When creatingstrategic initiatives in the myITprocess Strategic Roadmap, it is common to get pulled in the direction of creatinginitiativesthat reference technology versus plugging into clients’ business initiatives.Recommendationscan and should be a blend of business and technology suggestions, but should always reference a business case as to why the recommendation should be accepted.
Far too often, we see vCIOs fall into the trap of referencing technology without translating that back to the client’s business needs which tends to dilute the value of vCIO meetings over time. Since we should be meeting with decision makers who tend to be non-technical, these business owners and leaders need to be guided toward understanding why investment in technology is truly a business investment that impacts all other functional areas of their organization. Here are some tips to create that TruBusiness partnership that significantly impacts client and MSP success:
- Be genuinely curious about how technology ties into the bigger picture: A quote by Dale Carnegie sums up this point, “To be interesting, be interested.” A vCIO’s experience working with a variety of clients in different businesses can be invaluable and oftentimes cross over from one client to another. As you learn from your contacts, look for trends across clients and figure out if what was learned from one client can be applied to other clients in different industries. This can also impact vCIO efficiency and further streamline processes!
- Create and update a Business Canvas for each client regularly: If vCIOs put some process around regularly updating the information on a Business Canvass, this can lead to value demonstration down the road when referencing back to the starting point. Understanding a client’s goals and key metrics that drive their results, and then making an effort to impact those metrics in pursuit of their goals is highly valuable to business owners.
- Lean on TruMethods content and community: Between the vCIO Content in the Service Delivery Track of the TruMethods Member’s Portal (particularlyBuilding Strategic RelationshipsandStrategy & Budgeting), our weekly vCIO All Stars, and this myITprocess Community forum, there is no shortage of information to inspire vCIOs to keep thinking strategically when preparing for/facilitating client meetings!
The technology and security landscape are moving too fast for us to lose our captive audiences. Keep the client’s business in mind with each and every initiative, and they will always keep your pre-scheduled meetings a high priority!
