I didn't read any other threads on this site and I'm not going to, so if this is redundant my apologies. I'm not a perfect rep, but I do my best and uphold the standards I am asked to, and even probably go above that. I have never had to deal with the volume of IT related issues at az, than at any company in my past and I'm fairly technically proficient. I'm in diabetes and absolutely nothing technical works here. You hurt the sales force, with your performance. If sales goals aren't met at the end of the year, can we start looking into the time per rep spent dealing with IT related issues? It's a joke...
The IT Dept is not to blame. The IT leadership is! How do you expect things to work when the hardware you are using is likely to be over 5 years old and in some extreme cases is actually in the double digits old. How do you expect a department to perform where on average every 18 months people are threatened with losing their jobs through reorganisation - and each reorganisation is completed without anyone having any understanding what the operating model will be. How do you expect a department to perform when over the course of 3 years the board approve 2 widely different IT strategies! How do you expect a department to perform when the people making the key decisions on the capability they deliver have absolutely no skill or knowledge in that capability?
Hey! Salesperson, WE HEAR YOU. But don't blame the IT workers, look at your own management. They are the ones asking for and backing these projects but don't commit experienced resources to making sure it works for you in the field. What would it be like if the shoe was on the other foot? Want to get to your next appointment, here's a car..but you only get 2 tires. Motorcycles ride on 2 tires and so can you. You want Reverse? Sorry, our corporate strategy is we only move forward. Reverse does not align with the strategy. Need to record calls? Here's a pad of paper and a pen. What? No Ink? That's in the next release, should have that out to you in a few more months as soon as we get funding and justify the need to your management. Could we have held off on rolling out Pen and Paper? Sure we could have, the beaten down technical folk recommended it. But that would have caused a two week delay and our management had to claim a successful, on time rollout. We'll fix that ink problem in production. Beaten down techies, they all have to reapply for their jobs under some new, dreamed up structure. Need to know where you're going? GPS is not cost effective. Here is a map. We vetted the mapmaker. Lewis and Clarke are tops in their field. Got car troubles (beyond the 2 tire thing)? Sorry, to save money we contracted with Joey's Service Center. Does he have experience working on cars? No, his background is lawnmowers..but an engine is an engine. And, he is the brother in-law of one of our VPs. On the bright side, you should see the cost saving chart that was used in the Town Hall...big green smiley face for that one. Sales falling off...need new reps? Let's save $$ and hire former discount store cashiers. Spin says they are sales professionals. Steering wheel is on the right hand side? Global architecture board...they say it is OK and that YOU need to adapt.
Humorous, no doubt. But too many analogies and not enough IT insight for my taste. Where is the "fair balance..." Haha.
My guess it is IT inefficiencies are the result of AZ trying to run on the cheap and an overload on outdated software capabilities. So often you have tasks that require working technologies, or online activities and cannot complete them. Then you spend countless hours, often on your own time, with IT support bouncing from one level to anther, sometimes waiting for a call for days, or being told to call when volume might be less, say in the afternoon. It is frustration in the extreme, leaving you to think management is a bunch of callous bastards to let something work so poorly. Does upper management use a different system, or are they tied to a higher level of IT support? I've often wondered.
Whatever you do -- whatever -- never let any manager hear you complain. They know it sucks and there's nothing they can do about it. If the IT issue comes up explain like you would explain to people when your child makes a mistake. Whenever managers come around, close your eyes and say to yourself five times, "I love IT, my computer, the time it saves me overall. All I can think is how grateful I am to have the excellent sales resources AZ provides us to assist in the field." Remember the only way ahead or even to remain employed is to flagrantly lie. The better you do it the better off you'll be.
No worries....they just cut IT AGAIN today. Less bureaucracy for you to deal with now. iPad not working? Your spend happy managers will buy you a new one. Just toss it.
Then your are pretty stupid. There is no insight. Just beaten worn out IT leftovers hung out to dry. IT leadership wouldn't know insight if it kicked them in the balls.
