So... I need to vent.

[rant]

I am an IT manager. There are 3 technicians in my group including me, now. There used to be 5. We are supporting ~500 users in 14 different buildings. Quick math, our support ratio is ~167:1 - ridiculous. To top it off, we are going to be furloughed starting September. Fine.

In the past two years, I have been trying to consolidate ordering and standardize hardware. I am no longer ordering personal printers, only networked group printers. I am ordering one desktop configuration and two laptops from one manufacturer.

In the past, my department has ordered whatever the user wanted. This has mostly been an issue in regards to laptops. Everyone wants something different. Everyone's friend is telling them to order something new and cool. 50% of the time it turns out not to be a machine that is appropriate for business use. This used to be tons of work for me working up quotes for each user. It literally used to take up hours of my day working up quotes.

Standardizing hardware has streamlined support. We know what to expect and have parts and accessories should replacements be needed. It also speeds up setup and configuration as we are using a standard image that has all basic software and settings preconfigured. It is literally 30 minutes to setup a new computer vs. maybe 4 hours loading all the software and configuring.

I have to explain this to every person that tries to order something different and it is a fight every time. It really is a product of the way the department operated previously.

Now they are trying to go around me by getting quotes from techs in other departments that work in their buildings. While I appreciate the other tech's trying to help, it only turns into more work for me by having to argue department position to every person that tries to order something different.

What they don't understand is that ALL I.T. RELATED ORDERS COME THROUGH ME for approval. I am rejecting orders multiple times because they keep trying to send them through different channels. There was even one person who bought a computer at Fry's because it was cool and tried to get re-reimbursed. I got a call the next day.

him - "Can you setup my new computer?"

me - "Did we order it for you?"

him - "No, I picked it up at Fry's. It was really cool."

me - "We cannot connect it to the network if it is not company property. I already told you that we are only ordering two models. I sent you the quotes. Central IT is still running XP. They will not connect a Vista machine. I could throw XP on your fancy new computer, but there are no XP drivers for some of the hardware on your laptop. I would have told you this if you asked me before buying your fancy new laptop."

him - "THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!! What do you mean I can't run my stat programs on my fancy new 8" netbook?!?!??!"

I'm sick of this. Why do you ask my advice and then not follow it? How do you expect me to support you if you don't follow the rules? That would be like me going to the doctor to get treatment for a disease and then coming up with my own cure and then expecting him to fix it when it invariably doesn't work.

"I know you said I had to take the drugs you prescribed, but I figured drinking Windex would do the same thing. I know as much about medicine as you do because I read it on the internet. Why am I still sick? It's your fault that I am still sick."

I need to find a new career.

[/rant]

 

bah IT

always a consumer problem

when ppl call in and they scream my computer doesn't work
its like did you plug it in yet? lol got a few of those

 

Ryball, as a fellow IT manager I feel your pain. The first thing I did when I started at my current company was move towards a homogenous hardware configuration for end users. Actually, that was the second thing; the first thing I did was set up a CentOS IT server running OTRS as a trouble ticket system. Luckily, my company is about 1/5th the size of yours and is primarily engineers, so explaining my policy of standardized hardware to them wasn't an issue -- until we started hiring more sales people, that is.

 

We are only one department (granted the largest department) in the health system. I've never had this issue at previous jobs. I think it is due to the fact that I am dealing with doctors that are used to getting what they want and often assume they are smarter than anyone they are dealing regardless of topic.

They think it is THEIR money and THEIR computer. Sorry, no.

 

At my company, the users have NO CHOICE about what machine we give them. It's all according to senority and to actual need. We're not going to give the best stuff to people who don't really need it. If there is a need for a new fancy technology, we research it and implement only after thorough testing, which sounds like what you want to do.

You need to put your foot down, and you might need help from someone above yourself to do so.

Or, you could say "Gee, I'm getting laid off in a short amount of time, who gives a rat's a$$?"

 

I gave my users no choice either. You should contact your Lenovo rep and tell him that you are goign to standardize hardware and that you already have a proposal from Dell to outfit the company but you want to see what Lenovo can come back with and if they will be competitive. I guarantee it will be ~30% of list price off. That will work for the desktops, laptops and monitors.

Take that SKU to your CDW rep and have them put your lenovo bid price on your CDW portal page and have all ordering go through you. Tell people that if they want a laptop, they will get a laptop, no choices or customization.

Also, look into som image integrity. SMS is bundled with your EA, if you have it.

Your boss will be happy because of the money saved and you will be happy because of the headaches saved.

 

Computers, hah, n00bs.

Standardizing everything is very easy to explain. It means that you can have all the parts necessary every time you visit a new site/person dealing with the issues that you can resolve quicker. Sure you can resolve issues of other computers, but it would be more time consuming and less pro production. With the time crunch on much of california, they should understand that they should save their $$ for their OWN computers for their OWN time and OWN use.

 

Ryball,

I'm a Proj. mgr. in healthcare also (operations, not IT), and I worked on the same issue this year. For 3000 employees, in 6 months I worked with our new IT ops director and Med Group. Administrators to move from a poor asset management system/process, to a more solid purchasing method, better asset tracking, and mandatory education regarding compliant use of company assets (the laptops).

I know exactly what you mean about the docs lol.

 

Yeah, it is wise that you have some sort of standard in terms of hardware/software. Troubleshooting is a hell of a lot easier, more streamlined, and a lower cost to the company. If the users complain...well then they can take it up with their manager. But, remember...look at your title "I.T. Manager" This is your shop! You run the shop how you want it to be run. Maybe a company wide e-mail with a detailed response (Situation, Reason, Expectations, Actions, Contact)?

The I.T. world makes you grow a thick skin. You'll be fine man.

 

My users have NO CHOICE. They THINK they do. This is the fight. Also, we have volume pricing. We are ordering the same computers that 90% of the organization (Central IT) is. There are just small departments that are "rogue".

 

They don't care.

 

The department email goes out all the time.

"These are the rules. There will be no deviation."

They don't care.

"I am such and such and there fore these standards don't apply to me."

I think really if you don't deal with doctors, then you might not understand.

 

Yeah I feel you man. Doctors, CEO's, CFO's, VP's, etc. they have this mentality that they are better than everyone. They are on top of the food chain. You'll get through this. Just take it a day at a time. The economy is in the crap hole right now, it's good that we have a stable job.

 

truth

 

The thing is though, I have dealt with CEO's etc that think they are better than you. That is nothing new. With doctors, they "KNOW" they are smarter than you and will never admit that they aren't regardless of the subject at hand.