Bait & Switch Techniques

I feel obligated to address here one important topic that has been the subject of much debate in the IT consulting world, that is how we help youngsters to find a place in this world.

Let's say that there's a client that has a lot of money and they want to start a significant IT project loaded with unknowns. Their internal staff might already be overloaded with existing shit and they don’t have time to work on the latest project. Or the guys are not exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer. Whatever. The client hires you - the consulting firm - to help them achieve whatever fantasy they have in mind.

Most large IT projects are like a bomb ready to explode: snake oil salesmen did a masterful job, the technology is not mature and not understood, there's a huge political feud going on internally, and the project objectives are vague - at best. But the CEO or the commissioner is sold on the idea because it will save his/her sorry ass if it works, and no one - NO ONE - wants to be the bearer of bad news and say that the project is doomed to fail.

The client expects you – the consulting firm - to parachute an army of supermen and superwomen, senior consultants who have seen so many IT battles that they can guide you through the thick jungle of risks and even assist you when shit will hit the fan - because it will. Those super-consultants speak your language, they are politically savvy and they know everything and everyone.

Here's the problem: every client is asking for them, and it’s impossible to be staffed with just kings-of-all-trades.

What do you do as a consulting firm? Here’s the recipe: you bid on the project using the resumes of your superheroes knowing too well that they are booked solid until 2024 – late 2024 that is. The client is drooling over their shiny resumes and even though you charge top rate, the client gives you the contract in a leap of faith. Asses must be saved, and faith manages.

Knock, knock. Who’s there? It’s reality.

The next act if where your ability to negotiate is of prime importance. You can't deliver the people who promised, you knew this from the very beginning. BUT you can deliver some other individuals who - although they are less stellar - are probably suited for the job. And I say “probably” in the largest possible definition of the word.

The client’s initial reaction is of course negative, you promised a new Ferrari F40 but all you can deliver is a beat-up Ford Tempo. But hey, the Tempo is also red with 4 wheels so things are not that bad. You must use positive arguments to shove the juniors down the project, and this is where creativity comes in.

For instance, you can say to the client that the rookies will be closely supervised by far more experienced resources. You don’t have to say those experienced resources are the same people who don’t have time to work on the project, therefore they don’t have time either to supervise newbies. You can also say that the people you are sending have experience with “similar technologies”, meaning you are sending a Cobol specialist as a .NET programmer. It’s all the same shit to me, after a week it won’t matter to anyone.

What's important is to jump on a gravy train and turn your inexperienced rookies into people with more experience at the expense of the client, therefore allowing you to charge more for your men/women on the next project.