In our latest series, we will be meeting some of the influential figures that contribute to Access IT Automation’s growth and development and find out what the company, industry, and IT automation means to them. #WeEnableModernDesktop.
With 35 years of experience providing technology consulting, systems integration and advisory services to large and medium-sized enterprises, Craig Franklin, Access IT Automation’s (AITA) SVP of Business Development for the USA has been helping our clients respond to the challenges of a changing business environment, harnessing it for the benefit of their business and customers. Craig has a focus on individual client needs as well as partnerships.
Craig’s experience has shown that many enterprise IT budgets are spent on maintenance, and he wants to help companies eliminate IT downtime, whilst saving money and resources by automating the thousands of tedious, manual tasks that demand the bulk of an enterprises time and attention – to free up IT to Improve the business and not just running the business.
We recently asked Craig a series of prevalent questions surrounding the IT industry, including modern desktop, IT automation, and other topics regarding IT efficiency. Read below to see how Craig thinks the future of IT is shaping up.
- What do you think is the most important aspect of IT Automation?
Working with several enterprises and implementing various automation products I have seen incredible improvements within process efficiency, control, and significantly reducing IT tickets, and IT resources. With my experience within the space, it is easy to see that IT automation creates increased productivity, whilst reducing IT costs and saving time on outdated manual practices.
- Why do you think that the modern desktop is important to enterprises?
Given the current climate surrounding COVID-19, many enterprises are adopting hybrid / remote working models, meaning modern desktop enablement has become a crucial area of consideration. The pandemic has given employees an opportunity to assess their current roles, indicating organizations must keep them engaged and offer an array of benefits to ensure they keep the best people employed. Modern desktop allows you to cut down on downtime and keep your employees happy, and over time, an efficient modern desktop can save an organization from having to make capital purchases for new desktop/laptops as well.
- What are the most prevalent things you have learnt at AITA in the last year that can help an organization become successful?
Any organization can become successful by understanding its current technology needs and utilizing unique products that improve its day-to-day workings. Whilst working with clients for AITA, I have seen consistent market growth through the correct implementation of various automation tools to help improve visualization and remediation of an enterprises entire IT estate.
- How do you think people can simplify their current IT automation processes and what do you think these results could showcase?
Automating IT should be no different to any other area of your business. The objectives for any organization should be to create and innovate better, faster, and cheaper. If we apply the same practices that we already apply to many other areas, we could see a vast improvement in end-user satisfaction and, therefore, productivity.
- What are your thoughts on the current culture shift with remote working and how do you think businesses can execute this to remain productive?
Having briefly touched on the many enterprises shift to remote/hybrid working models, I firmly believe that this is here to stay. Whilst there is an argument that this could be considered a cultural issue for many enterprises, there is no escaping the need for a streamlined process for employees to easily shift into a remote role, whilst giving leaders within a business the toolsets to monitor applications and hardware to ensure that employees can function at their peak with minimal disruption.
- How important is it to you for organizations to engage employees and keep them motivated?
The past 24-months has meant that many people have rethought their life priorities. Enterprises need to adapt to this change in thought process, giving employees a malleable approach to work or risk losing them. In April 2021, four million people quit their jobs in the United States alone, according to the Labor Department. This is a record number — and it all happened during the worst recession in US history. This tells us a lot about the changing nature of the workplace.
- How can enterprise businesses avoid falling back into “old” habits instead of progressing forward?
A cultural shift rewarding a new, more desired behaviour, whilst making a conscious effort to explore innovative techniques can help businesses continually push themselves into the new frontier of the modern workplace for employees. Whether this is through processes, tools, or various other implementations to create a more productive, inviting environment.
- What are some of the biggest blockers when it comes to implementing successful IT automation strategies in a business, and how can people avoid or overcome these?
From my own experience, not enough emphasis is placed on the importance of IT automation. It is seen as a luxury, rather than a necessity. Understanding the business benefits of automating IT procedures can help businesses save time and money, along with boosting performance and productivity.
- What should a business’s priorities be within the next 12 months to adapt to quickly changing climates?
Any enterprise should be looking to become competitive in the current labor constrained market and a way that they can do this is to make remote work effectively for its employees. Understanding performance and hardware needs can be crucial for these businesses and doing this manually create resources most organizations don’t have.
- How can people measure their success with IT automation and how can this help them continue to grow in the months and years to come?
There is a multitude of ways to measure the success of IT Automation. Reduced outages/service desk tickets, more timely services to the business and cost reduction are to name but a few. The ability to analyse specific devices/applications can give an enterprise a clear image of the future, whilst allowing you to forecast appropriately based on the current performance and productivity levels.
