Money to spend for our IT department...what would you buy?

[A210AMG]

Hello


Nice position to be in as we have a fair size pot of money in order to buy 'things' for our IT department left at the end of our year.

Now most projects have specific funds and budgets so there taken care of (backups, servers, thin clients, wireless etc etc) so this spare money is for Items that would be 'nice to have'

Its actually quite hard thinking of some ideas..

I'm thinking upgrade / replace our own staff machines
Hard drive duplicator
Tools
External hard drives for techs
New mini notebooks for techs out on site



Any other nice to have items? Has to be related to our department alas I cannot just buy a 50K merc as it comes with an SD card reader

 

[KillerHERTZ]

4x USB Rocket Launchers per desk, you will need nothing else

[YOUTUBE]EmZ-QKglyrc[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Ade B]

Could you improve the physical environment? new furniture, decorations, more efficient heating cooling, better lighting etc
- or is all that taken care of with a different pot?

Ade

 

[Dryce]

Its actually quite hard thinking of some ideas..

Last time I did this we changed all the monitors in the office.

Many years ago we got (much) better chairs.

 

[Ronnie]

Call Dell....let them have details of your requirements...let them spec up for you, and even if you do not buy their products, which combined with the back-up service are second to none, you have professional advice, free of charge..

 

[LTD]

Hookers and beer

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

iPhones and Foxy Bingo credits all round??

Seriously, I think you should pass it to me. I don't have anywhere near enough budget this year to do what we really need to do.

Even more seriously, why not hand it back? It's not usually thought to be a good idea as it might limit budget next year on the basis that budget-decision-makers will say "Why do you need so much? You didn't spend £x last year.", but money is difficult to come by a the moment. Go on, you know it makes sense.

 

[Dryce]

Hookers and beer

What? No pizza?

 

[timskemp]

Monitors, Chairs, Keyboards, Mice, Max out the RAM in every machine, wireless N (if you have wireless networking), Left for Dead dedicated server.

 

[kwakdonut]

iPhones and Foxy Bingo credits all round??

Seriously, I think you should pass it to me. I don't have anywhere near enough budget this year to do what we really need to do.

Even more seriously, why not hand it back? It's not usually thought to be a good idea as it might limit budget next year on the basis that budget-decision-makers will say "Why do you need so much? You didn't spend £x last year.", but money is difficult to come by a the moment. Go on, you know it makes sense.

That's a mad idea! Hand it back and next year you get nothing......

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

That's a mad idea! Hand it back and next year you get nothing......

As I say, it's often not thought to be a good idea.

However, one thing I cannot bear is waste, and over the years I've seen so much money spent - "or we'll lose it" - on stuff that adds zero value it's driven me nuts.

If one good thing has come out the difficult economic climate is that in at least in some businesses it's seen as a good thing if you can give some money back, so that it can be used on value adding activities - or even just ease cash flow.

 

[kwakdonut]

Oh totally agree - I work for one of the least efficient 'companies' moneywise - HM Armed Forces! You wouldn't believe how many budgets we have on one station alone.......

 

[A210AMG]

Hello

As mentioned, giving it back means I get less next year as they assume I had too much this year which I have. We now have a seperate pot for old machines that this spare money would have been used for...

The office has recently had new desks / screens etc... but that was a good idea.


Its a nice position to be in but actually thinking what to purchase is quite hard...

 

[Rory]

Training? Preferably something based at WaltDisneyWorld, Florida (they do hold a lot of conventions etc there).

 

[Mudster]

Herman Miller chairs.

Best thing I ever bought, my back problems stopped almost overnight, don't waste huge sums on the Aeron just casue David Dimbleby sits on one.....the Mirra is outstandingly comfortable.

 

[Rory]

Herman Miller chairs.

Best thing I ever bought, my back problems stopped almost overnight, don't waste huge sums on the Aeron just casue David Dimbleby sits on one.....the Mirra is outstandingly comfortable.

I've got an Aeron but I tend to slide off it.

 

[Koolvin]

You could hire my consultancy for a few days

 

[kwakdonut]

You could hire me for a few days! I wouldn't do much, just drink tea and trawl the t'internet......


No change then!

 

[Tan]

How about staff training of some description either technical or motivational or team building activities.

 

[Sp!ke]

Herman Miller chairs.

Best thing I ever bought, my back problems stopped almost overnight, don't waste huge sums on the Aeron just casue David Dimbleby sits on one.....the Mirra is outstandingly comfortable.

The whole of my companies offices have these chairs at great expense. £

We dislike them immensely.

I had to modify mine with blocks of wood and bits of foam in order to be able to live with it.

It now looks like it came from a junk shop, is still far more uncomfortable than my previous chair (that I wasn't allowed to continue using for cosmetic).

The arms slope downwards rather than being at right angles (like every chair I've ever sat in) and when you lean back, the base tilts forwards and tries to tip you out of the chair.

v. poor design and v. expensive.