Client behaviour

By Julie Ahadi.

I used to enjoy sleep. And then I had a baby. Much like the heyday era of consulting, when an abundance of cheque-happy clients and high fees was the norm, I used to roll around in bed of a Saturday morning thinking ‘there’s plenty more where that came from’. Not only has my window of opportunity for a relatively easy life closed, but I am now conditioned not to be able to sleep, even if I am permitted to.*

And to some extent, I’m the problem – I’ve created an adorable baby Frankenstein. At some point along this magical journey, my daughter may just (may just, mind you) have mistaken my kindness for weakness. The moment she’d call; I’d jump. And she got used to it. And so did I. And it really didn’t need to come to this – I’d read all the books, listened to (far too many) people’s helpful advice and yet here I am – me and my eyebags. But, like so many sleep deprived, busy mums (and there are plenty busier than me), I soldier on.

Julie Ahadi.

If Lionel Messi decided to switch teams, many an English football fans’ phoney allegiance to Barcelona would soon evaporate – mine included.

The question of loyalty to a club, even as respected an empire as Barcelona, the crème de la crème of the professional game, is a secondary thought for many casual observers and sport enthusiasts. What does appeal is the dazzling brilliance of its star players and the unparalleled skills they bring to the sport. This got me thinking about the comparison between top-flight football, and the consulting world of today, especially where the ‘indirect’ client or, in football terms, the ‘un-indoctrinated fan’ is concerned. A client who hasn’t worked with a consulting firm directly will base their opinion of a firm on a variety of factors such as brand, personal recommendations etc. But if a star individual they see on a project grabs their attention, the firm they represent might be irrelevant.

By Fiona Czerniawska.

Here’s a little chart with a big message.