Why Some Advisory Companies Are Really “Just Guessing”

Everyone likes to be asked for advice. In fact many companies have made a good living by giving advice. But have you ever noticed that these same companies always wrap their research in “safe harbor” statements? Ever wonder why?

They look into the crystal ball but they won’t eat the glass

Traditional advisory services companies are not really advisory companies; they are research companies. They don’t really give advice; they provide “forward-looking information” based on research and the past performance of clients and other companies. Anyone who has ever read safe harbor statements has seen the phrase “past performance does not guarantee future results”, yet it is exactly these predictions based on past performance that enterprises rely on to make decisions. Granted, we’re not talking about throwing darts blindfolded in the general direction of the dart board, hoping to hit a bull’s-eye, but in an era of rapid growth of disruptive technologies, predictions (essentially educated guesses) made by advisory services companies are becoming less reliable and “sponsored research” is becoming more prevalent, so the “guidance” from these companies is becoming more biased and less valuable. Traditional advisory services continually hide inaccuracies behind “revised estimates”, essentially saying, “We guessed wrong on that one folks, but now we’ve got it right… until the next revision”.

To get good guidance, get a good guide.

A map (research) may show you the place you need to get to and possible paths to get there, but a good guide is needed to get you there the fastest and safest way possible, and to let you know what to do once you get there. Most companies already understand the need to make the trip, and most “advisory/research” companies just supply more “maps”. What most enterprises really need is not seat licensed advisory services that provides research, but good guides; individuals that know the territory, people who have already been there and back and know the path around the problems.

TAC understands that it’s a guide that you’re looking for; we call them Expert Practitioners, and TAC has hundreds of them, working in IT for an average of 20 years. These experts truly guide clients around the mishaps, pitfalls, and dead ends that others face; they can do that because they have been there and done that and know where the hidden dangers are.

TAC has created two unique ways to get the guidance you need:

  • EaaS Advisory Services – Client companies and individuals get access to TAC’s network of expert practitioners through moderated “Expert Phone Consultations” and custom written “Personal Advisory Reports”. This no-seat-license, retainer-based model brings everyone in the enterprise to the table. You pay a retainer based on only the number of deliverables you choose to consume, you grant access to those in your company that need it, and you share information freely throughout your enterprise.
  • TACwizard (launching March 10, 2015 – www.tacwizard.com) – With this pay-as-you-go option, the occasional IT advisory services user gets full access to the power of one of the world’s largest vetted expert networks. Users ask their own questions and receive answers custom written by an expert practitioner.

Contact TAC to find out more about how you can leverage one of the world’s largest vetted private networks of expert IT practitioners.