Reading the snippets of the filed complaint, and having been in this space for the last 30 plus years, here is my hypothetical take on how the Hertz-Accenture partnership may have gone astray.
During the dating period, the consultancy firm:
- lured the client with super sleek presentations
- shared with the client that an “A-team” composed of high achievers, high performers, a team that would make the Avengers look like rags
- told the client that the A-team would be 300% dedicated to this project
- promised delivering the alpha and omega of websites that would shock and awe the client's competitors
- produced super detailed gantt charts
- presented references and examples of work done with other reputable clients
- promised partnerships with Silicon Valley influencers and gurus
With the dating phase done and dusted, the A-team consultants and the client proceeded to define and sign-off on the project scope.
When the project scope was done and dusted, both parties celebrated this important milestone and duly marked as completed on the gantt chart. It was now time for the A-team to rollup its sleeves and start work in earnest. And they do so by embarking on the exploration phase followed by a stakeholder analysis/audience survey.
After numerous internal and external consultations, surveys, one-on-one interviews, the A-team, prepares another sleek presentation to share and validate its findings with the client’s management team.
At this meeting, everyone listens carefully to the presentation. The client’s management team is further allured by the polished presentation.
The internal team on the client’s side who is knowledgeable and probably could have done the job in a sterling manner, is frustrated because they were excluded and not given the chance to show what they could do. Their resentment is further exasperated because they feel management does not trust them.
They assume a passive-aggressive posture, ask difficult and thought-provoking questions. And by doing so, they corner themselves even more, as the management team now has “evidence” that the internal team would have never been able to do the job. And they pat themselves on the back for having outsourced the work.
At the same meeting, the management team asks their questions and challenges the findings that are not to their liking.
Completely enslaved to the A-team and convinced that the A-team can do the job, the management team asks for additional items, features and components - none of which were part of the agreed and signed off project scope.
The A-team, whose bottom line is to bring in money to the mother ship, sees how the client can become a golden cash cow, financing many more A-teams and bringing in super bonuses to the project and account managers.
To keep the newly found cash cow on their side, they flatter the management team with phrases such as “that’s an excellent question”; “great point”; “astute observation, we’ll add it to the project scope”; “Wow, how could we have not thought about this. We’ll make sure this feature is front and centre!!”
All this flattery and “conversation” results in the original project scope being radically changed. This leads to timelines and deadlines being changed. The budget soars, there is little or no clarity on the deliverables, the launch date, let alone what a minimum viable product should or would look like.
A-team sends a revised plan and budget back to the client. At this point, the project manager on the client side is under the impression that they are in good hands and takes a “back-seat driver” stance, de facto giving A-team carte blanche.
And the fun starts!!!!
The next meetings are with the client’s worker bee, the very same people who earlier had asked the hard questions and could see all the holes in the sleek presentation. To characterize the meetings that follow as tense, is probably an understatement.
These meetings go from bad to worse. At each meeting there is a lot of blaming and finger pointing. Everyone concerned - on both sides - tries to cover up for the things not done, missed deadlines, scope creep and more.
Management is now chomping at the bit to assess progress and see the prototype or even better a working website. A meeting is organized and it is at this point that the house of cards falls apart.
At this meeting, there is no sleek presentation, as there is nothing to present, or if there is something to be presented, definitely it ain’t sleek.
So the marriage-cum-friendship goes sour. Daggers are out…. People’s head are about to roll and the legal department gets involved to file a case against A-team and their mother ship.
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