Forbes Technology Council quotes Dr Morey in most recent article “Tech Perspective: 13 Common Business Discussions Tech Experts Should Be In On”

“Tech Perspective: 13 Common Business Discussions Tech Experts Should Be In On”

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Expert Panel, Forbes Technology Council

Successful CIOs, CTOs & executives from Forbes Technology Council offer firsthand insights on tech & business.

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Tech team leaders are often trained or experienced in multiple areas that complement their primary duties. For example, it’s not uncommon for tech team leaders to have in-depth knowledge of engineering practices or even digital marketing. This varied knowledge, skills and experience can make tech leaders an invaluable resource when it comes time to make decisions about a company’s plan or direction.

Some companies only seek their tech team’s advice when it’s time to purchase new hardware or software, thereby missing out on valuable cross-functional insights. Below, 13 members of Forbes Technology Council talk about some common business decisions and practices that companies should consult their tech experts about.

1. Connecting Department Initiatives

IT leaders have experience with all aspects of companies. Where I find myself helping our company most is when I bridge the gap between departmental problems. Many times there is a way to connect seemingly nonrelevant initiatives to allow for a more efficient and unified solution. Departments tend to work in silos, and shared support teams can help communicate and connect these. – Tom Altman, Leverage, powered by Clickstop

2. Improving Operational Efficiency

IT plays a very key role in improving an organization’s operational efficiencies through the deployment of technology, processes and workflows and executing effective training. It’s critical that the business understands the strategic value IT brings and how technology aligns with and improves overall operational efficiency. – Don Schlising, Landmark Services Cooperative

3. Timing Business Goals

Tech experts know what tech will work related to business strategy and how long it will realistically take to achieve business goals. They should be included in strategic sessions. – Chalmers Brown, Due

4. Optimizing And Problem-Solving

When I’m hiring a new engineer, the qualities I’m looking for the most are optimization and problem-solving. “Is it worth acquiring that new company?” “How can we find out the intents of the users?” “What is the optimized price for the new product that we’re launching?” These are some examples where tech team leaders’ input could be super beneficial. Tech leaders are way more than machines converting coffee into code. – Vikram Joshi, pulsd

5. Scaling Operations

Every company that starts scaling fast runs into issues scaling their operations—everything from scaling recruiting to scaling sales development to any other type of operation. Most operators tend to either throw more people at the scaling problem or introduce more bureaucracy; however, if you engage tech leaders, there is usually a way to add automation into the process to make things scale. – Tigran Sloyan, CodeSignal

6. Improving Workflow And Automation

Because tech works so closely with business systems and line-of-business software, we often have a greater insight into the system capabilities and the system’s abilities to be used “off script.” When consulted, tech leaders are often able to offer process workflow and business automation improvements through their greater insight into unused capabilities within tech systems. – Micheal Goodwin, Server@Work

7. Managing Software Budgets

Software can be expensive, and subscriptions to different services that you aren’t using are a waste of money. Also, tech teams usually hear about new software that might replace more expensive or inefficient services. Allowing them to manage the software budget is a business decision that companies should be happy to give. – Arnie Gordon, Arlyn Scales

8. Scouting New Tech

Tech people are also really good at providing insight into what investments can offer the highest return on investment. Often, they understand the implementation as well as the success that their colleagues are having in other companies with new technology. They “see it first” and can recommend new solutions before it’s on the radar for everyone else. – Marty Puranik, Atlantic.Net, Inc.

9. Choosing Systems Vendors

It’s the job of tech leaders to stay on top of technology trends. When other departments are considering which vendors to select, especially in more technical areas like data processing and analysis or store-of-information systems like customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP), tech leaders can weigh in on questions like “How easy is it to integrate this system with other business systems?” or “Will this vendor be viable in five years?” – Jason Cohen, WP Engine

10. Guiding Human Resources

Tech leaders are tuned into the talent pool and what skills are scarce and which ones are readily available. Their insights can help HR adjust salaries and hiring practices to remain competitive in the marketplace while maintaining efficiencies and dealing with budget restraints. Tech leaders can direct HR on where to hire from to leverage their reputation to attract talent. – Afshin Doust, Advanced Intelligent Systems Inc.

11. Sharing Skills Development Practices

Tech team leaders are well versed in ongoing skills and professional development, as new challenges continually emerge in new technologies, new security requirements and new project management styles (e.g., Agile). As digital transformation spreads across the business, tech team leaders should share their best practices on skills development with their leadership peers across other functions. – Steve Pao, Hillwork, LLC

12. Analyzing Customer Behavior

Many times, we as leaders rely on our marketing or sales support personnel to give us feedback on customer behavior. However, many times it is our tech team that has the best insight into actual customer use and engagement and what is working and not working. We try to include our entire tech team, from developers to our CTO, when discussing customer behavior and traction. – Charles O’Connell, Fitscript

13. Discovering New Business And Intellectual Property Potential

There are technology gaps and areas of innovation that could lead to new business and intellectual property or patents. Tech experts often know the strengths and weaknesses of the industry and what the pain points are. Solving pain points is the start of any new enterprise or product. When looking for new ventures or areas of investment, companies should seek out their tech experts for novel insights. – José Morey, Liberty BioSecurity