If you are in IT and work in the retail, hospitality, credit card processing or shipping industries (to name a few), God bless you. You’re probably working this Thanksgiving holiday. And you’ve likely been getting ready for the holiday rush during the past several months, and will be busy right through the first part of 2008.
Seasonal industries have their own, unique challenges that are different from other industries. It starts with change control, as in, don’t. Don’t make any production changes. All those Microsoft servers, databases, messaging systems, online applications, networks, security systems, etc., all were updated and the change window closed weeks or months ago. When one slip up could cost millions of dollars in sales, shipments or cash flow, not too many things are worth the risk of making a change in production.
Forget the halls of holly, “All hands on deck”. My brother, Mike, who is head of IT for a seasonal business is on a pretty short leash during the holidays. That means some years we don’t get to see him or we really have to plan the holidays well so that his family can make it. Many people juggle the same kind of holiday schedule or don’t get see their family on the holidays at all.
Whatever your situation, go out of your way and do or say something, even something small, to say thank you to your IT personnel. Saying “Thanks” is always a good place to start and let them know that you realize when things go well, that means they’ve really worked hard to make it that way. And if things aren’t going so smoothing? Count your blessings they are there to take care of it.
