Spent the last 3 months getting requirements for computer upgrades. After that picked out some decent laptops. (Thinkpad L and T series)
Nothing fancy, but I’m just tired of diagnosing problems with previous sysadmin purchased Vostro laptops.
After getting quotes from multiple vendors, finally got everything and sent the CEO to confirm. Guess fucking what… It got fucking denied.
“Look for cheaper laptops and replace only whats critical”
Employees are rocking 7 year old laptops with 128G SSDs! The bloody things can’t even run Win 11! The whole upgrade costs less than their single “teambuilding”! I hate this these cheapskates so fucking much…
It’s frustrating to be in that position, especially when your proposal is reasonable and based on extensive research. Here’s a strategic approach to justify your purchase request more effectively:
Focus on Cost-Benefit Analysis: Highlight the financial impact of the outdated laptops. Explain how productivity loss and increased maintenance costs associated with old hardware end up costing more over time compared to a proactive upgrade. You could also point out the risk of data loss or increased downtime due to failing hardware.
Security Risks: Emphasize the security concerns of running unsupported hardware and software, especially if they can’t upgrade to Windows 11. Explain that outdated systems are a liability, especially if your company handles sensitive data. Mention the potential costs of a security breach compared to the cost of the new laptops.
Critical Functionality: Address the “critical replacement” directive by making a case that most of the laptops fall under this category. Show evidence that the old laptops cannot handle the required software, highlighting instances where employees struggle to complete essential tasks efficiently.
Comparison with Company Expenses: It may be strategic to tactfully compare the cost of the laptop upgrades to non-essential expenses, like teambuilding events. Avoid sounding confrontational, but emphasize that investing in core infrastructure benefits the entire organization.
Highlight Vendor Efforts: Mention that you’ve worked to get competitive pricing from multiple vendors, which demonstrates due diligence. You could also inquire about leasing or financing options if that makes the cost more palatable to management.
Emphasize Employee Productivity: Point out that employees’ effectiveness and morale are directly impacted by their tools. Explain how up-to-date laptops enable employees to work faster and more efficiently, which can boost overall performance.
Long-Term Plan: If budget constraints are tight, consider proposing a phased approach where critical replacements are prioritized but still push for a complete rollout in the near future.
Prepare to Negotiate: Be open to compromise if necessary. For instance, you could suggest a tiered approach where more powerful laptops are allocated to employees whose roles demand higher performance, while others get decent, mid-range upgrades.
Crafting your argument to align with the company’s priorities, such as cost management and risk reduction, will make it more persuasive. Good luck!
Thanks chatgpt
My thoughts, chatpgt’s wording. I suck at writing
Is every well thought-out response going to be met with the “AI” sneering accusation from here on out? Some people really are thoughtful, knowledgeable, and have enough empathy and concern to share their expertise with the world. I find this attitude here is yet another flavour of anti-intellectualism. LLMs got their plagiarised material from real people, after all.
No, only when it follows ChatGPT’s response formula.
Maybe not every well thought-out response but when someone copies and pastes a long response without the appropriate intro (“hey the robot actually had some good advice this time:“), a quick comment is fair.
Gentle CC: @[email protected]
Basically, make a “business argument” for the upgrades. CEO’s are generally business bros with limited practical experience. They understand sales and people pleasing/kiss assing. So the right argument is usually how it will increase sales and make their employees more productive and happier.
Unfortunately with the current equipment being 7 years old, “anything is better than the shit we currently have”. With win10 being put to pasture, your company needs to do a full replacement. So buy the cheaper ones that the CEO wants, then work on convincing him to buy the higher end ones when the cheap shit dies in the next 2-4 years.
Phrase it like "Due to the urgency of our upgrade needs and budgetary constraints, I understand why we need to buy lower quality equipment. This equipment has a life expectancy of 2-4 years. I recommend when these lower quality models need replacement we go with a higher quality model and a life expectancy of 5-7 years. This will in the long term reduce our expected cost by $xxxx/year.
Yeah, sometimes you just gotta tell them that teambuilding isn’t going to do shit when opening any more than 4 MS Words make the computer stop.
I remember having cramped hands when trying to write fast in examinations. This would the the modern analogue.