You Get The Quote, I'll Raise The P.O.

This is an issue that comes up a lot in our industry: whose job is it to get the quote from the supplier — the admin staff or the attending engineer? I'd have thought that it would be the attending engineer but some of us differ. This is why.

The engineer's point of view

The engineer, whether mobile or static (site-based), has a lot to do on any given day: PPMs, reactive works, and the paperwork that go with it. When the need to get supplies arises, it's a no-brainer that the helpdesk staff ought to be able to sort out a quote on their end.

Internet access

Helpdesk staff at facilities management companies require access to the internet as part of their jobs, so they can quickly and easily look up suppliers, find their phone numbers, call them up and get the items required. All they need is a list, right?

P.D.A.'s don't always work

"Personal digital assistant" is just a fancy name for an internet-enabled mobile phone with a load of work apps on it. And they're only as good as the reception you get. Even if reception is good, sometimes the engineers say the screen sizes are too small to make reading or typing comfortable.

It's their job

The whole point of having helpdesk staff is to get jobs logged, order requisitions processed, purchase orders (P.O.'s) raised, queries resolved, and feedback updated. They deal with our suppliers all the time, it's not that much of a stretch to ask them to contact the suppliers and get prices, etc., for the goods we need.

The admin point of view

Administrators like myself, whatever our title or role, have a lot to do on any given day: taking calls, logging jobs, assigning engineers or subcontractors to reactive jobs and PPMs and processing all the paperwork that goes with it. When the need to get supplies arises, it's a no-brainer that the engineers ought to be able to sort out a quote on their end.

Internet access

If we didn't have access to the internet we wouldn't be able to do our jobs. We have the freedom to use search engines to look up the details of suppliers and we can indeed find their contact details as and when required. However, the items available differ from supplier to supplier and they don't always have them in stock. If the supplier has a question, only the engineer who is ordering the items knows how to answer it. What value is there in using an administrator as a relay? Ask the supplier directly for what you want, then ask them to generate a quote and email it to the shared inbox. It takes about the same amount of time to do that as it does to tell me to do it, so you might as well.

P.D.A. not working?

Most of the sites we have contracts with have internet access of their own. On the assumption that you're friendly with the receptionist or admin staff there, it's not that big a deal to ask them to help out with looking things up online for you — or to let you use the landline phone.

It's your job

You need the items, you know what you want, and you know where to get it from. If you don't know where to get it from ask us and we will help, but unless you are very specific I'll be referring you to the supplier to deal directly with each other. Many of the ones we work with can order things in specially for us. If there's anything on this earth I really hate at work, it's being used as a relay.

Wendy, tell [$supplier] I want a fuse. 

[$supplier], Johnny says he wants a fuse.

Wendy, please ask Johnny which fuse he wants, we have many kinds, shapes, and sizes.

Johnny, [$supplier] want to know which fuse you want, they have many kinds, shapes, and sizes.

Wendy, tell [$supplier] I want a size 3 white fuse.

[$supplier], Johnny says he wants a size 3 white fuse.

Wendy, please ask Johnny which of the many size 3 white fuses he wants...

You get the idea. Don't do that to me. I won't stand for it.

The client's point of view

Stop bickering and get the flippin' job done. I'm waiting...!

Can you blame them?