Mdtryhht

I have several hats at work - I'm primarily a software developer but I also have to do Linux sysadmin, Windows sysadmin, tech support (like changing printer ink, plugging in cables for people, etc), and new computer equipment.

Recently I managed to convince my boss to get new keyboards and mice for everyone, since most of our current fleet had had 4-5 owners and were disgusting and/or broken. I picked a decently well-reviewed keyboard/mouse set from Amazon with what seemed to be good ergonomics.

No one's a fan of any of this. People keep coming in to complain about how their keyboard doesn't have a calculator key anymore or that the mouse click isn't what they like. My boss especially is mad about this. He says it was immature and unprofessional of me to have this outcome, but I don't know how I could have prevented it. Most people have gone back to their old keyboard and mouse and my boss won't approve returning them, he just says "you need to fix this". How could I go about fixing this?

Amazon should allow for returns. Box them up and send them back.

Before you order new, ask your boss for specific requirements, or ask your teammates for suggestions of what they'd like, then clear the purchase with your boss.

It may be too late this time, but the expenditure per employee is small in terms of their happiness and productivity, so a do-over is probably of net benefit to the business.

Perhaps a reasonable budget can be set and each person allowed to make their own choice - subject to some rules about allowed/disallowed categories or requirements.

If you end up needing to make another fleet purchase, it would be wise to buy one set and pass it around the office for evaluation before you buy a bunch of them.

Why are you purchasing new equipment? If the users don't have a problem with their current equipment, and prefer it over the alternative you have provided, then you seem to be creating a problem that did not exist. People tend to be pretty vocal about keyboards and mice that don't work or fit well because they are constantly annoying; just because they are old or dirty doesn't mean you need to replace them. If you are concerned about the dirty part you can purchase an office cleaning kit with disinfectant and keyboard vacuum.

Most people have gone back to their old keyboard and mouse and my boss won't approve returning them, he just says "you need to fix this".

Issue is fixed. Most people have returned to using their old equipment. Keep the new stuff for new hires or when keyboards or mice break.

On a more serious note, your users will likely have made a similar choice in purchasing if they purchased for themselves. They just wouldn't have anyone to blame for the minor inconvenience of not having a calculator button so they would just deal with it. You obviously shouldn't defend your decision like that.

Preparation: Tell your colleagues you'll be placing a new order. Send everything back to Amazon (I hope you're using a company account for this) unless someone wants to keep their stuff.

1. Get a budget for each peripheral.


2. Select devices that fit the budget. Allow people to give suggestions, as long as they have desirable properties (ie. Fulfilled by Amazon or Returns policy).


3. Send out a form and ask everyone to fill it in by X date (2 weeks is fair and reasonable).


4. Remind people 2-3 days before deadline. Make allowances for sick people and let them order later.


5. Place the order with everyone's preference.

You need to apply some basic marketing strategy to this.

People like to think they have choice. But if you give them too much choice, some of them will realize they don't have any rational reason to choose one thing or another, and that also makes annoyed by the whole process.

So, use the same strategy as a typical physical shop. Give everyone a choice from three options: one that is "obviously" barely adequate, one that is "obviously" too high-tech for what they actually need to do their jobs, and the one in the middle of the range that you want them all to choose.

There's another reason for not giving everyone a completely free choice: inevitably, some of this kit will break or get damaged, and you need to keep some spares. If 90% of the workforce are all using the same model, the other 10% can't feel too hard done by if they have to use that model rather than their own personal choice for a short while, until a replacement arrives.