Service Provider vs Client On Eng.

[liberoSimulation]

I'm always wondering who has much experience and skills and engineering background, the service provider (Vendor, Contractor) or the client (Company owner)
Everybody would say the service provider should be the much better knowledgeable of engineering aspects than the client. Therefore, I think the opposite would be the true provided that the owner representative has good background in Eng. and experience as well.
Also, if the client doesn't understand the Eng. fully, he would miss many mistakes in the design of the service provider. This is why the client has much understanding of his need and then to Eng. skills and experience.

Being a client, you have much exposure to the Eng. aspects and skills by reviewing the design and all related documents issued by the service provider.

What you guys think? Do you agree with me that the client has better understanding in Eng. than the service provider provided that the qualifications and experience are almost similar in both?

Cheers

 

[RDK]

The client has to be more of a generalist engineer. He has to be the knowledgeable purchaser of engineering services and to make sure that the various parts integrate into a whole that meets his needs.

The service provider has to be more of a specialist engineer. He has to know his product or field in great depth to provide the client with good advice on when to and when not to use his product/service.

Both require good engineering knowledge, just different kinds.



Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[GregLocock]

To give an example, we don't have the in house capability to design suspension springs (or probably valve springs) to the standard that we require, so the spring manufacturer HAS to be the expert.

On the other hand if we have a problem with the spring and shock assembly it would be fun (but counterproductive) to let the two suppliers try and sort it out without us holding a whip over them. Sometimes a really good supplier can do it, but mostly we have to do the system engineering and integration. That's OK, that's the way it works.

The other option is for the supplier to supply parts to our design, we still do a fair bit of that, but much less than we used to.





Cheers

Greg Locock

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