I wouldn't say I've been missing it, Bob...

As a consultant, you are automatically at a disadvantage when you arrive on site for an implementation.  Users are often suspicious of your motives and immediately have visions of the Bob's from Office Space.  If you work in an office, especially one focused on technology, that movie is pure genius.  The Bob's are "Efficiency Consultants" whose only role is to find people they can fire - but only Friday's since studies have shown there's less chance of an incident at the end of the week.  Their roles are obviously a stereotype but stereotypes exist for a reason.  That perception holds true for enterprise software consultants as well.  I have participated in well over 100 ERP implementations and I have only been asked "who to fire" twice.  That simply is not my role.  I would never claim to be able to know the value a person brings to an organization solely through how they perform on one project.  

We are there to identify processes that have likely been in place for many years and are in need of repair.  Sure, we use technology as the vehicle for change but the value that we truly bring is one of experience and a methodology that focuses on simplicity.  Client personnel often need training in basic practices but that's typically due to the fact that they've "always done it that way and aren't sure why."  Our job is to understand the desired end result and equip the organization with the necessary tools to reach the destination efficiently.  Fortunately for us, enterprise software, particularly a cloud-based solution like NetSuite, has matured to a point that we're able to spend the majority of our efforts focused on people and processes rather than just technology.

So, while the Bob's may not be an accurate representation of what we do, they remain a great reminder of how we can sometimes be perceived.  Plus they're really funny.

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