Month: July 2011

Ambassador Missions has discovered an amazing organization that is changing the world in a big way. By way of an introduction, we’ve got a trivia question for you:

What is the world’s most expensive luxury version of a product relative to the cost of the comparable standard version?

Hint #1: The luxury version costs at least 2,000 times more than the comparable standard version.

Hint #2: Global sales of the luxury version exceed $100 billion per year.

Hint #3: The United States consumes more of the luxury version than any other country.

Hint #4: There is no evidence to suggest that the luxury version is superior to the comparable standard version in any meaningful way.

Hint #5: There are serious environmental issues associated with the consumption of the luxury version. No such concerns exist with the comparable standard version.

Hint #6: One billion people around the world do not have access to either the luxury or the comparable standard version.

Hint #7: Human life cannot be sustained without some version of this product.

Give up?

Here’s the answer.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this provocative topic and how it might lead us to do well while doing good.

Whada’ ya’ think?

Ours is truly the ultimate people business.  As such, players in the IT consulting game are subject to ebullient highs and excruciating lows.  Having been in the game for nearly a quarter of a century now, I’ve had my fair share of both.  Yet, I still get near giddy whenever we put one of our true IT pros to work on what is often some of our clients’ greatest challenges.  Conversely, whenever I see something less than true pros taking the IT field, I get (how can I put this delicately?) a wee bit chapped.


BENCH STRENGTH

True bench strength is the benchmark of any great team.  However, in our business, clients are often presented with whoever happens to be available (a.k.a. on the bench) instead of who’s truly the best fit for the position.  This significant problem on the staffing side of the business reaches epidemic proportions when IT comes to outsourced projects.  To get revenue flowing, unscrupulous firms will grab just about anybody off the bench and stick them on a project.  Of course, the piper will eventually be paid…enter, the dreaded change order.

So, how can clients avoid getting their round IT roster holes filled with square pegs?  Make sure you trust the guys with the hammer.  I’m Brad Lindemann, President of Ambassador Solutions, and I’m just tellin’ it like IT is.