Man, its gone from the "Internet of Things" to the "Internet of Everything" to what next? I know "The Internets Internet"?
I Hate Marketing! They destroy all your belief systems, say anything they want, coin phrases and slogans that are senseless and meaningless. What the heck does the Internet of Everything mean? It's Cisco at it again? I have not finished ranting about them yet, but that's for another day.
Ok, the Internet is the greatest thing ever but it's also the bane of our existence. The instantaneous nature of information right or wrong drives our everyday lives now. Yes there is greatness in the Internet, I want everyone to make a list of the things they love about the Internet, and then a list about what they hate. bet the hate wins..!
I've decide to build the Antinet, something to slow down the disinformation and supposed knowledge, and create a BlankAPedia that can't explain anything!
I'm also working on a Facelessbook, and a Twiddledumb, and Slowgram to fight the anti-social media.
Txt my ass, I'm making calls, and sending letters.
Watch this space it will go blank for a while..maybe i can't write for a magazine.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
The rise and fall of ERP consulting
As an prior consulting leader in ERP I've seen this before, but this could be a for a longer haul. Three things are happening that are changing the consulting industry for ERP. 1) limited new license deals. This means that the ERP providers are doing less new deals and are living on roll outs of existing or selling new products into these clients, like "big data" analytics, or mobility. 2) hundreds of supposed trained skills available for clients to hire directly, driving ERP consulting as a commodity.
3) the move because of item 2 toward self integration.
There is so much detail in each we can try and cover, but let's start with the last first. The economy has slowed down much IT spending and consulting rates did not match the cost abatement needed. The onslaught of remote and even local landed lowered cost further, but eroded both the quality of most ERP consulting organizations and thus it's "value" proposition. The additional pressure by the immigration policy and services made it more difficult for consulting firms to move to lower cost models using foreign national skills. With less work being generated by lower license sales a glut of skills existed, good or bad, this drove salary rates down by almost 25% (in my experience), making it 300% lower to hire skills instead of using consulting.
More happened. Most non-foreign national skill moved over time to business side roles within enterprises from consulting, or moved away from ERP to emerging technology skills. This also eroded salary within ERP services, and drove more hire to self integrate. Then layoffs occurred at the big ERP firms and more consultants appeared on the street and the rates for direct sub contracting went down, and both foreign national visa holders and us nationals scrambled for jobs at enterprises and away from consulting. Oh there are plenty of warrior mercenaries still trying to get you to sub them long term, but that's a fools path with so much skill on the street. Not that hiring anyone means long term loyalty, because if the markets turns again well the house will empty fast!
That's were we are now. With limited projects, many enterprises in production support mode, and a glut of moderate based skills available in the market.
As we have tried to hire certain skills we have seen hundreds of resumes but all with moderate experience, skills and other challenges. So we are a mixed bag, with perm skills hired to lead, some landed subcontractors, some remote subcontractors and a sub to hire model, with the flexibility to test each other before getting committed!
We are like many ERP enabled enterprises, doing roll outs internally, eschewing the systems integrators for cost and control. Do I see that changing? Nope not for a long time.
Let me say one more thing I trust my System Integrator Partners, I just can't afford them anymore.
I'll post more on this with some facts an figures, and what also looks like indentured servitude?
As my dad said you can't be stupid and cheap, but well i've told you all that before..
3) the move because of item 2 toward self integration.
There is so much detail in each we can try and cover, but let's start with the last first. The economy has slowed down much IT spending and consulting rates did not match the cost abatement needed. The onslaught of remote and even local landed lowered cost further, but eroded both the quality of most ERP consulting organizations and thus it's "value" proposition. The additional pressure by the immigration policy and services made it more difficult for consulting firms to move to lower cost models using foreign national skills. With less work being generated by lower license sales a glut of skills existed, good or bad, this drove salary rates down by almost 25% (in my experience), making it 300% lower to hire skills instead of using consulting.
More happened. Most non-foreign national skill moved over time to business side roles within enterprises from consulting, or moved away from ERP to emerging technology skills. This also eroded salary within ERP services, and drove more hire to self integrate. Then layoffs occurred at the big ERP firms and more consultants appeared on the street and the rates for direct sub contracting went down, and both foreign national visa holders and us nationals scrambled for jobs at enterprises and away from consulting. Oh there are plenty of warrior mercenaries still trying to get you to sub them long term, but that's a fools path with so much skill on the street. Not that hiring anyone means long term loyalty, because if the markets turns again well the house will empty fast!
That's were we are now. With limited projects, many enterprises in production support mode, and a glut of moderate based skills available in the market.
As we have tried to hire certain skills we have seen hundreds of resumes but all with moderate experience, skills and other challenges. So we are a mixed bag, with perm skills hired to lead, some landed subcontractors, some remote subcontractors and a sub to hire model, with the flexibility to test each other before getting committed!
We are like many ERP enabled enterprises, doing roll outs internally, eschewing the systems integrators for cost and control. Do I see that changing? Nope not for a long time.
Let me say one more thing I trust my System Integrator Partners, I just can't afford them anymore.
I'll post more on this with some facts an figures, and what also looks like indentured servitude?
As my dad said you can't be stupid and cheap, but well i've told you all that before..
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