This just in: Most executives think big consulting firms are “no help at all”
A new survey shows most UK executives think big consulting firms are useless.
More than 4 out of 5 (87%) executives complained that consultants from big firms like Bain, Boston Computing Group, and McKinsey dish out advice that’s “no help at all.”
Now, this survey was commissioned by an upstart competitor, Emergn.
So it’s no surprise these results are being trumpeted by them.
But where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And many executives can undoubtedly confirm this finding from their own experience.
A classic example of original content
This report is a classic example of branded original content.
Emergn surveyed 702 executives and project managers in the UK who have hired consultants from big firms to work on “digital transformation” projects.
You know, ripping and replacing some familiar system with something different.
The key finding made the kind of sensational headline that journalists and bloggers love.
Among other places, this report was picked up by the Times of London, the Raconteur newsletter, and several LinkedIn and Reddit threads.
And you can bet lots of business people heard Emergn’s name for the first time when they heard about this survey. Not a bad way to make a splash, right?
I think this works very well to position Emergn as the new, upstart, anti-consulting firm on the scene.
Do readers admire big consulting firms?
Why does this matter to writers?
Well, whenever I research a white paper, I look to see what the big consultants say on that topic.
Most writers assume that companies like Accenture, Deloitte, Gartner, and KPMG have built-in credibility.
But do they really?
Don’t assume every white paper reader automatically respects these big firms.
Here’s a memoir from a young MIT grad who found working as a consultant in Dubai soul-destroying.
He describes making PowerPoints with dubious facts and poor calculations just to confirm what his client and his manager wanted to hear.
In fact, the more your readers know about consultants, the less they may respect them.
Big consulting firms faced many temptations
Consultants in those big firms face many incentives to lie, cheat, and steal.
They can be tempted by dealing with the richest people on earth.
For example, the UK banned Bain from any government contracts for three years for its role in major corruption in South Africa.
Ernst & Young agreed to pay $100 million when the US Securities and Exchange Commission discovered its auditors cheating on ethics exams.
Just a few months ago, Deloitte and KPMG were charged with the same offense.
Perhaps worst of all, McKinsey played a terrible role helping Purdue Pharma boost sales for OxyContin. That developed into the opioid crisis that killed hundreds of thousands of people.
“We’re only human,” the CEOs say. “Sometimes we make mistakes.”
All the more reason not to put big companies like these up on a pedestal as sterling sources in our white papers.
What writers can do
- Don’t give big consulting firms undue respect
- Do deeper research to find interesting sources
- Use academics, authors, and independent consultants as sources
- Develop your own set of sources in your niche
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