

As head of the IT department, you're in charge of making sure that your company works. Every computer issue, cloud storage problem, data security breach, and paper jam falls under your jurisdiction.

That's why it's key that you're on top of every tech-related issue from software to putting the right person in charge of a task, project, or problem. Now, you know why everything you juggle is so integral to your company's success. But do others in your company actually understand what IT even does?

This transparency isn't just about wanting credit for your hard work. It's also about accountability and ensuring everyone—especially in the C-Suite—grasps the importance of you and your team's roles.

Why Transparency in IT Matters

By taking meaningful steps to increase transparency into what IT does and how it's done, you demonstrate your strategic value. You'll also better set expectations inside and outside of the department and increase company cohesion. This communication will support everyone, including your department, on a tactical and strategic level.

If you’re looking to increase IT transparency, here are a few areas to focus on:

A Better IT Service Request Workflow

Is there anything more frustrating than going to a restaurant, placing your order, and then waiting (and waiting and waiting) for your food? For many, the only thing that comes close is submitting an IT ticket and not knowing when they’re going to get assistance.

You should have data on how long it takes to close a service request. Use this data to let people know how long it will be before they can expect IT assistance. An example of a company doing this well is KLM, which uses its Twitter page to broadcast how long anyone with a question can expect to wait before receiving an answer.

While you don’t need to open your own IT department social media accounts to broadcast wait time, you should still take a few lessons. When you provide an estimated wait time and make it dynamic (not just “we expect to get back to you within the hour.”) you’ll start to see happier, more informed employees.

mistakes with printers

Make Every IT Report Meaningful

When you’re looking to increase IT transparency, you need to make sure you’re backing up your work with numbers and analytics. Sharing your metrics reports with other department heads is a key way to help them understand your KPIs, department efficiency, overall costs, and how all of those affect them.

Go above and beyond by including industry averages as a comparison as well as a list of your current efforts to increase efficiency, and what tactics from other departments affect your ability to do so.

Make these reports available to those who are interested, so that you’re including other departments in the conversation around IT. When you give them the information on how their tactics impact IT—and vice versa—you’re better able to work together to inform strategic decisions.

The data on your print processes is essential to include in these reports. But are you really tracking your print costs and data? Check out our eBook, 10 Steps to Finding Your True Printing Costs, in order to take stock of the true nature of printing at your company.

And if you're looking for the perfect support to make your IT department run more smoothly than ever, reach out to imageOne! With 30 of experience, we can be your partner in boosting efficiency, cutting costs, and more. 

Talk to an Expert Today!

CIOs IT Strategy

Brad Foster

About Brad Foster

With 25+ years of experience helping customers, Brad Foster is an expert at ensuring organizations are purchasing the right equipment for their business needs and goals. He is also HP Endpoint Security Certified. His favorite part about working at imageOne is the award-winning company culture and the extraordinary team behind it. When he’s not working, Brad enjoys hiking, cooking, and reading.

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