How Much Value Do Model-based Appraisers and Consultants Add?

The question "how much value do model-based appraisers and consultants really add?" is an interesting one.

In fact, it is quite a fundamental question.

But the more fundamental question is this:

"Do they actually add much value?"

And perhaps the most fundamental questions of all would be:

"Do they actually add any value?"

Most of them do little or no value addition.

Appraiser and Consultant - No Value, No Need

The consultants and appraisers are, at the core, mostly one-trick ponies who regurgitate the same set of nonsense whichever organization they go to.

The work like a pair of clowns who ask dumb questions and expect you to think they are smart.

They re-phrase and paraphrase your questions and ask them back.

That's very irritating, to say the least.

They have some rigid notions about the concepts and terms and refuse to see the underlying logic that governs those concepts and terms.

They have no concrete and specific solutions to offer.

So you can expect them to only say this much:

"We ask questions".

Well, what else would someone do when he or she doesn't know the basic stuff?

They know something is crystal clear.

But they would go on and on and repeatedly raise the same, silly and invalid questions.

And to prove their point, they repeat a falsehood again and again.

In every discussion, they hover around the same set of points like:

• You must understand the pain points
• this is a completely nonsensical point 
• you would start an initiative only when you have a business need, real or perceived
• no one would allocate budget for an activity if there is no business case for it
• You must articulate the business problem clearly
• this is another utterly nonsensical and comical point
• articulation of a business problem is not a linear thing and is done based on the context and the level of the person it is being communicated to
• Also business problems may not always be straightforward, number-based statements but may involve complex, subjective issues with multiple dimensions
• You must have the data for this and for that
• one big question is why should you collect the data without any thought to the overall burden of collecting that data?
• ignoring the ROI of data collection is a clear reflection of the ignorance of the consultant and appraiser who suggest get the data for this and for that
• data should be seen in the context of process and should not be used to blindly infer and conclude anything about the process
• You only would need to define the right approach for doing this
• then what are you doing and why are you needed?
• the consultant and appraiser need to be a part of the solution and not offer arcane and generic and non-implementable suggestions
• everyone knows the usual stuff and if you can't suggest the specifics then you are good for nothing as a consultant and appraiser

It is interesting to note here that many, if not all, pairs of consultant and appraiser are actually good for nothing.

It is, therefore, very important for an organization to thoroughly evaluate the competency of the consultant and appraiser they are hiring.

You are paying them to be a part of the solution and not to just give you some kind of gyan.

You have to set the context and clear the situation by calling a spade as a spade.

You are paying them.

So you better ask them to listen to you.

You have to manage and drive them.

What if they refuse to get the signal?

There is a very simple answer to that.

Change your consultant and appraiser next time around.

They should not become like a millstone around you neck.

They better add value.

Or you kick them out.

So if there is no value from a consultant and appraiser then there is absolutely no need of such a consultant and appraiser.