In the 'analyst' model a dedicated, named analyst at The Smart Cube works directly with an individual (be it an analyst, trader, portfolio manager, strategist etc) at the client side or forms a part of a larger client team. The Smart Cube analyst is the virtual extension of the on-shore client team. The Smart Cube analyst is supervised by a senior analyst in India who manages workflow as well as quality of output.

For instance, a telecoms analyst at a sell-side firm would have a telecoms analyst in India supporting him/her on a continuous basis where they interact on a daily basis. Similarly, a trader at a hedge fund would have a quant analyst in India providing support. The Smart Cube analyst participates in investor calls, liaises with investor relations, and in many cases also travels on-shore to better understand the requirements or working style of the on-shore analyst or team.

Similar to the Analyst model, the distinction lies in the support at the India end where the analyst is not a named or dedicated one. In this model, a Point of Contact (POC) is established in The Smart Cube and all work from the client flows to the POC who gets the work executed by the most suitable analyst. The POC determines the skill set required for the task and allocates work accordingly. The POC is a senior analyst who is responsible for quality of the output and all client interaction.

The FTE (Full Time Equivalent) model works well for a client where there is a wide variation in the skills required by the on-shore team. For instance, a chief economist at a hedge fund may require The Smart Cube 's support with fundamental analysis, macro-economic research, quantitative analysis and programming. This support is best provided through an FTE model where the client has an annual pre-determined FTE of capacity and taps into different capabilities of The Smart Cube .

We also execute investment research on a project basis. This model is helpful where a client cannot forecast work requirements in the immediate term but is sure of specific needs that require analyst support. A large acquisition, commercial due diligence or a credit downgrade may require one-time project support. It is particularly helpful in crunched situations where The Smart Cube can rapidly add resources to reduce lead time significantly.

The Project-based Model is typically a Fixed Price Arrangement. However, where we cannot reasonably estimate the effort we work on a Time and Material basis as well. This model is usually combined with the FTE or Analyst model to take care of spikes in demand.