I got a call from a company with serious software issues in the last week. They called about a year ago and wanted to buy some software that we work with.
I listened to the description of why they wanted to buy it, then told him that it was the wrong software for his company. It just wouldn't work.
He showed me the brochures and the web site. I showed him the software. I was right, of course, it wouldn't work. But I was only right once it got to be his idea...I'm used to that...after all, I'm a consultant.
Meanwhile a highly-placed executive at his company fell in love with some software from a small software company. "Would I look at it?" they asked.
"Sure," said I, "right after we finish the needs analysis and talk to all of your operational units."
They didn't hire me. I was sad for at least 10 seconds.
They called at the end of last year. They had decided to buy the software the executive wanted. "Could I help them design some training?"
"Sure. Let me tell you how we do it," I said.
"Let me tell you how we have planned it," they said.
They didn't hire me. I was sad for at least 10 seconds again.
This week they called. The software purchase was a disaster. They had voted with a 75% majority in the management group to give it 2 more months and then give up. And the IT Director (who called) wanted to know if I knew someone they could hire in the Finance department with software implementation experience. That was what they needed, they had decided.
I wasn't sad. Not even for 10 seconds. Nope, I told them, I don't recommend employees anymore. They have head hunters for that.
Question: What went wrong here?
(My answer deleted...what's yours?)
