Aloha Everyone!!
Every year I receive a letter forwarded to me from one our many executives
regarding an overture from a NATIONAL consultant professing to save our
company money, reduce risk, increase compliance, etc. This "sham" has been
going on for years...However, it can be said, that there are always "fish" out
there that will take the bait and go for the quick fix. In many ways, that's
exactly what the executives receive for a few years is savings cost by
destroying records...What they fail to realize is the ongoing management and
maintenance over time that these "consultants" are not able to provide...
Yes, these consultants are NOT ARMA, AIIM, or industry related members,
although, they profess that their employees are...Through the national
grapevine, we're all aware of them and others out there trying to make a
"quick buck" and travesty of our profession. The only way to combat this is
through education and making sure we all "take care of business." That is,
you must create and run a good records management program to combat these
people from coming into companies. These "consultants" prey on companies in
dire straits and with little or no records management programs...Believe me,
they go nowhere with companies with an existing RM program, as the savings are
either very small or non-existent in going with an outside consultant...
Unfortunately, some of these "consultants" have secured endorsements from
national associations/organizations and have used them to go after their
members...It's unfortunate, as these organizations are doing a great
disservice to their members with little or no research...
So the fight wages on...These consultants prey on the weak...Gotta stay strong
and battle the "dark side." May the Force be with you... : - )
Brian
===== Original Message from Records Management Program
<[log in to unmask]> at 6/8/2005 9:02 am
Hugh:
Thanks for your post regarding the so-called "consultants."
As some of you might know, I am an (as Amy Rand says, a 'dirty-rotten') owner
of a commercial records center. I have just experienced having to deal with a
"consultant" here in Nashville.
The "consultant" is not from Tennessee. The "consultant" is not a CRM nor are
they even a member of PRISM or ARMA. The "consultant" contacted a
company/organization that I have been dealing with for the past 15 years, one
in which I have had a very good relationship. The reason the "consultant" was
able to get in my client's door was because the responsibility for records
management was transferred to another department recently, and the
organization just brought in/hired someone new to handle this area, someone
with no previous records management
experience, and someone from outside Nashville. When she was hired, she
probably thought that by hiring this "consultant, " she could make an
immediate impact on her job regarding records management. That's not a bad
thing. The "consultant," from all I can gather, is simply there to help them
reduce costs in many areas, to include records management. The "consultant"
advertises that they are paid on a contingency basis only. (Based on the
amount of money they save.) That (their fee) sounds like a good idea.
The "consultant" let me know very quickly that my rates were "not in line."
When I asked what benchmark they were using, they referred to the "new
company" that was in Nashville. The "new" company they were referring to is
one of the national companies and has been in Nashville more than 10 years.
Every time they mentioned the words "process, procedures or price" - they were
referring to and benchmarking me with the "new" company in town.
It was made clear that if I did not make changes, (drop my rates), that I
would not be considered when the contract renews. They mentioned that they
(plural) do this "all over the country." I asked if they had ever moved
business from a local records management company (like me) to a national
records management company. They stated, "all the time." When I asked if
they had ever moved business from a national records management company to a
local records management company, they froze. They did not answer the
question. When I challenged them on this, they
would give me no answer - and no references.
They quickly said that they had complaints (plural) dealing with our service
to the client. I deal with complaints personally and had none logged from
this account in several years. When I asked for specifics, they would not give
me any, that they "could not breach that confidentiality." I then told them
that it was still my account and that I was simply going to call my account -
that my contract had a "cure" procedure and that they could not stop me. The
"consultant" gave in, and then gave me the name of - get this - my former main
contact for
the account, as the person making the complaint - one complaint (singular, not
plural). The "consultant" told me I was not allowed to call my old contact,
that they, (the "consultant") was now to be the intermediary. I got off the
phone, immediately called our old contact, and she stated that she knew
nothing - absolutely nothing as to what the "consultant" was talking about
regarding a service failure from our company. By the way, when I called back
to the "consultant" to let them know what I learned, it was apparent that
their office was their
home. Not knocking working out of the home in any way, but they made it sound
like "they" were big and had many people working on this project and that
there were several people in their company.
The "consultant" might be legitimate in many aspects of business - but I doubt
that they are knowledgeable/proficient in the area of records management. It
is my opinion that they will try to move my account to the national company
with little regard as to the long-term financial and service consequences of
the decision. And the new person making the decision for my client doesn't
know about this yet. So, I have a job to do with them - quickly.
Now, who all have I offended this time?
Steve Richards
R. Stephen Richards
President and CEO
Richards & Richards
Nashville, TN
615-242-9600 phone
615-242-2100 fax
www.RichardsandRichards.com
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Brian A. Moriki
Records Management Officer
First Hawaiian Bank
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