IT as Dentistry

David Maister over at Passion, People and Principles recently had a post about how consultants and other service personnel have something in common with dentists and proclaimed "We're All Dentists".  Maister includes IT technicians within this group. 

His rationale is, "As providers, we see what we do in a positive light (solving problems and bringing about improvements.)   However, from the users’ perspective our presence signals pain, disruption, inconvenience, expense. Ultimately, we may benefit from the provider’s activities, but I’d rather not HAVE to deal with them at all."

Maister goes on to say " We need to remember our place. We’re not glorious “saviors” of clients with problems: we are an unfortunate necessity."

I understand what he is saying and agree up to a point.

There is no question that many times our customers would rather not HAVE to deal with our IT techs.  After all, it usually means they've got a problem which is not a pleasant experience and if our customer service processes are not very good it becomes doubly unpleasant.  But even with stellar customer service having to deal with our IT techs is unpleasant because problems are always unpleasant.  This situation is fact of life and there is nothing we can do to change the unpleasantness of having a problem.  If this were the only time our customers had to deal with our IT techs than I would agree with David.

However, there are times when our customers can and should be happy to see our IT techs.  When?  When we are there to help them to do their job faster, more efficiently, less expensively or easier, that's when.  If our IT techs are truly partnered with the business units they can see these opportunities and provide that kind of service.  If they do I believe these are times when our customer will be happy to see the IT techs.

Don't believe me?  Think of the Shadow IT department.  That embedded un-official IT tech support that customers love to see because they know that Shadow IT will not only be there when they have a problem but they will be there to find opportunity to make the users job better.  This is where I differ from David.  If we can get to the point of finding opportunities to make our customer's job better than I think they will be truly glad to see us.

What do you think?

If  this topic was of interest, you might also like these:

• How We Can Become More Like "Shadow IT"
• IT Needs To Become More Like "Shadow IT"
• Or the posts in the "Customer Service" category