I used to work for the Independent National Newspaper in Canary Wharf, London. I can remember in the build up to Christmas, my department was having a large and expensive new computer system installed because the newspaper was being relaunched, it was when Andrew Marr and Rosie Boycott were becoming joint editors, I digress. The system was being put in just before Christmas, but it was a massive task, with numerous issues & overruns. As Christmas approached, there were still a number of teething problems, which led to stretched relations between the system supplier and the newspaper staff.
At one meeting about the integration of the system, my director had been trying to get more time investment from the installation company, only to be told that their people werent going to be available on Christmas day. My director was frustrated and furious, asking What are you doing thats more important than sorting out our system!? Without hesitating, the guy from the installation company said Delivering Christmas hampers to the elderly. The impact was immediate; everyone in the room started laughing & my director joined them, realising that hed perhaps been a bit...