Depending on the customer’s priorities, maturity and business context as well as the scope of work, different engagement models may be appropriate. The needs of customers may vary based on the maturity of their product development lifecycle as well as market acceptance of their products. Accordingly, at SNS we offer different models of engagement for our customers to choose from, appropriate to their context ─ traditional, as well as a variety of risk-reward / outcome-based models.

Outcome-based models are particularly relevant for start-ups and emerging product companies that are trying to establish a market presence. At SNS, we demonstrate our commitment to such customers and take responsibility for project management, as we are fully confident of our delivery capabilities and technology expertise. The milestones-based and result-oriented payment schedules emphasize progress monitoring and measurable outputs. This engagement model is also well suited for customers who are working on tight deadlines.

A risk-reward based model incorporates all the elements of an outcome-based model and more. Here, we agree to a model where a large part of our  fee is based on product success. In other words, we work out a royalty-based revenue model where some proportion of the product license fee accrues to us. This is ideally suited for start ups and cash-strapped companies.

Mature product companies that have well-defined outsourcing needs may prefer to keep things simple and opt for a traditional model of engagement. Pricing is typically based on time spent, and hence this option may work well for companies that do not have fixed and predictable requirements.

One other model variant is the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) proposition. This works as follows ─ if you are an ISV that wishes to evaluate the merits of going on your own vis-à-vis availing the services of a third party like SNS to derive the benefits of an offshore presence, BOT is the model for you. Here, SNS sets up an offshore operation for you, and runs it for a period of time. In this time, you can decide whether you would like to take over the centre eventually, or decide to continue to work with SNS. Thus, we absorb the pains of setting up and stabilizing the centre while you retain the option of turning it into your own.

Another aspect of our engagement model is the location from where we deploy our resources. Where the product is relatively mature, and the scope of the engagement encompasses enhancements, testing and support, an offshore centred delivery model is recommended as it optimizes cost and also helps SNS completely manage the project.

Where the scope of the engagement spans product development, a combination of onsite and offshore resources is recommended. Here, the role of the onsite team is to work closely with the client and understand product contours, obtain feedback and act as the bridge between the client and the offshore team.

Lastly, in special cases, SNS resources may work alongside the client’s engineering team, either to complement existing skills or to expedite project schedules.