When users want to switch back: "Build a Business Case."

Thanks to a colleague for this.

Here's the scenario. You've adopted an OpenOffice.org. You're saving hundreds of thousands of dollars. Or thousands. Or millions. It's a lot.

And OpenOffice.org is working. It's allowing your users to get their work done. You've done your pilot and testing and worked through the initial issues with getting everyone up and running, and you're satisfied that it works.

But you have someone, possibly hundreds of someones, telling you that they absolutely need Microsoft Office for various reasons.

Don't just say no. Consider this approach.

Tell them you'll be happy to consider it if they'll present you with the business case for switching. Give them all the costs, including costs for OS, admin, and hardware, of using MS Office. (For instance, if you're on Linux, switching to MS Office also involves getting Windows.)

Ask them to contrast the amount of time they would save, or whatever the benefit is of getting MS Office, against the amount of money saved per person per year, of using OpenOffice.org.

This is particularly effective with people who claim (sometimes accurately, often inaccurately) that MS Office is quicker. That five clicks are necessary in OOO but two clicks in OpenOffice.org.

click = 1 second
doing the task 10 times a day
1 x 3 x 10 times a day x 5 days a week x 50 weeks a year = 125 minutes or 2.1 hours a year

2.1 hours a year of their time is used on OOo when it wouldn't be on MS Office. (Of course, they would spend this much time just doing the business case.)

This approach, if they actually follow through, points out to them and to anyone with authority over decisions and writing checks that there really isn't much impact. It might feel better, and sometimes at least at first be a little more convenient for some procedures for some users to use Word. But is preference enough? Not when you look at the big picture and the business case.

And of course by saying "sure, we'll listen to your request, just do a business case," you get to be the good guy and the ball is back in their court.

Now, if they do have a business case for getting, for themselves and maybe three other people in the company, a few copies of Excel or whatever, then sure, get it for them. It's all about having the right tools and spending your money on what makes sense.

Comments

[Pablo]

I don't need MS Office anymore... and with OpenOffice 3.0, i don't need absolutely nothing, just OO 3.0