In Reply to: Re: Why be surprised? posted by Nigel Foster on 05 January 2004 at 17:45:32:
I can't talk about 70's or 80's but I do detect that things have in fact changed dramatically since then.
These outsourcing contracts today make those of the past look like chicken feed in revenue terms. They simply are not comparable. There is no place for the gin and tonic salesman, with great skill nevertheless, winning the hearts and minds of a bunch of technical people. The money at stake is just too large - the business consequences of failure too large. And clients at the highest level do want to meet the top supplier people because they want a strategic partnership with them and will likely go before select committee with them. With respect things have moved on and frankly for the better - as far as Clients are concerned anyway.
Finally I can tell you that IBM took the NHS and MOD bids very seriously indeed. Don't know about Inland Revenue - before my time.