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Cost-Effectiveness
vs. Mode of Sessions
October 24, 2006
This is a summary document of our various web
pages.
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Mode of Session |
Characteristics & Features |
In-house Employee
(full/part-time) |
- Pay for training, research & gearing up,
- business/tech administrative duties, and
- personal (non-work-related) activities.
- Must provide office space, labs, apparatus, courses,
materials & supplies, benefits & liability coverage.
- Over-commitment, regardless of changing needs.
- Can't justify high-end expertise (lack economy of scale).
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On-site Visit
at your business location |
- Strict clock-time billing. Pay for all waiting time.
- Incurs traveling fee.
- Subject to minimum billing.
- Limited access to: spare parts, reference materials, tools &
specialized apparatus, and full lab w/ pre-configured
baseline systems & servers.
- Many tasks require multiple return trips!
- Limited and delayed availability.
- Presence of outside contractor creates intrusion,
pressure & distractions to your normal activities.
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In-Shop Services
While-You-Wait
by-appointment/walk-in |
- Live session, billed at clock-time.
- Typically cannot suspend clock.
- Only 1-trip for you.
- Walk-in sessions are billed at
emergency rate.
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Live Remote Session
(on-demand /scheduled) |
- Live session, billed at clock-time.
- Can easily suspend clock and resume.
- Instant (or short-notice) availability.
- You can participate (for learning/providing info).
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Full Remote Admin
(unfettered access &
standing authorization) |
- Flexible scheduling, on resource-available basis.
- Can easily perform flat-fee services.
- We absorb risk of most difficulties encountered.
- Requires business commitment & coordination.
- Requires infrastructural & technical setup.
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In-Shop Services
Low Priority
Drop-off/Pick-up |
- Most cost-effective.
- Usually the highest level of quality.
- Turn-around time in days, not hours.
- Requires 2nd trip for pick-up when done.
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Notes on client participation:
Any form of participation, including general
presence/silent observation, and active participation or "helping"; will
significantly increase the overall costs.
Such participation will only generate inquires,
explanations, clarifications, and frequent mini training sessions, which
increase the distractions and workload. It also imposes extra
coordination. This applies equally to novice end-users and technicians/practitioners alike (regardless of their proficiency and
experience level).
It's only justifiable in cases of
DIFA with recurring tasks, as that
extra-cost of training is well spent, when it's subsequently leveraged by applying
it to
multiple instances. |
See Also:
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