Whose "process" is it ?

One more thought from last nights marathon work to make a customer happy !

Customer had a critical issue that dissapointed thousands of German people's, watching an interesting soccor match.

But the problem was identified, solved. Its just time to deliver them the fixed product.

The last mile is the "process". Go to defferent depts of this big corporation, get everyone's stamp. Ship it.

There was the problem. Release dept told, they are too busy doing special releases and they wont support this. A lot of VPs were copied.

They all sent e-mails asking me to make it happen. But no one was responding to the release dept. to bend their stance, work over the weekend and get it done.

People react differently to this situation. And I reacted in my own (which is "almost" illegal). I had to get the release out over the weekend.

The bosses or release dept said NO. I said OK - Thanks ! Went to a personal friend within the dept, who is in east coast of USA. Asked her, how much work is it for the release team to approve this ? She showed me 3 tools and 3 forms to fill up and click submit. Just that, I am not allowed to do it. My login does not have that privilege. She has. Bus she wont do it, as her bosses say NO.

I told her, in this economy, here is a customer, who is putting 30M USD on table. If we don't win these sums, some of us lose our job and be part of the recession. And East Coast is the one that gets hit first !

That worked !

Now, I ve all tools / forms submitted. The release will go out on Monday as promised. With legal Company stamp on it.

Funny thing, is I responded to the "NO" mails, every VP copied, saying it is "YES" now. Somehow, magically !

No one has reacted to that yet.. or may be they are enjoying their weekend so far.