When they created Bit-Wizards, co-founders Vincent Mayfield and Louis Erickson knew that simply wishing for a company that genuinely valued its employees and clients wasn’t enough to make it a reality. As Captain Picard often directed his fellow officers to “Make It So!” in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Mayfield and Erickson included that command as a core value and charged themselves and their team of Wizards with the same task: assess opportunities, approach them with positivity, and implement optimal solutions.
By taking on projects of all types and scales with the can-do attitude worthy of a Starfleet officer, our Managed IT Services (MITS) team members strive to “Make It So!” for our clients. Connecting our clients to whatever solution they seek is an everyday feat of proving that things are only impossible until they’re not.
What does “Make It So!” mean?
Mayfield and Erickson illustrated what it takes to “Make It So!” at Bit-Wizards with the following charges:
- Wizards have a “can do” attitude. We believe all things are possible with the right attitude, resources, hard work, and dedication.
- Wizards quickly size up any situation or issue. They visualize the successful outcome, and make it happen!
- Wizards focus on positive outcomes and success. Negativity and skepticism are not part of our creed. Wizards go where others dare not go.
- Wizards know that it’s not magic, but dedicated talent that creates success.
- Every Wizard is a hero, they rise to any challenge.
Mayfield and Erickson firmly believe that a bias toward execution is the driving force for this core value. Especially in the business realm where IT professionals are portrayed as purveyors of “no” through characters like Mordac, the Preventer of Information Services in the Dilbert comics, Wizards must be strategic enablers who help clients. Mayfield says the ability to avoid analysis paralysis is part of what allows our MITS Wizards to deliver excellent solutions.
“The people who are most effective can size up information quickly, especially in the ever-changing business and IT environments we’re in,” emphasizes Mayfield. “Instead of coming up with all the reasons why something can’t be done, they think of all the different ways to create a successful outcome.”
Erickson feels the “Make It So!” value is best visually depicted in the Bit-Wizards core values training video, where a cartoon Wizard-in-training works on an out-of-this-world request from a client: to get to the moon using an armchair. While the Wizard initially considers unfeasible options like combining the armchair with a rocket, he ultimately gives the client a telescope to “Make It So!” and fulfill the request. Erickson believes Wizards can find the best answers to questions from clients and their fellow team members by balancing enthusiasm and discernment.
“Inevitably, there are requests we get from clients where we’re unsure of how to give them what they ask for, but we find a way to say ‘yes’ in that process,” shares Erickson. “They may ask for something we can't do at first glance, but we find a way to achieve what they want however we can.”
How is “Make It So!” fostered in our company culture?
On paper, it might seem easy to encourage your employees to have a can-do attitude while working with customers; however, bringing that to life as part of your company culture is complex yet simple all at once. While many would consider micro-management and strict procedural guidance as keys to developing that bias toward execution, Mayfield says the formula for creating a culture of “yes” actually relies on a more hands-off approach.
“The biggest thing is giving our Wizards the resources and freedom needed to get the job done,” explains Mayfield. “If you give a Wizard a work environment and support system that enables them to operate and do what they do best, they can figure out what needs to be done to deliver professional solutions.”
Erickson highlights that instilling the freedom to operate self-sufficiently and pursue solutions that “Make It So!” requires a balanced approach when decisions turn into mistakes. Instead of being perceived as a Wizard’s end of the line, a wrong decision is approached as a learning opportunity that serves as a springboard to success. By following this approach, Erickson says the company’s culture helps every team member discover their full potential.
“Treating mistakes as opportunities for growth builds self-assurance in an individual and makes them feel empowered, enabling them to exude that ‘Make It So!’ confidence to our clients,” emphasizes Erickson. “People are so much more capable than they think, and they realize what they can accomplish once they genuinely feel reassured and supported.”
There are always instances where a request may seem exceptionally difficult to “Make It So!” at first glance, and the big-picture thinking that's typically coined as a helpful trait turns into a roadblock. While avoiding or escaping analysis paralysis is part of the recipe for success, leaning on team members is a driving force engrained in the company culture. Mayfield says the innate drive that Wizards have to work together and “Make It So!” for their clients and each other is critical when facing concerns.
“Every Wizard has a team they can work with and lean on, making them truly part of the greater whole and close to the mission,” asserts Mayfield. “They want to be successful in getting the job done since letting our clients down means letting their fellow Wizards down, too.”
How do we “Make It So!” for our clients?
By embodying the “Make It So!” mentality in every exchange, our team members push past standard roadblocks to provide solutions for our clients. Our Wizards understand that technology is a strategic enabler that businesses need to be competitive in tomorrow's world, so they take the necessary steps to develop a complete understanding of each client’s unique situation, requirements, and goals. Erickson explains that our Wizards break the mold of a one-size-fits-all approach and provide comprehensive solutions by analyzing the big picture and breaking it into smaller projects.
“When a client poses a problem or asks for a recommendation, we understand that there’s so much more to it than immediately giving solutions or advice,” states Erickson. “We pursue details about relevant technology and their environment, exercise discernment, and drive things forward to give them the best solution based on our knowledge.”
In addition to working with a solutions-driven team that resolves issues more efficiently, clients benefit from having access to the collective expertise of dozens of Wizards who strive to keep clients of all types and sizes up and running. Our MITS team members work with clients from various industries, from engineering firms to real estate companies, so the solutions and knowledge inevitably transfer to other projects. Mayfield believes this knowledge transfer that boosts other solutions is one of the greatest assets to our clients.
“Working with our MITS team enables clients to enjoy the advantage of a team that has experience with so many different companies,” affirms Mayfield. “Wizards frequently evaluate whether past and current solutions for specific industries can transfer to others, so their endeavors and experiences often cross-pollinate to other clients.”
At its core, the Bit-Wizards drive to “Make It So!” for our clients is seen as a dynamic force in our work. Erickson considers it an honor and privilege to be part of a group of professionals who understand the importance of IT and how it can help other businesses.
“We are lucky to do what we do for our clients,” reveals Erickson. “We get to do what we love with technology and take care of IT problems for people who are experts in their respective fields and trust us to be an expert in ours.”
Ready to work with a managed IT provider that “makes it so” by prioritizing your needs like its own? Contact us today for IT with a human touch.