When you work with something, it's so much easier if you have the proper tools, right?
The same goes for calibration – if calibration is your job, you want the best tools to make your work easier and help you to get more done. Modern calibrators ensure that your calibrations are accurate, you have less to carry, are easy to use, there are automated functions, and so on.
However, when you ask your boss to buy you a new calibrator, you need good arguments. Often, what is important to you may not be as important to your boss. So, you need to be clever and speak “boss language”, presenting the arguments that are important to your boss!
In this blog, I look at how you can talk to your boss to convince them to get you that new, shiny calibrator. Let's dive in and unlock the secrets to getting that "yes!"
First, let’s look at the needs of calibration technicians. Then, I list some of the things that typically matter to bosses and managers - the decision makers. Finally, I’ll discuss how you should present your arguments to your boss to get approval for buying your new calibrator.
What matters to calibration technicians
Let’s briefly look at the things that normally matter the most to the people who are using the calibrators. Often, they are calibration technicians, or calibration engineers.
Less to carry – The calibrator should be multifunctional, so that you don’t need to carry several separate tools with you out in the field.
Easy to use – You need to do many different jobs and use many different systems and tools, so the calibrator should be easy to learn and to use. You don’t necessarily use the calibrator every day, so it must be easy to use.
Accurate - Good accuracy is naturally a must-have. You can’t calibrate and adjust field instruments properly if your calibrator is not accurate enough. Field instruments are improving and getting more accurate, so should your calibrators.
Automation – If your calibration tools can automate part of your work, that is a great time saver.
Automatic documentation – Since you need to document the calibration you do, it is great if the calibrator can do the documentation automatically so you don’t need to play with pen and paper.
What matters to the bosses/managers
Of course, the priorities and well-being of calibration technicians are important to any manager. But still, the things that matter most to managers are usually different to what matter to technicians.
Typically, the following things are important to managers:
Costs and ROI – Making sure that the operational costs do not exceed budgets. And that any new investments provide a good return on investment (ROI).
Productivity and efficiency – Doing more with less. There seem to be fewer resources everywhere, but you still need to get more and more done.
Digitalization – It is very difficult to find a plant these days that doesn’t have digitalization initiatives ongoing.
Reliability and downtime reduction – Making sure that processes run reliably, and any downtime is minimal.
Regulatory compliance – It’s important to ensure that processes are compliant with all relevant standards and regulations.
Safety and risk management – The safety of workers (and customers) and risk management are important.
Training and skills development – Employees need to be trained to make sure their skills stay up to date.
Data quality and integrity – The quality and integrity of calibration data needs to be ensured.
Sustainability and environment – Environmental considerations such as waste and energy reduction and effluent monitoring need to be taken into account in operations.
How to convince your boss
As you saw, there are some differences between the things that matter to technicians and the things that matter to bosses. So how do you discuss with your boss to get the approval to buy your new calibrator?
Obviously, you still have the reasons that matter most to you, but you need to focus on the things that are important to your boss.
Your discussion topics could include following:
Productivity and efficiency – Highlight that the automated features of the new calibrators make you and your team more productive and efficient, so you get your job done faster and better.
Data quality and integrity – Using modern documenting calibrators will automate documentation, not only making your job more efficient, but also improving the quality of data. This is because it reduces the human errors always present in manual documentation.
Costs and ROI – Although new calibrators will always come with a price tag, improved efficiency ensures a good ROI and short pay-back time.
Digitalization – New modern documenting calibrators will take the first important steps towards digitalization of your calibration processes. Every boss love digitalization! In future, you can combine those documenting calibrators with calibration management software, and you have digitalized your calibration ecosystem and turn it paperless! Down the road, your calibration software can be connected to your CMMS system to digitalize and automate also your work order delivery.
Regulatory compliance – A digitalized calibration ecosystem makes it easier to comply with quality standards and regulations. It also makes any audits so much easier.
Training and skills development – New calibrators with a modern user interface are easier to use and easier for new workers to learn.
Safety and risk management – In case you need to work in hazardous areas, having intrinsically safe calibrators will make it so much safer to work. It also makes it more efficient as you don’t need to work with hot work permits and carry gas detectors like you do with regular calibrators.
So, there you have it! Getting your boss to buy a new calibrator isn't about listing all the cool features you want. It's about understanding what matters to them and framing your arguments in a way that speaks to their priorities. By focusing on the right things, you'll make a strong case for why this investment makes sense for the whole team. Use these tips, you’ll be able to speak your boss's language, bringing you one step closer to working with that shiny (hopefully orange colour) new calibrator. Good luck! Please let me know how it goes!
