How to ask for a technology upgrade at work (like an Apple iPhone 6S)

09.24.2015

iPhone6 Yanki01

Photo by Yanki01 on Flickr Commons

Because Apple is releasing its new, shiny iPhone this weekend, it might inspire you to want to ask your boss for the latest and greatest model. But what is the best way to ask your boss about getting a technology upgrade and actually get what you’re asking for? We’ll give you the do’s and don’ts to get your boss to say yes to your gadget request.

DO NOT use the line, “Well everyone else is getting one.”
Think back to your childhood, how well did it work when you asked your parents for a car when you turned sixteen and said, “Well older sister X got one when she turned sixteen, why can’t I have a car too?” You gave your parents the perfect opportunity to list all the ways that your older sister’s “deal” was different than yours, and it made it nearly impossible for you to counter their list of reasons. Don’t leave your boss with that kind of opportunity. You want to give reasoning that is nearly impossible to disagree with, or difficult to find unreasonable. So how do you do this?

Know what your boss wants to accomplish this quarter
If you can link your need for the latest gadget to actual goals, you’ll have a much easier time making the sale. Most top managers have two basic needs, growing their organization and increasing profitability. Explain how your new device will accomplish both goals. Frame your argument with this question in mind, “How is my new iPhone (or other gadget) going to make my boss’s life easier?” Start your pitch with a sentence that answers that question, and you’ll be on your way to using your lunch hour to secure your new phone.

Quantify how your new gadget will make you more successful
This is not the time to promise that you will quadruple your sales this quarter because you’ll have a new, super fast phone. But it is the time to point out the benefits of the technology this new model brings. For instance, if your current phone makes it tough for you to accept calendar invites or there’s another area that impedes your productivity, explain it. If your boss uses the same phone as you, he or she likely already realizes this, and will probably empathize with you.–However, just because you have one solid example of how the new phone will enhance your productivity, don’t stop there. Do your research to be able to connect additional benefits of the upgrade to your actual job function. If you can’t make this connection, you’ll need to re-think your pitch.

Anticipate Objections
Take time to think through why your boss wouldn’t be inclined to grant you the upgrade. If you think you’re going to be nervous while making your pitch, write down the objections you’re anticipating, and how you’ll answer them. If you can address these anticipated objections before your boss can make them, you will appear well-researched in your request, and it will be more difficult for your boss to say no.

Lastly, do not barge into your boss’s office to ask for a phone that potentially costs your company nearly $1,000. Think through the best time to approach your boss, and make your pitch. This is likely not a conversation for a hallway chat, but it probably does not require a 30 minute, pre-scheduled meeting. Use these tips in your pitch, and we hope you’ll be standing in line with all the other people who can’t wait to get their hands on the latest gadget. Good luck with your mission to upgrade your work gadget(s)!