Is your IT person good? A guide on how to tell

It’s a great question that I feel doesn’t get asked a lot. But is good enough? Why not look for great? Amazing? Outstanding?

There are many qualities that make an IT person great.  The most important are:

• Communication
• Responsiveness
• Technical Aptitude
• Integrity
• Flexibility

Communication

To me, communication is the singular most important trait in a great IT person. In a field that is continually becoming more complex it is imperative that your IT person can break down complex ideas and terms, so they are relatable to non-IT folks.  The ability to do so will greatly benefit your organization by enabling all personnel to understand the technical things that apply to them in order to enable them to do their jobs better and to be more efficient.  This communication also needs to be done in a tactful way so as to never make the receiver feel like the conversation is condescending. A great IT person's goal should be to teach and inspire confidence in all of those around them. This stuff isn't easy, so kindness and patience are a must in all communications!

Responsiveness

Responsiveness is another very important quality in a great IT person. We know from above that a great communication style is a must, but what if it weren't timely? Lack of quick responses leave the person on the other end hanging with a concern. If expectations aren’t set quickly they won’t know when, how or even if the issue will be handled as needed. IT folks are highly depended on to keep an organization functioning and moving forward to meet the company’s customer's needs and deadlines.  A lack of responsiveness can and will impact the reputation of the client as well as their profitability and credibility.  As a great IT person, you never want to contribute to loss of trust or profitability for any organization you are supporting.

Integrity

Integrity is a must in a great IT person, and it is something your company should require from anyone they deal with; if you are not open and honest trust is broken. In IT being precise is an important part of the job because if things aren't configured properly, issues can arise that are sometimes very difficult to track down. As we are all human and make mistakes, being honest and willing to put yourself out there with the knowledge that you will sometimes make mistakes benefits everyone and builds your own credibility. This honesty often times helps with troubleshooting as there is nothing to hide and everyone is kept on the same page. A great IT person with integrity always has his customers best interest in mind instead of their own. After all, isn't it the customer that allows us to have this challenging, fun work that we get to do? It is important to have an IT person that is also looking out to do things as efficiently and economically as possible, so you get the most out of the relationship.

Flexibility

Flexibility is a must in today's fast paced working environment. Customer's expectations and needs can change at any time with just a moment's notice. Organizations are fluid, ever changing environments. A great IT person needs to be aware of that fact and be able to change direction immediately to best suit the business and its people. As an IT person your day's plan is often just a rough plan of how you think your day is going to go. However, realistically an IT person's plan is altered most everyday as prioritizing the most important issues always takes precedence.  It is a must to be able to switch gears and alter your workload as needed.

Technical Aptitude

Technical aptitude is very important in a great IT person. A great IT person needs to be well rounded and understand a wide area of technical concepts, hardware and software as there are many facets to a technical job. You need to understand how systems communicate with one another, the hardware that supports the communication and software as well as a great deal of other different programs. A great IT person is constantly training and learning new concepts and methodologies as the industry is ever changing at a very fast rate.

You may have noticed that while talking about technical aptitude I never mentioned that a great IT person needs to know all areas or “all things” IT, just that they need to be well rounded. The thing to realize is most IT people are not going to be technically great in all areas, even though this type of person does exist (we have many here at iuvo Technologies). Additionally, in many cases a person’s other big weakness is that aren’t able to communicate complex ideas simply, rendering them not ideal communicators. They might only be able to communicate effectively when working with other folks of the same technical pedigree. The IT industry is full of these types people. They are not something your company and its employees should have to experience because your working relationship with an IT professional or organization is extremely important for your overall success.

At iuvo technologies we strive to hire people that are first and foremost great communicators and technically outstanding, so this is a rarer bird. Not every technician can do everything, but when you are looking to hire an IT organization even though you may have a certain tech you work with daily, there is always a team behind that person full of expertise and knowledge in many other areas. If they don't know the correct answer, they have resources to rely on that can quickly assist.  With iuvo technologies you always have an entire organization of carefully selected, intelligent individuals who are focused on providing you the best service and smartest design possible.

Our inner teamwork, intelligent hardworking technicians and integrity is what sets iuvo Technologies apart from our competition.  We are an organization that always thinks customers first (internally we call it “customer services obsessed”), which is why we offer "White-Glove" customer service daily. Our concentration on world class customer service makes our customers and those they server better and ultimately our world better.

Want to learn more? Download our white paper on what to expect when working with an IT provider. 

Or download another great read on how to build a better business by using consultants for your IT support. 

If you'd like more information, please contact us!