Our goal is to make IT refreshing and simple. In that, one thing is essential: making clear exactly what IT is and means. By now, our website is full of everything about IT, from comparisons with light switches to descriptions of jobs in IT. But today we go back to the core and take a closer look at IT. This includes two IT employees, because what do they actually do all day?
We give you a peek into the fresh Lime Networks kitchen; IT is IT, but IT companies can be quite different from each other. For example, Apple and Microsoft are also IT companies but they do very different things than we do.
This is IT
IT stands for Information Technology and sometimes a C is put in between, which stands for communication. Information, communication and technology, in other words. That's IT. A little more extensive: the development and management of systems related to computers, information systems and telecommunications. Maybe that's still a little vague.
What is covered by IT?
- Physical computers and laptops
- Working online and the (hybrid) cloud
- Wi-Fi & network
- Telephony
- Online collaboration (e.g., Microsoft Teams)
- Backups
- Security & hacking
- The server
What is not covered by IT (or at least, what do we not do as an IT company?)?
- Building websites
- Building Computers
- Building your own programs or software
- Endless talk about IT but implementing nothing
What a chief technology officer does all day
Kelvin is our CTO, or day-to-day IT leader. According to him, the core of IT lies in automation. No more manual actions, because that only creates errors and wastes time. That's basically what he deals with all day long: organizing processes as efficiently as possible.
There are few recurring activities in Kelvin's days; every day is different. Still, he mentions two moments: the communal lunch at noon with delicious fresh produce from the neighborhood farmer and an informal meeting about updates in IT land. This meeting happens almost daily and in it we discuss what has happened and been seen in the field of IT. Then the other IT people look into the implementation so that the customers can make optimal use of it. Oh, and every day starts with a cappuccino with sugar.
Kelvin spends most of his time innovating. For example, he scours the Internet to research and test new products. These solutions are tested, leaving customers at the forefront of these innovations: will our customers use this? How will this product work with other departments such as administration? Since the right products are essential for IT professionals, this is Kelvin's main task. Kelvin fills the rest of his days with sales support, training and management. He consults with account managers, gives advice to customers and colleagues, organizes "lunch & learn" sessions to keep knowledge levels high, and manages the help desk and other employees. So that's what a CTO does all day.
And what a first-line help desk employee/outside service does
Not all IT people do the same thing, even though they all share their passion for IT and love for the customer. Corné, for example, as a help desk employee, does something very different from someone in our administration or Kelvin the CTO. What is similar: the varied days. It is also difficult for Corné to say what he does on an average day. Still, he was able to give two example days: one day in the office and one day on site.
His day at the office starts like Kelvin's with a nice cup of coffee and the IT updates meeting. Then he logs into the dashboard and looks at what problems customers have experienced. Often this has to do with monitoring software: the computer is not getting enough updates and is missing certain functions. The system automatically makes a notification of this, so we get through that this problem is occurring and can solve it immediately, without bothering the customer with it. So that's what Corné does. But sometimes he does deal with customers directly, for example if someone has a slow computer. Corné then finds out why the computer is slow and what can be done about it. He speaks to the customer by phone or e-mail. Sometimes issues cannot be solved and he contacts the customer and solves it via Screen Connect. This allows Corné, with the customer's permission, to easily view the customer's screen.
But other days Corné is again just working on location. Then he spends the morning in the customer's office installing a new Wi-Fi network. That same afternoon he is somewhere in Rotterdam solving a printer problem. Even the field service days are very variable.
How can IT work for you?
We have now explained what IT entails, what it does not entail, and what our IT professionals do. Now the next question is: what can IT do for you ? How can IT work best in your organization? What (essential) role can IT play for you? Questions we can't answer in two sentences, so give us a call at 010-2121806 and we'll analyze your situation. Because we believe that secure IT is possible for every SME and can actually add value. With our passion for technology, we realize such a solution for you.
Frequently asked questions about IT
Is your question not listed? 1 email or 1 phone call is enough to get it answered. 010-2121806 | info@limenetworks.nl
Not as far as we are concerned. We help you with technical matters, but also with advice and take care of you from A to Z. We do think that you should always have someone in your company who has an overview of IT and draws attention to it from time to time. An IT manager, for example. How big your company is determines how important the job of IT manager is in your company. We make it simple and safe for you, so you can do what you do best.
Contracts provide clear agreements and service when you need it. Predictability in your costs without surprises. We go that extra mile, because it offers certainty for everyone. Whether you save money in the long term? We do not think so. But you do get the service and expertise when you need us. And if things go wrong, you are not left with high costs or doubts about whether or not you should hire someone. We believe in relationships, not contracts. With us, all contracts can be terminated per month - unless a supplier imposes otherwise, such as for a fibre-optic connection. This way, you can benefit from the advantages without being tied down to anything and the costs are predictable.
Nobody knows the law book by heart; everyone hires a lawyer when necessary. We fulfil the same function, but in the field of IT and without the jargon. A clear story with clear communication to supplement your knowledge where necessary. Do you need to know everything? No, we do that for you. But always remain critical and use your own common sense. That will get you a long way. We solve the really technical issues for you.
IT is often complicated. We don't think it needs to be. By making IT simple and secure, you strengthen your competitive position. The well thought-out solutions, the simplification, security and clear support when you need it, cost a lot of time. In preparation, training, documentation, education and especially experience. That is difficult - in fact, impossible - to do yourself. So it's good that everyone has some knowledge and remains critical, but cooperation and a lot of experience and knowledge is key to good IT.
That is true. Having your own IT staff often seems like a good solution. At Lime Networks, we believe in specialisms. IT is our specialism. With our own IT-people there is almost always a one-sided accumulation of knowledge. The IT person has few colleagues, limited variation in solutions and due to busyness training often falls short. This person can also fall ill, go on holiday and need help from time to time. By outsourcing the basics to an IT company that offers knowledge, experience and solutions, you relieve your company of IT worries. Would you like to keep the knowledge in-house? Then that is possible, of course. An IT manager within a company is pleasant because you get knowledge in-house. You leave the basics to us.
Nothing could be further from the truth. We truly believe in taking care of the customer. We do this with experience, knowledge, safe working practices and, above all, a focus on you, the customer. Communication is at least 50% of our success. So if we want to strengthen you, we have to play top sport in the field of IT. Refreshing in IT, that's what we call it.
Your pc/laptop, your operating system, your software are constantly under the scrutiny of hackers and malicious persons. Unfortunately, they are not all perfect. By having us manage your updates (endpoint management), you ensure that this does not affect your security. Did you know that most hacks are based on errors that have been known for a long time? We always provide the right updates at the right time to keep you safe.
We periodically discuss with the IT manager where we are going and where we are now. Not only whether we are doing well but also whether the customer is doing well and using IT in such a way that it adds as much value as possible. If there is also local IT support, we divide the tasks. We let the customer look into systems, documentation and give them insight into the network or servers/cloud, for example. Often we arrange the basics, add knowledge and help to make faster steps with extra hands and experience, for example in projects.
Nothing at all. We take care of your IT from A to Z. IT simply has to be secure, perform and offer continuity. We do that for you, you don't need any knowledge about it. Of course, we are also happy to work with our customers' IT managers and/or IT support.
With 'secure by design', every choice of product or service is considered in terms of its implications for the IT security of your environment. This means that the highest security requirements are taken into account, such as encryption, MFA, AVG, access control, etc. This ensures that we always stand behind our products and we know about data security and availability.
