Those two comments are more common than not from clients who are disillusioned with their consulting services experience. Many services companies fall flat, because they assume clients can read their minds… That clients would or should already know what a seasoned consultant knows, as well as, the nuances of Infor software. It would be exceptional if they did, but it’s typically not the case. 

It’s become more common than ever for larger consulting companies to seed projects with what is referred to in our industry as “green beans.” No fault of the junior consultants though. How can anyone be expected to be the expert after a six-week boot camp training class?  The problem is, they are sold into the client as an expert, and oftentimes billed as such.  

The onus does not fall completely on the consulting company though, because the client does have their own responsibility toward ensuring things go according to plan. However, when the client doesn’t know, what they don’t know, how are they supposed to know what questions to ask? In the case of the green beans, it’s like the blind leading the blind with the inevitable outcome being disillusionment on all fronts, and that doesn’t bode well with the customer. This is when having the “best of breed” consulting team is imperative. If the goal is to maximize the transfer of knowledge, training, functionality optimization, and overall project ROI, then make sure you have the most experienced consulting guidance possible.

Good consultants can help you discern what you don’t know and become your trusted guidance advisors on multiple fronts. They can assist you and your team in defining the questions to ask, and what to question from your vendors and employees. They help you avoid the common project potholes that are costly both in time and money… We would all like to trust that people will naturally do the right thing, but why leave anything to chance? Basically, it’s not fiscally responsible to not question most everything. 

From what I’ve experienced, the most successful people, no matter the position or industry, ask the best questions. Oftentimes, it takes time to get to accurate answers, so ask away. Nothing can be more annoying than an employee who sits in a vacuum and doesn’t ask a single question. Some believe it makes them look stupid, but it’s just the opposite. Their lack of questions doesn’t bode well in terms of their buy-in and commitment to the greater cause. There is no replacement for experienced field consultants. The quality of a client’s experience directly correlates to the experience level of the consultants on their project.