Persuading the boss to upgrade Mac hardware / software

UncleBob

UncleBob

UncleBob

Soldato
Joined
6 May 2003
Posts
2,758
I'm currently working in a pre-press role with a rather elderly Dual 1.8GHz PowerPC G5 with 3GB DDR SDRAM (and a 19" CRT monitor) running OSX 10.4.11, using CS3 Design Premium and QuarkXpress 7.5.

The chap that owns the company isn't from a print background and needs some convincing to upgrade - I'm trying to convince him to replace the Mac with an iMac 27" and Creative Cloud membership (upgrading from CS3 should make it around £30 a month) and Pitstop Pro for preflighting.

Can you suggest any arguments to support upgrading? He's notoriously reluctant to spend money and keeps suggesting we get a 21" monitor for the existing Mac instead, and offers useful advice such as "Can't you delete a few things to speed it up?".

I'm currently having to rely on my own laptop (which has CS5, Pitstop 11 from my freelancing days) to help me to do my job properly, which seems a bit rich.
 
UncleBob said:
I'm currently having to rely on my own laptop (which has CS5, Pitstop 11 from my freelancing days) to help me to do my job properly, which seems a bit rich.
Click to expand...

First idea would be to stop doing this to highlight the inadequate equipment in the company.

As long as you have your laptop to rely on he won't see a need to spend his money on things I'd have guessed.
 
You shouldn't have to bring in your own laptop to work off, he should be told this.

Highlight equipment as said, then give him pricing options.

Cheap upgrade to current mac: RAM, SSD, maybe GFX card.
Medium upgrade: Second hand mac
Optimum upgrade: new Mac
 
make a case for improved productivty/multitasking abilities and general faster project turnover. managers understand profit and costs.

AFATK iversting in IT is just a pointless expenditure. If you can convince them they will be able to increase profits and the investment will pay more than itself them you'll get investments.
 
Turn up for work early one day, take out working mac hard drive, slip in broken one, look confused when he comes in shouting at the mac, make him buy a new one?

Also stop bringing in our home computer and make the work load go slower.

Failing that try and do something that needs intel software and show him that power pc has been dead for far far too long to be worth keeping up with...
 
The i7 Mac mini spec'ed up a bit with RAM etc may give you a cheaper / faster option. Having the pleasure of managing IT procurement as well as projects etc my view is normally spend the minimum you can to get decent value for money solutions. Cheap solutions either don't fit the purpose or cost a fortune in the long run.

I imagine his is similar.
 
Maybe get a quote from Apple for business finance.

It won't be loads per month and if you can say to him seriously this is £50 a month and will make my life much easier and I'll be more productive, maybe he'll see sense.

Otherwise yeah... break it.
 
Just tell him straight; that you're having to use your own laptop to do your job properly and this isn't an arrangement you want to continue with.

Offer to continue bringing in your laptop until your replacement arrives, say till the end of the month. There's no need to go to the extreme of 'breaking' the current Mac, if the owner is not willing to listen to you and your professional judgement then that's a bigger issue you need to consider.

He may even just turn around and say he simply can't afford it, but at least you'll have an answer.
 
say to him.
This computer is really slow, I'm always waiting for it to do stuff.
let's be generous and say it only reduces my productivity by 10%
the new computer costs $2000
i earn $150 a day
if you buy this computer in only 6 months (26 weeks @ 5 days a week) you will be profiting from my increased productivity and have a happier employee.
 
stop taking your laptop to work immediately. then log the extra time it takes to complete your work and present him with the facts and the options. if he refuses then look for another job
 
Without wanting to sound overly harsh, this whole business of trying to 'pursuade' your boss to give you a decent computer is a sign of total weakness.

Just tell him/her casually that the tools you have right now are not fit for the job, and taking the enjoyment out of it. And don't give off the impression that you will put up with anything.

Start looking for another job where you aren't put in this position, and perhaps drop sly hints that's exactly what you are doing.

People are motivated by fear and greed - and not an altruistic drive to make you happy. Use that to your advantage ;)
 
Not so subtle hints about job offers and teaming up with the production manager seem to have done the trick. He's agreed to upgrade the Mac and the software, currently just waiting for some info from Screen International regarding migrating the Trueflow client license to the Intel version.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom