Overcoming Excuses
This is an excerpt from a handout created by Jennifer LaFleur, currently database editor at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, for the 1997 National CAR Conference. The full version of the tipsheet is available at the IRE Resource Center. Ask for tipsheet #671.
Excuse #1: Our database is very complicated and you probably won't understand it. Answer: "Oh really, are you using some kind of variable-length or redefined records in your relational database design that won't just export to an ASCII comma-delimited file?" If you're not dealing with someone who knows the data, this usually gets you there.
Excuse #2: Our computer system can't do that. Answer: "Really? That's unusual for today's database systems. What system do you use?" This should eventually get you to someone who knows what's going on. You may also run into cases where they truly do not understand how to do anything with their computer except run the reports they know how to run. Find out who the vendor is and talk with them. I've also run into cases where they used software I was familiar with and could talk them through the process over the phone.
Excuse #3: The person who knows how to do that is on vacation for two weeks/doesn't work here anymore. Answer: "No one else knows how to do it? What if there was an emergency?" This sounds like an even better story.
Excuse #4: It will cost you $20,000. Answer: Ask for an itemized estimate of charges. Three out of four times, this gets the cost down at least some. Offer to pay reasonable programming fees. You should only have to pay the programmer their hourly rate, not overhead.
If they do programming, ask for a copy of the program or at least have them put in writing that they will save the program in case you need the data again next year.
See if there is a rate charged by state agencies to other agencies.
Provide your own tape. Ask for a backup tape. In some cases, this actually might be the price charged to that agency from a larger state data processing center.
Do a records request for the data they've provided and what they charged other organizations.
Excuse #5: That uses proprietary software. Answer: You don't want software. You want the data.