tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8037707352330428788.post1873126219586303526..comments2024-01-26T04:59:37.784-06:00Comments on UCFlow - Flow Cytometry news, reviews, and tips.: Cytometer Service Contract or Self Insure: the Wal-Mart effect.UC Flowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03187449850452376466noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8037707352330428788.post-37882272662440336442013-01-11T07:37:31.956-06:002013-01-11T07:37:31.956-06:00Hello! Do you somehow verify that your personal co...Hello! Do you somehow verify that your personal content is unique around the blogosphere and no one is it without letting you know about it?Blog InfinityOfIdeashttp://infinityofideas.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8037707352330428788.post-19793350248210642142011-12-02T12:15:08.903-06:002011-12-02T12:15:08.903-06:00"The small difference here is that a funding ..."The small difference here is that a funding pool from the campus will "front" repair expenses for catastrophic failures that result in more expense than budgeted. This repair loan can then be paid off over the next year or two eliminating the impact on the recharge account."<br /><br />We are so stealing that idea!! Thanks Julie.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07384241547190280663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8037707352330428788.post-89375976838655813042011-12-02T11:57:40.947-06:002011-12-02T11:57:40.947-06:00Well said, Ryan. Institutional administrators oft...Well said, Ryan. Institutional administrators often need to be educated to the benefits of a self-funded maintenance plan so they will allow flexibility in the annual surplus/deficit game. It really is in the best interest of the researchers and the institution. We are implementing this model at UCSF where the facility will budget 50% of the cost of a service contract for an instrument. The small difference here is that a funding pool from the campus will "front" repair expenses for catastrophic failures that result in more expense than budgeted. This repair loan can then be paid off over the next year or two eliminating the impact on the recharge account.Julie Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01513890757769865689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8037707352330428788.post-20594063088594397992011-11-16T21:09:56.308-06:002011-11-16T21:09:56.308-06:00I definitely hear that. It took many years, but s...I definitely hear that. It took many years, but somehow I've convinced our administrators to look at our core over the term of 5 years or so, and that we'll zero out over the longer term, but some years may run a surplus and some years a deficit. We are allowed, however to keep up to 6 months of operating costs on hand at any given point. I use to play the game of "we're two months away from the end of the fiscal year and we haven't used $30K of our maintenance budget, so let's quick spend it on an upgrade before the end of the year." Anyway, I much prefer our current method.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07384241547190280663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8037707352330428788.post-81755481383599710932011-11-16T15:52:24.405-06:002011-11-16T15:52:24.405-06:00Ah yes, you used the magic phrase "Save Money...Ah yes, you used the magic phrase "Save Money." I wish it were easy for us to tuck away funds towards replacing a dead laser or equipment in desperate need of being dragged out behind the loading dock and shot. However, our institution forces us to stay at $0, meaning we can't save money for a rainy day. That means we keep our equipment on contract - it's an annual cost which we know up front and can keep in our budget.Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05032423174545434167noreply@blogger.com