Background & Role

Alex has 15+ years of experience in IT management, with the last 6 years focused on integrating IT and OT systems. Managing a team of 20 IT professionals and 8 OT specialists, Alex oversees connectivity infrastructure across 5 manufacturing facilities and 3 corporate offices. With a background in systems engineering and an MBA, Alex bridges the gap between technical requirements and business objectives, reporting directly to the CIO.

"My job isn't just about keeping networks running—it's about enabling business transformation through reliable, secure, and cost-effective connectivity. When production lines stop due to network issues, that's millions in potential revenue loss."

Goals & Challenges

Primary Goals

  • Ensure seamless and reliable network connectivity for the company.
  • Optimize operational efficiency while controlling network OPEX costs.
  • Maintain high security standards for business-critical applications.
  • Gain visibility into network usage and cost drivers.
  • Implement IT/OT convergence strategies to improve production efficiency.

Key Challenges

  • Lack of telecom-specific knowledge, making it hard to define network needs.
  • Difficulty in predicting and managing network congestion before it impacts operations.
  • Unclear visibility into network costs and device behavior issues.
  • Ensuring compliance with strict SLAs without constant manual monitoring.
  • Balancing innovation with legacy OT systems that require specific connectivity solutions.

Decision Making Process

Alex evaluates connectivity solutions through a thorough process that involves assessing both technical fit and business impact. Decisions typically involve cross-functional input from operations, finance, and security teams.

Technical Reliability

Solutions must demonstrate 99.99% uptime with redundant systems and proven failover mechanisms.

Security Compliance

Must meet industrial cybersecurity standards and integrate with existing security frameworks.

Cost Efficiency

TCO analysis must show 15-20% cost savings over 3 years compared to current solutions.

Implementation Impact

Minimal disruption to operations during deployment with clear migration strategy.

Summary of Alex's Journey

Problem Identification

Recognizes network performance issues affecting production efficiency or increasing costs; receives alerts about potential SLA breaches.

Solution Exploration

Researches options through industry conferences, peer networks, and trusted advisors; requests demos from 3-5 potential vendors.

Evaluation & Business Case

Conducts limited pilot tests; develops ROI model with finance team; presents findings to executive leadership.

Implementation & Monitoring

Oversees phased implementation; establishes KPIs for measuring success; requires regular performance reviews and optimization recommendations.

Key Stats

Annual Network Budget
$1.2M
For connectivity infrastructure and services
Decision Authority
85%
High influence on vendor selection and technology strategy
Downtime Cost
$45K/hour
Average cost of production network outages

Tech Stack & Tools

Cisco Networking
ServiceNow
Splunk
Zscaler
SCADA Systems
Microsoft Azure
IBM Maximo

Needs & Expectations

  • Guided Workflows: A guided, easy-to-use workflow for requesting tailored connectivity services.
  • Transparent Pricing: Clear pricing based on actual service level agreements (SLAs).
  • Proactive Monitoring: Network monitoring with recommendations before SLA breaches occur.
  • AI-Driven Solutions: AI-powered insights and automation to reduce downtime and troubleshooting time.
  • Integration Capabilities: Seamless integration with existing OT systems and security frameworks.

Communication Preferences

  • Channels: Email for formal communications, Teams for quick consultations, quarterly in-person reviews.
  • Content: Prefers data-driven presentations with clear ROI calculations and case studies from similar industries.
  • Format: Visual dashboards with actionable insights rather than lengthy reports.
  • Frequency: Weekly performance summaries, immediate alerts for critical issues, monthly strategic reviews.

Pain Points / Frustrations / Fears

  • Growing complexity of managing converged IT/OT networks.
  • Unpredictable network performance affecting production schedules.
  • Unclear telecom billing practices and unexplained cost fluctuations.
  • Security vulnerabilities from connected industrial systems.
  • Skills gap in team for managing specialized industrial networking requirements.
  • Pressure to demonstrate technology ROI to executive leadership.