tech every step of the way. For this, we can all Give Thanks.
IT Service Managers Deserve a Pat on the Back
For our International readers, I apologize for being a typical American and having no idea if there are other Thanksgiving type celebrations around the world. If your culture celebrates something to be thankful for, please share more about it in the comments below, as I would love to broaden my naive American knowledge. In the meantime, please join us in pausing our busy, hectic, profit-driven lives as we remember to Give Thanks. There used to be an English show called something like “Walk Around Management.” I did not see very many episodes, but the ones I did see amazed me in that the CEO had no idea how the money was actually made. Yes, they knew the books and talked like the numbers explained everything, but at the end of the day they were clueless as to how the company (mostly manufacturing) operated. As an IT Service Manager for a Managed Service Provider, pat yourself on the back - because no one else will. You know how the money is made in the organization. Whether they express it or not, Owners, Customers, and Techs are very grateful and Thankful for what you do.
THANK YOU to All the IT Service Managers Out There
As a Thank You to IT Service Managers for all that you do, we have surveyed IT Managed Service Provider Owners to hear how and why they appreciate IT Service Managers. Here are their responses:
Owners at IT MSPs are Giving Thanks for IT Service Managers because…
My Service Manager makes it possible for me to focus on selling. They truly are the lifeblood. Nothing happens without sales; sales don’t happen without excellent service management.Our Service Manager is incredibly skilled at dealing with reactive service issues. I watch him juggle urgent issues daily with grace and composure while meeting a very high customer service level. He is a phenomenal asset to our team!(Service Manager’s name here) has been an extremely valuable member of the team. As Service Delivery Manager, she has been intimately involved in the building of our business: from process design, to software integration, to the build out of our support and professional services teams. The various departments with which she interacts inside our company demand flexibility, perseverance and a good sense of humor—something she consistently exudes! This Thanksgiving, I want to express my gratitude to (Service Manager’s name here) and her role as Service Delivery Manager.Why do we appreciate our Service Manager? She has become a key member of our team. Without her we would be unable to support the high level of customer service we are known for. She helps bring calm when there is chaos. Without her, our company would not be able to continue to grow and meet our mission. If you are an IT Service Manager, this is what your Owner is saying about you. If you feel appreciated by these comments please respond in the reply area below.
Why I’m Thankful for IT Service Managers
For myself, I am Thankful for IT Service Managers because they are truly the hub of the organization. Not only are they a joy to talk with, they are also a vast resource of knowledge. They know:
What the Owners are thinking
What the Techs are doing, saying and thinking
What the Customers want - not just in general - but on an individual Customer by Customer basis
Join an MSP- Ignite Service Manager Peer Group ASAP! (feel free to go to the refrigerator while we run this commercial)
If after reading this article you are not feeling appreciated, then I have a suggestion. Look for an environment where you can have a positive, collaborative, encouraging, enjoyable experience and work-related conversations. If you have no idea where such an environment exists, check out an MSP-Ignite IT Service Managers Peer Group, where these kinds of conversations happen all the time. Not only in the monthly conference calls, but also in the bi-annual face to face meetings, slack channel, email distribution lists, ad-hoc calls, and one-on-one coaching calls between Peer Group Members. The cost is less than hiring a coach and comes with 10 Peer Advisors. I highly recommend checking it out. Oh, and one final bit of advice today…since it is Thanksgiving, after all. Take a couple of minutes to focus on all that you’re grateful for – and let others know it, too. You know all too well how it is to feel underappreciated, that’s all the more reason to let family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances know they’re appreciated – today and every day. In other words, Give Thanks.