Raise your hand if you’ve suddenly become your company’s ‘tech buyer’ just because you ‘understand computers’.
Last month, my boss dropped a credit card on my desk and said: ‘Order 30 laptops.’ Cue the chaos:
• Googling ‘how to not get scammed buying bulk electronics’
• Vendors ghosting after promising ‘best price’
• Accounting asking for ‘tax forms’ I’ve never seen
Sound familiar? Share your:
- Most ridiculous purchase request
- Hack that saved your life
- Favorite coping meme
P.S. If you actually enjoy this… teach me your ways.
Top comments (5)
the amount of conversations i've had over that topic is crazy. ever feel like the only qualification needed is just knowing how to turn stuff on? you run into some truly questionable requests. did you ever find a system that made the headache a bit easier
Haha, the 'tech buyer by default' role seems to be universal! Over time I've learned a few things that help:
Create a simple checklist (specs, budget, timeline) to align everyone's expectations early
Build relationships with 2-3 reliable vendors - their advice often saves headaches
Always leave buffer time for unexpected delays (which always happen!)
It's not perfect, but at least I get fewer last-minute emergencies now. Would love to hear what's worked for you!
I met this issue before.... Can't tolerate anymore. Do you have any advice?
Some teams use automation tools like Accio for this – might be worth exploring if it's a recurring headache!
Some comments may only be visible to logged-in visitors. Sign in to view all comments.