When it comes to making tech operations run smoother, Jesús Moreno has seen it all—having worked across various tech spaces, from human capital management to govtech. With experience in everything from customer success to leading implementation teams, he’s developed an eye for aligning people, processes, and technology in ways that create lasting impact.
Throughout his career, Jesús has focused on recognizing opportunities—big or small—and turning them into meaningful progress. His goal has always been to help businesses move forward and achieve better outcomes. In this guest blog post, Jesús shares his approach to improving tech operations, supported by real-world examples.
Starting With the Basics: People, Process and Potential
In my experience, the foundation of successful operations lies in a clear understanding of people, processes, and technology. When starting a new project, the first step is to map out the current state of operations and then define where we want to be, identifying the 'delta' or gap between them. I spend time interviewing staff, not only to understand overt challenges but also to uncover those hidden or 'latent' pain points—what I call the 'achy knee' issues people have learned to live with.
Once I start to uncover latent issues and pair them with known concerns, the next step is to categorize into boxes and prioritize with collaborators. This gains buy-in on what should be addressed first and is a great way to rally support. People see the value in prioritizing—especially after recognizing problems they did not realize were impacting them—and are more apt to lean in to resolve.
My goal is never to overhaul everything at once, but rather to introduce methods that guide people toward meaningful solutions. Typically we have the tools to do so but don't set a gameplan to guide successful progress.
Connecting the Dots To Build Buy-In
People often lose sight of how the smallest tasks—such as an implementation team updating a project status—play into the entire revenue cycle. I like to show how that small status update triggers billing, which enables revenue collection that keeps the business moving forward.
Making the big picture feel personal is a powerful tool for building support and trust. When people can see how their tasks play out in the context of other departments and in turn the larger impact of their work, they are more invested in making improvements.
Transforming Ideas Into Action, One Step at a Time
Once people are on board, I like to help them visualize a future they can believe in. I’ll ask, “If you were king or queen for a day, what three things would you change?”
When I ask people what they'd change if they were in charge, I often suggest they think about it this way: 'What’s going to make it easier for you to leave your work here?' It’s about setting things up so work doesn’t follow you home, doesn’t overstep into your personal time, and lets you keep your identity outside of the job. Creating that balance isn’t just good for well-being; it also builds a healthier, more focused work environment where people are engaged during the day and can fully recharge afterward.
This question tends to gets people thinking more deeply. They’ll often go back, talk with their team, and bring back ideas that carry weight as they’re rooted in the teams’ needs.
This process isn’t just about collecting feedback; it’s about creating ownership. By keeping the changes incremental, they’re easier to handle and more likely to succeed.
Treating Every Project Like a Puzzle
I’ve always loved problem-solving. For me, it’s like piecing together a complex puzzle. There’s something incredibly exciting about taking what seems like a pile of mismatched pieces and building a connected, moving system.
Sometimes, of course, these puzzles are complex—and in some cases, pieces may be missing. In one case, I had a company with a backlog of 150 implementations that they were responsible for, but they didn’t live in their business, and they didn’t own the direct reporting structure. I started small, focusing on projects marked healthy, and created some initial wins before moving onto those marked on hold.
Start small and focus on the parts of the puzzle you can piece together easily. As humans, we love feeling successful, and sometimes all we need is a starting point to get going. Each win creates a ripple effect that builds momentum and helps the business progress.
A Lesson in Seamless Handoffs
When I led an implementation division, one challenge was establishing smooth, structured handoffs from sales to implementation and from implementation to customer success.
First, we needed to get clear on our standard methodology. For instance, did we have consistent naming conventions for each project phase, and did everyone understand the value of sticking to them as it related to revenue recognition and updates?
At the same time, there was a push for a process by which sales could fully alert the implementation team before they’d fully closed a deal. That way, the implementation team could start getting a framework ready for a project plan based on a template. When a project fully transitioned to their team, they’d be ready to hit the ground running.
With standardized naming conventions and processes serving as a kind of train track, customer success could easily step in when it was their turn and have a clear view of the client’s journey.
Knowing which operational components to prepare for across teams helps transitions feel warm and supportive rather than abrupt. When internal collaboration is smoother, teams and clients win.
Thank you to Jesús for his insights! His approach compels us to think differently about tech operations—seeing them not as a series of tasks but as a dynamic ecosystem where seamless collaboration fuels innovation and growth. Jesús’ work reminds us that operational excellence is about creating systems that empower teams to thrive and organizations to adapt.