I just do not get people sometimes

toadstool

At work, one of my many duties is to order supplies. I always try to pick the greenest option that our ordering website offers. I don't like to upset anyone or make them feel like I am pushing my morals on them, so I will order anything that anyone special requests even if it is not EF. For the employees I order everyone's favorite pens, highlighters, notepads, you name it.

The other day I was ordering pens that will be for client use only, so I ordered the cheapest recycled pens I could find. In the area I work, these pens may be used for 5 min. tops per client. We have have a huge problem with client stealing pens, so we order large quantities. So... the pens have come in and many people are upset with them. The pens are clearly labled as recycled plastic and my coworkers keep bitching to me about the "environmental pens" that I bought. They say they are terrible and that I should never order them again. I keep asking them what is so terrible and the only real answer I have gotten is that they are ugly. A pen is a pen people, why does it bother you so much? I really think that they just hate that I bought recycled pens, but why should that bother them so much? Am I missing something here?

spiritenergy

Maybe if they are ugly, then people will not steal them as much, so in essence you would be saving your company money. 

RellaK

Just how ugly can a pen be?

SuperGreen

Can you post a link or picture of these so-called "ugly pens?"  That sounds ridiculous IMHO.  I would think your pen-stealing client would be impressed that your company is serious about environmental stewardship.  I know our company pretends to care about that kind of stuff.  For example, they prepare quarterly reports of their stewardship efforts and then mail every employee their own copy.  I have repeatedly asked them to put the report online, and not print them and mail them, but they refuse.

toadstool

I don't see what the big deal is. Today I was told by a coworker today that they look unprofessional.

Katie&Dan

Is this a large departure from the previous client-use pens?  For example, are you a mortgage company who previously used big fat heavy pens with the company logo on them?  Maybe your coworkers are just resistant to change.  Or maybe they're not working very hard if they have time to obsess about pens?!?!

 I will say, I think they look like a cheap pen, IMHO.  But I'm not going to make any generalizations about your company based on the kind of pen on the desk, either.

brideofaussie

toadstool:

I don't see what the big deal is. Today I was told by a coworker today that they look unprofessional.

I'm surprised your clients don't lose their lunch upon seeing them. 

Acendaneil

I too would not judge the company on the type of pen they use.  If it writes, it writes...that is all that matters.

I don't think they look unprofessional at all.  To be honest, I would think that since they ARE recycled, that they would be a little extra. 

I actually really like them, nice buy!

(yes, I am normally over on TheBump, but there are some changes that I would love to start making, so what better place than to come over to TheNest?!)

jen5-03

So what pens did they have previously? I mean if you used to order some Bic pens, then I think those are fine.

Most times I pick up a pen at a front desk it's some random freebie pen that they got from vendors.

I'd have to be in a super high end place to even think twice about having a cheap pen.

derky17

People are funny about their pens, that's the only thing I can say.  Personally, I don't have a problem with them, in fact the next go around I may see if our office supply company offers them.  But I'm the easy going one in my office--if its inexpensive and it writes well, then I won't complain.  My other co-workers, all 6 of the rest of them have his or her own "special" pens that we have to order.  I'm not in charge of it, but I know it would drive me batty.

SuperGreen

They look like pens.  I'm giving your CWs the

Alisha_A

That's ridiculous, they do look just like normal pens! Actually I would have a better opinion of a company if I saw they used recycled pens.

toadstool

jen5/03:

So what pens did they have previously? I mean if you used to order some Bic pens, then I think those are fine.

We did use Bic type pens. They are for the drive-thru at our motorbank. The tellers leave them in the canisters for the clients.

kellygraham17

toadstool:

jen5/03:

So what pens did they have previously? I mean if you used to order some Bic pens, then I think those are fine.

We did use Bic type pens. They are for the drive-thru at our motorbank. The tellers leave them in the canisters for the clients.

 You must work in a fancy bank.  lol  Just kidding!  The bank I work at has regular Papermate pens.  In my cup holder, I do have a couple fancy pens that we gave out for different events, but generally they stay right where they are.  We have several high end clients that do business in our branch, and I have never heard any of them complain about our cheap pens.  In fact, with  one of them who always comes to me, I joke that he gets to use my favorite pen, and hand him my Papermate blue pen.  lol  I think your coworkers are just overthinking the whole pen thing.  Maybe they don't like change, and will eventually get over it.  I say keep ordering the recycled pens, and eventually they will get over it.

Jeff & Em

Yeah, wow.

I didn't like the pens we were provided with at work when I was working in a pharmacy because they didn't write immediately like I needed them to.  Therefore, I went and bought my own pen and used it.

If they have time to whine about how a pen looks, they don't have enough work to do.

CurbsideProphet

I see nothing wrong with the pens you posted for the situation you described.