Practical AI Application, with Denver Hunter

10/30/23 • 36 min

IT Matters | Tech Solutions and Strategies for Every Industry

Denver Hunter serves as the Director of Information Technology at PenServ Plan Services, a full-service, third-party administrator offering retirement plan recordkeeping and administration services. In addition to his role leading their IT team, he shares perspectives on technology trends, writing for the Forbes Technology Council. Today we discuss practical applications of AI to automate tasks for the technology leader and the possibilities for help desks. We also dive into why hyperconverged technology makes sense in a cloud-centric world.

Conversation Highlights:
[02:14] Introducing our guest, Denver Hunter
[04:45] AI and banking
[09:32] Safe AI usage
[12:04] Introducing Microsoft Copilot
[15:36] Leveraging AI features
[21:49] Hunter's Forbes article
[22:55] Wins with hyperconverged technology
[29:49] Measuring project ROI
[32:10] Hunter's message to the world

Notable Quotes:
"My mindset with AI is that this hype is gonna cool a little bit and there's still going to be some amazing things to come out of it." Denver Hunter [8:14]

"The grass is greener on the other side, but the water bill is higher." Denver Hunter [33:33]

Connect With Denver Hunter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-anderson-74894a5a/
Hunter's Small Town Blog: https://smalltownco.com/

The IT Matters Podcast is about IT matters and matters pertaining to IT.

Notable Quotes:
"My mindset with AI is that this hype is gonna cool a little bit and there's still going to be some amazing things to come out of it." Denver Hunter [8:14]

"The grass is greener on the other side, but the water bill is higher." Denver Hunter [33:33]

Connect With Denver Hunter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-anderson-74894a5a/
Hunter's Small Town Blog: https://smalltownco.com/

The IT Matters Podcast is about IT matters and matters pertaining to IT.

Previous Episode

TSDs and the Emergence of the Technology Advisor, with James Anderson

James Anderson is a Senior News Editor for digital news outlet Channel Futures, which hosts the largest IT Partner Event in North America, Channel Partners. In this episode we dive into the beginnings of the Technology Services Distributer (TSD) Industry and how discontent resellers and customers paved the way for the modern Technology Advisor role.

Conversation Highlights:
[01:11] Introducing our guest, James Anderson
[04:52] The history of TSDs
[08:49] Leveraging onboarding tools
[09:48] Biggest players in the TSD world
[12:35] The role of the Technology Advisor
[15:26] Discussing data aggregation
[17:52] Benefits of the Technology Advisor
[23:37] Changing priorities within organizations
[26:56] Discussing Channel Futures
[28:36] Camaraderie in the cybersecurity world
[31:10] Anderson's message to the world

Notable Quotes:
"There is this phase, trusted advisor, that you will hear in our industry, and who doesn't want a trusted advisor, right?" James Anderson [17:53]

"You're trying to be an ally, and you're trying to not make it about the sale, not make it about rushing it, not any quarterly quotas, it's just about being present and vulnerable for your customers." James Anderson [32:02]

Connect With James Anderson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-anderson-74894a5a/
X: @JamesAndersonCP

The IT Matters Podcast is about IT matters and matters pertaining to IT.

Next Episode

Finding Value in Technology Advisors, with Becca Black

On this episode of the IT Matters Podcast, Keith Hawkey and Becca Black discuss the nuances of Technology Advisory. Becca reflects on her journey into the IT world, the significance of authentic relationships, and the importance of effective communication. Tune in for a candid discussion on building connections and achieving success in the IT realm.

Conversation Highlights:
[00:35] Introducing our guest, Becca Black
[02:07] Becca's path to the tech world
[05:55] Transitioning to Opkalla
[08:54] Differences between Technology Advisors and Sales Reps
[12:27] A Day-in-the-Life of a TA
[14:08] Solving problems with our customers
[17:48] Building positive relationships
[21:50] Understanding buying timelines
[25:45] Implementation of solutions
[27:44] Becca's message to IT leaders

Notable Quotes:
"As technology advisors, we try to focus on seeing the world through the end users eyes and understanding the problem from their scope because we are not focused on a particular technology necessarily." Keith Hawkey [11:34]

"It's just incredible how an organization has a heartbeat in the way it operates." Becca Black [27:11]

Connect With Becca Black
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccaarobertson/

The IT Matters Podcast is about IT matters and matters pertaining to IT.