Conference 7.286::digital

    Re .0
    
    Well at least the mail doesn't have to come from a VP.
    
    Dave

    RE: .1-
    
    	Dave, I've been following your s/w quest Note, so I suppose I
    should think this somehow less bureaucratic. Perhaps in scope but not
    scale.
    
    	I currently have an "acting" manager, the third in three months.
    He and my most recent manager both have endorsed and supported that
    our support organization self-manage itself. I'll be interested to 
    see how pleased they are with this policy.
    
    Phil

re: all

Although I haven't asked for specific permission to post this, note that 
the author has specifically requested wide distribution.

Ray
________________________________________________________________________________

From:	ISLNDS::ISLNDS::MRGATE::"A1::NEALON.ROBERT" 14-MAY-1993 12:05:09.28
To:	@Distribution_List
CC:	
Subj:	(A) DECDIRECT INTERNAL ORDERING DTN SHUT-OFF                           1

From:	NAME: ROBERT NEALON @BXC            
	FUNC:                                 
	TEL: 508-635-7768                 <NEALON.ROBERT AT A1 at ISLNDS at BXC>
To:     See Below


    
    
    ***********************************************************************
                           PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY
    ***********************************************************************
    
    
    In keeping with our focus on expense reduction and effective cost 
    management, telephone ordering through DECdirect for internal cost 
    centers has been suspended.  The DECdirect DTN telephone is now 
    inoperative.
    
    Orders may be placed through DECdirect electronically (INH_ORDER @MKO 
    or MKOTS4::INH_ORDER), but must be sent from the cost center manager's 
    mail account.  Instructions and an electronic order form can be 
    accessed through VTX DOC.
    
    
    
    

To Distribution List:

AL CEFALO @MSO,
JAMES @MILPND @VAXMAIL,
LUCIA QUINN @MLO,
CONKLIN @HUMAN @VAXMAIL,
GRESHAM BREBACH @MLO,
LARRY WALKER @LKG,
SUPNIK @HUMAN @VAXMAIL,
SPRATT_P @MILPND @VAXMAIL,
R_JOLLS @MILPND @VAXMAIL,
ROBERSON @NAS007@VAXMAIL,
MAHENDRA @PATEL@VAXMAIL,
BILL KOTEFF @MLO,
TEDDY HOPSON @MLO,
SAM FULLER @MLO,
BILL DEMMER @BXB,
CHRISTENSEN @MILPND@VAXMAIL,
ED LUCENTE @MLO,
BILL STEUL @MLO,
ADRIANA STADECKER @MLO,
JOHN SIMS @MLO,
TOM SIEKMAN @MSO,
WILLOW SHIRE @MRO,
DICK SCARBOROUGH @MKO,
BRUCE RYAN @MLO,
JOHN RANDO @MLO,
DICK POULSEN @GEO,
ENRICO PESATORI @MLO,
BOB PALMER @MLO,
VIN MULLARKEY @MLO,
FRANK MCCABE @MLO,
PAUL KOZLOWSKI @MLO,
JOHN KLEIN @MLO,
BILL JOHNSON @MLO,
WIN HINDLE @MLO,
TERRY FINK @MLO,
DICK FARRAHAR @MLO,
CHARLES CHRIST @MLO,
BOBBY CHOONAVALA @AKO,
LARRY CABRINETY @DSG,
RON BUNKER @AKO,
HENRY ANCONA @MLO,
RUSS GULLOTTI @MKO,
DENNIS ALBANO @DSG,
FRANK BOWDEN @SCA,
TOM COLATOSTI @OFO,
CECIL DYE @WRO,
ROSE ANN GIORDANO @MRO,
JOEL GOLDSTEIN @MSO,
BOB GOOD @MRO,
TOM GRILK @MRO,
AL HALL @COP,
NEAL HOUTZ @OHF,
KAREN HOWARD @MRO,
MIKE HOWARD @MRO,
JACK MACKEEN @MRO,
MAX MAYER @MRO,
JOHN PAGET @MRO,
ROGER ROSE @ACI,
BOB RUSSELL @SCO,
BOB SCHMITT @MKO,
TONY WALLACE @MRO,
JOE ZERCOE @MRO,
FRANKLIN ATTER @SHR,
ED CALDWELL @HLO,
DUANE DICKHUT @BXC,
LES GOLDMAN @AKO,
DAN JENNINGS @BXC,
ROB KASS @GEO,
CARL KOOYOOMJIAN @BXC,
JUDY MAUDLIN @WFO,
JIM MCCLUNEY @BXC,
ED MCDONOUGH @BXC,
CLAIRE MUHM @BXC,
BOB NEALON @BXC,
MARIAN OLEARY @BXC,
BOB PAUL @MSO,
PHIL PIETROWSKI @OGO,
PAUL BAKSTRAN @MRO,
DAVE BERESFORD @MRO,
MARVIN COLLINS @MRO,
ED FURILLA @MRO,
PAT MCCARTHY @NIO,
JOE NADLER @MRO,
MIGUEL NAZARIO @CRO,
BOB NEALON @BXC,
LARRY PAPE @MRO,
JOY THOMPSON @MRO,
JOHN WALSHE @MRO,
IRENE WONG @BXC

    Fantastic.  I am currently the highest paid secretary at Digital
    Equipment Corporation .. with the title of Sales Executive.  Now I
    can offload some of my secretarial duties onto a District Manager.
    
    Something's wrong with this picture.
    
    Bubba

>    Fantastic.  I am currently the highest paid secretary at Digital
    Equipment Corporation .. 

     
    Bubba,

    Just make sure you are the BEST DAMN ONE there is!!!!!

    ;*)
    

    RE: .3,.4-
    
    	I called the DTN 5/21. It was still working. Are we surprised?
    
    Phil

    
    Just to let you know I have ordered several times using the form
    provided and sending it thru VAXmail.  Everytime I have received the
    confirmation within a couple of hours, and the goods within 2 days.
    
    Personally, I find this system much more efficient since I have my form 
    set up and just have to fill in what I need and send it off.  No waiting on
    the phone to respond to all the questions.
    
    Dianne
    
    

    RE: .8-
    
    	Tell us more. I was told that the MAIL had to be from a Cost Center
    manager's account. But methinks how would they know?
    
    	Phil

re: .9

I have been ordering thru VAXMail since the beginning of March when I
was forwarded the form from DECdirect.  No one told me at that time it
had to be from the cost centers mangers account although I do get approval
from my him prior to sending it.  I have had no problems/questions from 
DECdirect.

Here's the form I was forwarded:



Subject: IN-HOUSE ORDERING FORM                                      

PLEASE FORWARD THIS FORM TO IN-HOUSE CUSTOMERS WHO REQUEST IT.


DECdirect is now accepting in-house orders via ALL-IN-1 and VAXmail!  When
sending in your order, YOU MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

Contact Name:________________________________________
DTN:____________________
Cost Center to be charged:_________

     QTY        PART NUMBER              DESCRIPTION







Ship to address:___________________________________________
                ___________________________________________
                ___________________________________________
                ___________________________________________
Attn:________________________________
Mail stop:__________
Badge number:_______
External phone number (   )--------------------
Authorization number (if appropriate)________________________

Special instructions:



Please include your DTN and mail account information so we may get in
touch with you if we have any questions.

                *****************************************

Send order via ALL-IN-1 to INH_ORDER @ DDD, or VAXmail to  MKOTS4::INH_ORDER.

                *****************************************

    	Well, I tried it. I got automatic response acknowledging my order
    and a second message indicating that the SPI part no. is no longer
    available....
    
    	So, I can only assume that the order would have been processed if
    the item was available.
    
    Phil

    .11 is part of my question
    
    What do I do when I don't have a part number or the item I ordered is
    no longer available?
    
    Joyce

      
     Here's some information about DECdirect which might be helpful.
    
         The decision to only allow orders from cost center managers'
    accounts was made by senior leadership in DIGITAL, not DECdirect. 
    This edict was published in mid-May thus the change is still making its
    way through the grapevine.  The issue is threefold:  cut down on
    expenses for Q4 (perhaps beyond), improve controls and reallocate
    resources to revenue producing work.
    
     Many people have commented that ordering by e-mail is faster, easier,
    and they like receiving a written acknowledgment of their order. To get
    a copy of the order form, type  VTX DOC,  selection 7 and then 2. Send
    the order from your cost center manager's account (or accompanied by cc
    manager approval memo) to INH_ORDER @MKO or MKOTS4::INH_ORDER.  Once
    you  have the form in your mail account, simply retrieve it when you
    need to place an order.  Cost center manager approval must accompany
    every  order.  The responsibility to follow this process lies with the
    cost center manager.
    
      We will stay tuned to this notes file and try to dialog as
    appropriate.  Thank you for the feedback to date.
    
      Nancy Blaisdell
     Internal Order Manager
    

    What's so wrong with being honest about this?
    
    "Senior leadership in DIGITAL" doesn't trust cost center managers to
    implement local practices that solve the "threefold issue", as they
    would in any other company.
    
    It's not as if Digital has 90,000 employees without a clue on what to
    order from DECdirect.  No, it's a breakdown of trust:
    
    (1) VP's look at the aggregate spending and say "that's too much".
    
    (2) Employees don't trust their immediate and senior "leadership" to
    provide the products and materials it takes to get work done.
    
    Talk:
    
    Empowerment, empowerment, empowerment
    
    Action:
    
    Edict, edict, edict (quoting from 2504.14)

    The thing is, they went from one extreme to the other.  You use to be
    able to call up DECdirect, order any software and they would ship it to
    you.  No approval what so ever was required.  This was too lenient in
    my opinion (you can easily spend more on software apps. than on the
    hardware, which requires a CAR).  Now they go to having to have a VP
    approve.
    
    If they would just change the policy to have a cost center manager
    approval with proper signature authorization, then the problem would be
    solved.  You could further require that there be a separate requester
    and approver (to insure that a cost center manager get approval for his
    personal use software from his manager).
    
    I think in this case, we went from No control to Over control.
    
    Bing

    
    >>Note 2505.16   DECdirect no longer accepts internal phone orders.     
    >>16 of 16
    >>MIMS::HUNT_B                                         16 lines 
    >>28-MAY-1993 09:02
    >>                       -< From One Extreme to the Other >-
    >>
    >>    The thing is, they went from one extreme to the other.  You use
    >>    to be able to call up DECdirect, order any software and they 
    >>    would ship it to you.  No approval what so ever was required.  
    >>    This was too lenient in my opinion (you can easily spend more 
    >>    on software apps. than on the hardware, which requires a CAR).  
    >>    Now they go to having to have a VP approve.
                                          ^^^^^^^^^^
    
    Please re-read .14  I think you missed something.

It's ridiculous to require cost center manager approval.  The cost
center manager is going to find out about the order eventually
anyway, and anyone who ordered something they shouldn't have can be
taken to task by the CCM at that time.  We all know what we should or
shouldn't buy, and when in doubt we can *ask* our manager.  It really
all boils down to issues of trust.

    Far be it from me to support this additional red tape, but it does
    turn out that .18's assumption that "The cost center manager is going
    to find out about the order eventually..." isn't quite right.
    
    Cost center reports are far from readable.  There is far too much
    administrative hassle and cost associated with researching each cost
    item to find out salient details (like originator and item purchased),
    especially for a small expenditure.  This sounds terrible, but we
    tend to concentrate on researching the larger items ($5K and up), which
    are seldom DECdirect expenditures.
    
    For the record, I know that at least some hardware items in DECdirect
    receive a significant discount if purchased via IEG.  So placing a
    DECdirect order directly is often not cost-efficient.  This is really
    an instrument for the customers who help Digital pay our salaries.
    
    Regards,
    Leslie Klein

    RE: 14
    
    Sorry,
    
    I didn't read .14 before I posted my reply.  I was going by what some
    others have said the current policy was as far as ordering shrink
    wrapped software.
    
    Bing

    Re: .15-
    
    >Talk:
    
    >Empowerment, empowerment, empowerment
    
    >Action:
    
    >Edict, edict, edict (quoting from 2504.14)
    
    
    	This echoes my point in .2. 
    
    	There have been references here and even the suggestion of the 
    woman I spoke with as the basis for this Note that one could send the 
    order from a Cost Center manager's account. Talk about a trust issue.
    I would not do this even if I could. Seems some manager's secretaries 
    do author E-mail when authorized, but these comments imply another 
    potential for the wink-wink nudge-nudge know-what-I-mean approach to
    circumventing the system.
    
    	I'd like to know how many CC managers view this as supporting the
    "empowerment" message. I'd also like to know how this policy translates
    into savings considering the labor hours added to procurement of
    supplies.
    
    Phil

    
    every secretary I've known has had CC manger account access.  With
    hundreds of "newmails" every day, someone has to screen them for
    priority.
    
    

    Re: .22
    
    >	    every secretary I've known has had CC manger account access.  With
    >hundreds of "newmails" every day, someone has to screen them for
    >priority.
    
    	I know that. I mentioned secretaries in .21. So now we have a
    secretary involved in deciding if I really need toner for the LN03. If 
    it is considered a priority, then add the manager. Now that we have
    consumed employee time and a few blocks of disk space the real cost of
    the item is invisibly inflated (assuming the order is ultimately
    approved) and incurs a guaranteed delay.
    
    Phil
    	

    Re .22:
    
    > every secretary I've known has had CC manger account access.  With
    > hundreds of "newmails" every day, someone has to screen them for
    > priority.

    That's the wrong way to handle it!  The cost center manager's mail
    should be _forwarded_ to an account accessible by the secretary
    (perhaps one distinct from the secretary's regular account, to keep the
    secretary's own mail separate).  Using that account, the secretary
    should handle the mail.  It can then be printed, filed, handled by the
    secretary, or sent back to the manager (with forwarding disabled).
    
    Alternately, the secretary should be given access (via ACLs) to the
    manager's mail files, which would allow the secretary to read new mail
    and organize it into folders in the manager's mail file.
    
    Allowing two people to access one account is a violation of Digital
    computer security guidelines, and for good reason.  Acts should be
    traceable to one person, which requires each account correspond to one
    person (although not necessarily vice-versa).
    
    
    				-- edp