I'm interested in finding out how people feel about paying an outside consultant to do on-site training. Assume a cost of $1,500 per day plus travel and expenses, with unlimited technical support for one year after the training is completed.
What kind of training? Fishing?
We've just finished a one day session with an expert from our equipment supplier. Employee turnover in the staff, new features in the hardware and software we're using, and the chance to talk to him about some upgrades made it worthwhile.
One of the outfits I was with in Oklahoma had a trainer come in, on a Saturday, to train. She was quite reputable and it wasn't her first visit to this company. But on the day in question she was "under the weather", so to speak. Barely coherent. Several guys wasted their Saturday.
But I'm generally a big fan of good training. It's just that I've experienced it so rarely. I get way, way more from this website and my coworkers at no charge.
Depends...
I've paid for outside Roadway Worker Protection Training; on the other hand when I buy new instruments for the field crew a full days worth of training and the cell phone number of the local rep for unlimited support is part of what I expect for sending six figures worth of business their way.
James Fleming, post: 331506, member: 136 wrote: when I buy new instruments for the field crew a full days worth of training and the cell phone number of the local rep for unlimited support is part of what I expect for sending six figures worth of business their way.
I think that's a reasonable expectation but from what I see it doesn't seem that all dealers can (or will) meet it. Also, not every dealer has the someone with the same level of expertise that a professional trainer should bring.
Obviously a situation like the one Norman described is unacceptable; however, if you're an independent contractor (as opposed to a dealer or manufacturer's rep) it's also a great way to destroy your reputation.
Lee D, post: 331509, member: 7971 wrote: Also, not every dealer has the someone with the same level of expertise that a professional trainer should bring.
If possible I purchase directly from the manufacturer, through their regional sales and support rep instead of through a dealer.
I could save a few bucks by purchasing though a dealer, but I make it up in support. The guy who is there to answer my crews questions from the field is the guy who should be making the sales commission.
"Obviously a situation like the one Norman described is unacceptable...."
To be fair to this person I believe the problem was prescription painkillers and not the bottled, non-prescription, kind.
FYI - the single best training session I ever attended was put on by Michael McInnis of SystemDividends. Trimble TGO. Perhaps what made it really good was that Michael wasn't a Trimble employee or salesman. So he dished the straight scoop, free of sales pitch and propaganda. Alas, I see by his website that Michael has retired.
LOL well that's not quite as bad...
Norman Oklahoma, post: 331515, member: 9981 wrote: "Obviously a situation like the one Norman described is unacceptable...."
To be fair to this person I believe the problem was prescription painkillers and not the bottled, non-prescription, kind.
Norman Oklahoma, post: 331515, member: 9981 wrote:
FYI - the single best training session I ever attended was put on by Michael McInnis of SystemDividends. Trimble TGO. Perhaps what made it really good was that Michael wasn't a Trimble employee or salesman. So he dished the straight scoop, free of sales pitch and propaganda. Alas, I see by his website that Michael has retired.
yes he was good. worth the money
He did several classes down here in Louisiana, and he was very good - I always learned something from him.
The trainer would have to be on an actual job getting actual work done and completed while teaching and producing actual billable hours.
We man be knee deep in bramble full of critters or in nice open woods or actually within driving distance of a town for lunch, or not. Location not guaranteed.
This part of the year we roll out to arrive at work and put on our game face by sunup and hope to be back before the high 90s arrive.
0.02
First and foremost, every field person should have first aid training. It is astounding how many don't.
All our field guys have hazmat training (not really relivant to our work, but regularly required when working on the toxic dirt of old orchards...... Where they are building new elementary schools), and railroad safety courses for the two primary railroad operators in our area.
Cad guys get cad training every three or four years, and we have had training for our GPS and for our robot.
One of our posters here, Lee Green, is an excellent trainer. I learned InRoads from Lee and also some MicroStation training and the interface from field to office.
Extremely competent and with a thorough knowledge of what he teaches.
And also, he knows NYDOT survey requirements as well and that is no small task.
Well worth the cost.
Chuck
We received a flyer for a trimble training out of town with a cost of about $500 per person. We realized it was much cheaper to pay a trainer $1200 and per diem to come train us than to send 5 or 10 employees to them and paying 5 or 10 employees' per diem. Time and money well-spent. Also bringing the trainer to us, we were able to have the training program more modeled around our needs than us learning he particular agenda of the course being taught. (And yes I agree, McInnis was the best.)