Recently I have perused the profiles of some ByDesign firms on LinkedIn, and what I saw disturbed me. The ratio of Sales people to Consultants is roughly one for one. What are the implications of this:
1. You'll sell a lot more deals
2. You will not be able to execute on the promised made in these deals
3. You will hire any warm body to fulfill demand
4. Those warm bodies will not be ready for prime time, lacking skill and experience, and your client will suffer.
In my opinion, this is a recipe for failed implementations, and thus destruction of reputation. You are sacrificing current dollars for a sustainable business. Selling the most doesn't make you the best. Being the best makes you the best.
In this industry, in this market space, your firm's reputation is everything.
I repeat:
YOUR FIRM'S REPUTATION IS EVERYTHING
Word of bad implementations get around. I don't imagine SAP is interested in having partners soil ByDesign in this fashion.
So my advice: Sell what you can deliver. Sell excellence. Do not sell mediocrity. We are not in 'gold rush' mode yet, so your failures will be public and they will not get lost in the fray.
So I beg of you, partners, be responsible with your growth, stay humble, and deliver excellence.
