Cloud CRM Software Forum

SaaS CRM and the evolution of the IT guy

I'm having some conversations about IT's relationship with SaaS CRM, talking to some fairly senior people about the subject, and it's interesting to hear the vision that many people have of IT's evolving role. It's a vision that, I hope, IT people can develop for themselves. After all, for years they've been treated like drones, or simple behind-the-scenes "computer monkeys" who simply execute decisions made by other, "more visionary" people in the organization.

That patronizing view of IT has to change – on both ends. It's very easy to internalize that kind of treatment and adopt the role of the last-generation IT guy—one who guards his turf, who wants little interaction with others in the organization, and who is always in reactive mode.

The new generation of IT is a lot more fun, and SaaS has a lot to do with it. The IT department now plays a much more important role in developing and executing on strategic decisions – and can do so faster and with less risk, says Troy Miuse, the CEO of Salesboom.

Miuse understands that IT people, contrary to the prevailing opinion, are at heart creative – "they're artists," he asserts. Miuse comes by that view from personal experience, having gone from civil engineering to programming because of the creativity it presents and the immediate gratification a well-crafted project can bring.

Initially, SaaS was framed in terms of reduced costs. "That was big mistake for the entire industry," says Miuse, because reducing costs suggests reduced head count. "That made IT guys enemies of SaaS because it was seen as something to supplant them." Today, however, the capabilities SaaS allow have won IT over, because it allows them to deliver solutions that make other in the organization more efficient. "Your business doesn't grow by getting rid of IT people – it grows by growing top-line revenue," he said.

IT has a more direct impact on that now in the SaaS/PaaS era because so many of the operational burdens have been removed – back-up and disaster recovery, server maintenance, upgrades and so on – and because customizations can be built and pushed out quicker than ever before. When you can get a prototype out in two weeks instead of six months, it's easier to implement the ideas people in your company have and it makes IT look like the hero for being able to execute on them.

Many CRM buying decisions are still IT-only decisions – which is a mistake. But IT's role in helping to choose, modify and suggest new ways of doing business is growing, and it'll bring new, creative minds to the process. That's good news for the organizations that recognize IT's role in the CRM partnership.