Blocked from the business by IT

I have had no success in reaching my client’s new CFO. Every time I try to contact the CFO, I get pushed to IT and then get scolded for reaching out to the business. Looking for thoughts???

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Andy, do you perhaps have your own CFO or sr. Executive that you may be able to ghost write an appropriate email with a specific ask of your customer CFO? Perhaps asking for a discussion on a key topic/KPI of your customer?

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Hey Andy,

mind sharing the body of the e-mail you sent to the CFO?

I have sold to IT for years and they can be very territorial. The problem is, IT themselves often does not have a great relationship with the business.

Perhaps build a champion within IT? One of the key criteria to be a Champion is to have access to power (ie the EB).

I agree with Dan, perhaps a CXO to CXO outreach may help.

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Hey Andy,

I’ve a similar problem, IT is always preventing us from meeting Business or doing business with them (ahh the puns).

Luckily, we do have kind of covert operations meeting with Business but not letting IT know, but it’s like what Greg said, IT and Business doesn’t have great relationships. Even though we do get insights from Business users, IT is slow and making it hard for us to make changes. I’m struggling with this too as the CTO/CIO just have too much power.

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This is going to sound super rude, but the CIOs are trying to find a seat at the big boys table. If you can make he/she look good, you will have a partner for life.

IT is afraid of the business and will make a decision based on what they think the business wants and inevitably gets it wrong.

I do agree with what Hong is say, IT does have power, only because the business hasn’t been tech savvy. I believe times are changing. Of course this depends on the solution you are sell.

Side note, if you can solve this problem, funding will not have to come 100% out of the CIOs budget. The Business can chip in…food for thought.

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