So you still are not sure about broaching the SQL Cruises idea on the powers that be? Let me offer one more way that you could try the big sell…
At my job we already have budget set aside for tools and licensing of Quest products, so for me the offer of free stuff was initially just a nice benefit. Hey, maybe someone out there could use that to help him or her offset the costs of training I thought to myself (and wrote a blog about it.)
But then I had an idea. I could still take advantage of this free licensing even though we already were going to purchase it. I whipped out my fancy management calculator and crunched some number and confirmed it could be done. Since both training and licensing are capitol purchases and come out of the same pool of money, why not move some around. Bosses always like to see you move $ from one bucket to another if it saves on the bottom line and that is just what I did.
By leveraging the $8,000+ worth of software licensing being offered by Quest, I suggested that we move some capitol funds from the licensing bucket to the training bucket. With an overall net savings, I was able to get another training under our belt this year, such as Immersion and SQL PASS since my SQL Cruise attendance already been approved. Pretty awesome, eh?
So even if you already have budget for licensing, don’t take it for granted that it could not benefit you in other ways. Always look for opportunities to bring something back from training to the company that sent you there. It will help ensure the next time you ask for it, you are more likely to get it with less haggling. Saving the company money is usually right up there with improving stability and performance as a priority. The difference here is that you can show them real dollars upfront before they invest.
Quest has given you, and through you, the company that is paying for you, a coupon worth possibly more than $8,000. Clip it, bring it, and use it. Don’t turn the page, it is real money!
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