spent their time doing . “ It was all about being a service provider . IT was viewed as a utility keeping the lights on and the power going .” Of course the lights do still have to be kept on , and his IT team at Jack Cooper will never lose sight of their service imperative , “ IT must continue to digitise and innovate , but if you fail as a service provider you won ’ t be successful as an innovation provider ,” he emphasises . Today his role is a strategic one and he is part of the executive team reporting directly to the CEO : no major investment or expansion is considered without considering the IT implications . “ IT has evolved into a partnership and much more , a strategic relationship with those we serve ” he says . At Jack Cooper , ‘ those we serve ’ is code not just for the customers but for every one of the company ’ s employees , an attitude that underlines another change that has taken place throughout the IT world , the ‘ flattening ’ of the entire organisation .