Business Question

[Teallaura]

One of the projects I'm currently working involves equipment for which there is always a complete set of spare parts onsite. The repairmen can show up and use whatever parts they need, then ship the replacements when time is no longer such an issue. In these cases that's more than worth it, as the sites tend to be extremely remote (the last one I went to was in Presidio).

In a few lazier moments (didn't have a remote, wasn't willing to get up and change the channel) I have watched 'Gold Rush'. I kept thinking, 'you hauled this big, expensive equipment up here and didn't think maybe you might want to have an extra alternator or whatever on hand rather than try to find one in freaking Alaska? Seriously?'

Then I got a remote and stopped watching the show...

[DesertBerean]

(why are you trying to type a letter in Excel?

Just a random memory...I found some people actually DID type letters in Excel. Said it was easier. Eh. Anyway...

[Teallaura]

Just a random memory...I found some people actually DID type letters in Excel. Said it was easier. Eh. Anyway...

I've seen them do really complex tables in Word...

[Cow Poke]

One of the projects I'm currently working involves equipment for which there is always a complete set of spare parts onsite. The repairmen can show up and use whatever parts they need, then ship the replacements when time is no longer such an issue. In these cases that's more than worth it, as the sites tend to be extremely remote (the last one I went to was in Presidio).

Yeah, the gas compression company for which I served as chaplain had ConExes filled with spare parts in critical locations around the compression units in the field for the same reason. We worked on a 98% guaranteed uptime, so access to spare parts was critical. We also made sure to standardize - All Ariel compressors and Caterpillar engines - to minimize the variety of spare parts we would need.

Additionally, the field mechanic was fully authorized to purchase up to $50,000 in parts because a couple hours of downtime could easily exceed that number.

[Cow Poke]

Even though interest rates are low now, maybe it should be pointed out that inventory costs $$$ because cash could otherwise be invested in a money market account or something better.

Which is why so many of the big players use "just in time" systems, allowing somebody else to do their inventory.

[Cow Poke]

But would a money market pay more in interest than you'd lose in down time? In some cases, sure - but in most, no. Paying people to spend a week twiddling their thumbs really isn't worth the 5% you might earn.

That's where it pays to have somebody who can crunch the numbers and come up with a best practice solution.

[Cow Poke]

Another thought....

Some computer related businesses may have work for you to do that they don't want to do themselves, or are not equipped to do.

I was in a Radio Shack one day (way back in the TRS 1000 days) and the manager was talking about the need to have somebody set up computers in homes - he felt they could sell more computers if they had somebody to help set it up at home. We worked out a deal whereby he added MY fee into the cost of the computer, and I went to the home and set up the computer, connected the printer, etc. Radio Shack paid me directly, with the understanding that I was free to sell any additional "value added" services or accessories, and I was free to take that customer on as a client for future work.

On the other side of that coin, when I was working for the gas compression company, I made "strategic alliances" with computer stores all over Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana for support of our remote offices. If, for example, I needed a router rebooted, or basic troubleshooting done, and nobody at one of our remote offices was available to do it, it made a lot more sense to have somebody local to them make the initial diagnosis, and repair if possible, than to have somebody from my office drive 9 hours one way for a 30 minute fix.

[Teallaura]

I'll keep those in mind.

[Juvenal]

gas compression company [...] chaplain

There's some things that happen in real life you could never get away with in fiction.

[Carrikature]

There's some things that happen in real life you could never get away with in fiction.

Welcome to Texas.

[Carrikature]

In a few lazier moments (didn't have a remote, wasn't willing to get up and change the channel) I have watched 'Gold Rush'. I kept thinking, 'you hauled this big, expensive equipment up here and didn't think maybe you might want to have an extra alternator or whatever on hand rather than try to find one in freaking Alaska? Seriously?'

Then I got a remote and stopped watching the show...

I've watched only a few snippets of that show, but it was enough to see that some of those guys ain't exactly bright.

Yeah, the gas compression company for which I served as chaplain had ConExes filled with spare parts in critical locations around the compression units in the field for the same reason. We worked on a 98% guaranteed uptime, so access to spare parts was critical. We also made sure to standardize - All Ariel compressors and Caterpillar engines - to minimize the variety of spare parts we would need.

Additionally, the field mechanic was fully authorized to purchase up to $50,000 in parts because a couple hours of downtime could easily exceed that number.

The company my father-in-law works for does this. He's the guy fixing the heavy equipment, but it's seldom less of a rush.

[Cow Poke]

There's some things that happen in real life you could never get away with in fiction.

Chaplain was only one of my roles - and it was a privately held company run by a partnership of three Christian men. Should they not have been allowed to have a chaplain onboard?

[Truthseeker]

Just a random memory...I found some people actually DID type letters in Excel. Said it was easier. Eh. Anyway...

There are already-made templates for Excel.

[Truthseeker]

I've seen them do really complex tables in Word...

Maybe actually a suite of several software parts.

[Teallaura]

Maybe actually a suite of several software parts.

'Can' and 'is a good idea' are two different things.