The XML Condom: A New Type of Consultant?

It was with a curious eye I reviewed a presentation from a well known consultant (read:integrator) that has a very interesting thesis. I can hear the collective "WTF" from my blog readers now, so I better explain.

You see, this consultant is part of the traditional speaker circuit, you know the one...quid pro quo, you speak at my conference and I will speak at yours. As always, gratuitous pictures of him are included in the PowerPoint, because we all know how important it is to see these. Additionally, the presentation usually names drops companies or people, in this case, a sales prospect in the audience.

The thesis is this: You need protection from software companies! Thus, the XML Condom consultant is born. Without the condom, you will be taken advantage of, sold goods you do not need and probably fail in your job because you are too stupid to select software and services on your own. The XML Condom will protect you. This Condom has super powers, it's industrial strength with charisma of a used car salesman.

Well, we have all bought products and services that we wish, after the fact, we should not have bought. Whether its sofware, legal services, financial products, electronic equipment or even food, we have all been "sold" something we did not need or was not a perfect fit. So, do we really need this type of "protection"? And more importantly, how does this protection get paid and what conflicts of interest exist. Is there a hole in the XML Condom Consultant Story?

I must admit that our company hires consultants for issues we have no expertise. In fact, some of these people are very well trusted in the industry. One of the common attributes they are share is the fact that none of them are tied, compensated or paid in any fashion to sell or represent any product or service. There is no conflict of interest. This is the best consultant, one that has no incentive to push one way or another. If the consultant has products listed on his/her website, you can be sure he/she is not impartial, no matter what they say.

Back to our XML Condom Consultant. So, I recently had the honor to visit one of his customers. They are currently reviewing software packages to make a purchase decision. I asked them, "How does it really work with the XML Condom Consultant?" WOW. Here is the real deal. The customer calls the consultant and says they are thinking about buying software. The XML Condom Consultant says for 2,000 per day, I can come in and protect you and tell you what to buy. Customer says, "No thanks, we just want to buy software". XML Condom Consultant turns around and magically transforms himself into extra lubed "Value-Added-Reseller" and tries selling software product. The ones listed on his website. The ones where he gets a nice cool commission or maybe the next speaking gig, or in this case, the software package that requires integration services, offered, of course, by the XML Condom himself........so much for impartial protection.

There are many experts that deserve our support. They are highly skilled and qualified, and many times underpaid. When you find one of these, you will use them over and over again. The XML Condom Consultant is simply a ruse. I think we have torn a hole in the story. In the end, anyone claiming to be altruistic in providing software and services is simply not being honest at best, and misleading at worst. Ask for a "conflict of interest" disclosure from your consultant. Ask him to disclose all financial remuneration from third parties. That might offer you the best protection in the end.