1. Government Contractors in Denial
TW Consulting, Inc. 03.22.16 teri@twconsultinginc.com
I decided there is a pattern most Govt contractors will follow related to compliance...
1) Ignorance - First they don't know what is required but don't know they don't know
2) Denial - Then decide the regulations do not apply to their unique company somehow
3) Evasion - Then they look for ways around the rules thinking they have a unique plan
4) Compliance - Finally they face reality and take the steps needed to get/keep contract
Some you can help right from the start, but those in phases 2 & 3 can be difficult and so
often times when we meet clients during those two phases and you provide good info,
they still disagree, decide not to hire you and often see you as bad guy to bring up rules,
as if you made them up or have any control over changing them to accommodate them.
Most likely you helped them get to step 4 and ready to make a move with next consultant
since some are so adamant about denial or evasion, when they figure out reality they are
too embarrassed to admit they were wrong so they start over with new consultant instead.
This is usually more costly to start over but people will pay a lot of money to protect egos.
For clients like that, I always tell them they can contact me later if they change their mind
and I promise not to say "I told you so," since we will both already know that is how it was.
So I am always impressed when one comes back later and wants to proceed with plans or
confesses they could not do it all themselves or the cheaper consultant was not any good.
Or worst case when they have now flunked an audit so are now ready to listen, since their
auditor said all the same things that I tried to tell them before audit but they knew better.
I think this is bound to happen since most clients are business owners, and DIY by nature,
and as business owners they should always be cautious of anyone trying to sell anything.