How about a new org: "The Consortium of Small but Honest Brokers"

[Former Member]

In this Coffee Corner thread:

Andre (T) made this comment:

"

The good thing is in this insane environment is if you're part of a small organization that knows how to deliver value, you'll get business. But as for the key to big customers and their big wallet, I think at this point it's pretty well guarded by SAP account execs and consulting managers as well as US and India big Four.

"

Assuming this comment is accurate, how can the situation be remedied?

In particular, how can us little guys helps the "big customers" with "big wallets" stop paying exorbitant amounts for "high-margin/low-risk" deliverables? (For various definitions of "high-margin/low-risk" deliverables, see comments by Andre, Gareth, and Chris in the thread at the above link.)

Well, if a few courageous companies banded together in a consortium, we might be able to market our advice to the "big customers" as follows:

"

Look - we have nothing to lose because we're not getting your business anyway.

But you, on the other hand, have a lot to lose if you keep on buying bling consulting simply because you think that good consulting only comes with certain labels on it - corporate labels or buzz-word labels.

So next time you've paid between $500K and $3M for a whole lot of bling consulting, pay us (the consortium) a fraction of the price to evaluate the big guy's job and tell you what in it was and wasn't worth your money.

Hey - this may seem to you like paying twice, but what the hey - when you guys rely on bling consultants, you usually wind up paying two or more times more before the job gets done right.

"

Any takers out there? Any one want to be charter members of the consortium?

I bet if just a few small but quality companies would take this idea seriously, it would develop its own "cachet" (this is a fancy French word for "appeal".)

And then, who knows? The big guys might start telling a few of their departments to join the consortium, just to make sure thay they too can cash in on the "cachet".

" You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one ..." Peace out.

djh

[stephenjohannes]

David,

Your idea is nice one, but a I have a story on why it won't work.

I was working with independent consultant on a project. She mentioned one time she was at church explaining what she did for a living. She told minister about all the different places she worked at and consulting company manager she contracted through. The minister asked what his job was? She explained how he found her work and ensured that the company paid for her services.

The minister replied back to her so basically he is your <certain street profession held by males>. She replied back lauging and somewhat shocked yes.

This story is actually true and is probably a good assessment of the SAP consulting market on the whole. Until the business gets away from sharing a lot of similar characteristics with other street businesses, your goal below is less than possible.

Take care,

Stephen