By Hank Marquis

User Opinion Doesn’t Matter

Image Credit: pexels.com/@energepic-com-27411

Too often, we hear that IT isn't customer-centric, doesn't listen to customers, etc. While this is true in some circumstances, more often than not, there's a disconnect between IT and its Business Customers regarding whose opinions matter most.

I'm just going to say it, User opinion isn't what should be most important to IT, and worrying about User satisfaction is often a waste of time and money.

Here's why. IT Business Customers (the role that defines and funds IT, say, the VP of Sales) don't take responsibility for their Users (those who report to Business Customers and consume IT services, for example, Sales Teams) or understand what they need.

The problem compounds when IT nobly tries to assume responsibilities abdicated by Business Customers. But this is a no-win situation.

These noble efforts are usually doomed to fail, leading to disappointed Users who complain to their Customers. These are the same Customers who avoid IT with studied disinterest until things go wrong.

By way of example, consider healthcare. For most in the USA, the Patient is the role that interacts with the service provider but isn't the Customer who defines and pays for services. The Customer is the Payor. Whose opinion matters most: the Payor or the Patient?

We all intrinsically understand the provider-consumer relationship, so our hearts cry that it should be the Patient. But we know that whoever pays the bill directs service delivery limits. Corporate IT is the same.

So what is the role of IT in this situation? Users don't work for IT, and it's usually outside IT's corporate jurisdiction to mandate service levels based on User opinions.

But what if IT measured User satisfaction in human, job-based terms and had rational conversations with Customers about the findings? Could that help Customers make better decisions? Could that help ensure the Customer adequately equips their Users with IT services? This is the whole idea behind Hailee’s digital twin modeling—giving IT clear, role-based experience data without overstepping authority.

The takeaway is that IT can't mandate the relationship between Customer and User nor direct Customers to do the job they ought to do.

But IT can facilitate better Customer-User engagement by providing information to the Customer to help their decision-making regarding IT funding, features, and prioritizations. It’s the same principle at the heart of Completely Satisfied: IT informs, the Business decides.

At the end of the day, customer-centricity means focusing on Users within the boundaries set by their leadership, the Customer.

When we break this model, we experience today's stressful working conditions, digital friction, lost productivity, turnover, and all that goes with it.

Without adequate Customer involvement, IT can't do its job correctly, and Users will never be satisfied with the service they receive.

Too often, we hear that IT isn't customer-centric, doesn't listen to customers, etc. IT leaders do struggle to learn employee requirements. But here's the thing, that's not IT's job. Tools like Hailee help surface those requirements, but accountability still sits with the Customer.

IT Leaders need to proactively engage with their Customers—dare I say, hold them accountable? How are you working with your Customers?

We in IT must hold our Customers responsible for their User's experiences with IT services. It's long past time that we do.

That's what I think. What do you think?

Please comment or reach out and let me know what you think, I'd love to talk with you!

Best,
Hank

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