By Swatil Binte Mahmud, Blogger, Lava Protocols
For decades, we have tried to solve technical problems by turning our electronic devices off and on again. The popular British sitcom ‘The IT Crowd’ showed two tech geeks hidden away in a basement office which was the IT department of a large company. The first episode of the sitcom aired in 2006 and now, in 2021, the IT department scenario has completely changed. Now, if you work in big or small companies, the IT department is one of the most important aspects of any company. Can you imagine shifting our entire office to our laptops and desktops in a matter of days with only two tech-savvy persons hidden away in a basement? The answer is No, it would have been a nightmare. Thank you to IT teams everywhere for helping us transition to the new normal with ease.
A lot of difficult tasks to improve the customer experience with employees were led by IT leaders when we switched to working from home during the pandemic. All companies who considered IT core force of success after the pandemic did well throughout the transition. Data of all stakeholders were being encrypted and the companies through their IT teams gained their trust. Also, IT leaders ensured access to important information to do work at any time and from anywhere. Companies and stakeholders had very specific needs which required immense dedication and integrity. Hence, IT teams worked quickly and sincerely and ensured data security for all.
Can you imagine training the entire office to use technology at home for work? Our IT teams did it, they trained us all and helped us to realize that the IT team is not here to only press the on and off switch; they play a vital role in our companies.
IT Leaders at Salesforce
IT leaders set priorities before allocating recourses as each organization operates uniquely. At Salesforce, they created a COVID-19 Customer Response Hub and quickly addressed three priorities:
- One place for everything: All vital information related to COVID-19 was put together in one place. Therefore, employees working remotely found information quickly and provided support effectively to the community and customers.
- Expanding employee wellness resources: Salesforce offered different weekly programs to help employees stay focused and happy. For example, online childcare activities, education and training, and ‘BeWell’ sessions
- Helping customers: Salesforce offered online platforms like Work.com which enabled their employees to help customers in an extremely uncertain situation.
All three aforementioned platforms relied heavily on the IT team. These came with challenges and exciting opportunities for the technology team to learn and grow. The role of IT leaders is changing every day. So, you need to keep up and revamp your IT team! Here is a helpful framework to get you started.
The ‘three Rs’:
- Reassurance: IT leaders have to let the organization know that they have things under control and employees can continue work from home.
- Redistribution: As demands change and as different skills are needed in various parts of the organization, the IT leader must lead the charge by redistributing their own team to ensure business continuity. Also, the demands of customers and stakeholders can change which will require different skills. Hence, deeply listening to employees, customers, and stakeholders will lead to success in the future.
- Rebound: A crisis is a good opportunity to learn and bring forward changes in any organization. As the IT team’s role evolved during the pandemic, they also have to instill a growth mindset where they will learn from challenges, come up with creative ways to solve problems, and prepare themselves for the future.
If you are done reading this, you should know by now that your IT team will lead your business to new heights, keep you connected to your stakeholders and customers, and make stakeholders feel safe and protected. We are no longer in the ’90s and our IT teams are not hidden away in basements anymore; they are our superstars!
Lava Protocols is an authorized Salesforce Partner. Want to transform your Business? Drop us an email to: hello@lavaprotocols.com.