Debunking the Myths …
Ann Grackin's Parallax View of Supply Chain 

In her 20 + years as an industry analyst working for firms like AMR, Benchmarking Partners, Avicon and others, Ann Grackin has heard more marketing spin and double-talk than Judge Judy.

"I heard a great one just a few weeks ago," said the charismatic Grackin in a recent telephone interview from the Boston headquarters of her firm, ChainLink Research.  "A team from one of the leading ERP vendors was showing me their supply chain solution, which ran on three different platforms.  So I asked, 'How would a user get the right answers from a solution that has to run on different platforms?  I figured they were in the process of developing a memory resident platform where all the data could be modeled together like the best-of-breed players do.  The guys looked at each other, then they looked at me, and one of them said, 'We believe we should present our customers with alternatives and options.'  That is what I call marketing double speak for 'how can we spin and weave and maybe someone won't notice how bad this is!' I sat there for a second or two, and then jotted down in my notes, 'These guys DON'T GET IT!'"

Knowing that a client's ability to deliver real value can be, shall we say, challenged, puts analysts in a difficult situation.  On the one hand, their client's subscription fees pay the bills and you want to keep them happy.  And on the other, an analyst's credibility depends on consistently delivering impartial and beneficial advice, no matter who gets a black eye in the process.  Grackin says she always steers clear of potentially damaging political situations by stating her ground rules up front.  "I do not sell-out," says Grackin.  "I tell clients that they must tell me the truth, and that I will help them get better.  Some clients are simply not endorsable, and I'll tell them that, but they'll also hear what they have to do to become endorsable.  My MO is ethics!  I want to help clients down the road to success." 

Grackin requires customers to provide her with their own customer references, and follows-up briefings by interviewing those references.  She wants to know how the technology solutions are actually being used, and what trials, tribulations and benefits have actually been delivered.  And Grackin says it's quite common for companies to be unable to provide solid references.  "ERP companies, in particular, can't hold a candle to the best-of-breed supply chain solution providers, not only in technology, but truly understanding supply chain management as a business issue," says Grackin.  "Sometimes they provide customer references that have nothing to do with supply chain, but yet, their marketing leads readers to believe that they are experts.  They're not!  Or, over the years some can't present any new references…same old case studies! Users are sometimes complicit - since they spent the money for this and don't want to embarrass themselves by revealing that they spent unwisely.  So they can be dragged out for another round of so-called 'success stories.'  And you won't hear that from some of the consulting firms because these implementations give those consultants big billing rates!" 

Debunking myths is one of Ann Grackin's specialties.   She and her business partner, Bill McBeath, and their growing team of analysts in Supply Chain Management, are leading authorities on extended-enterprise business models. They use the word "parallax" in their vision statement to explain how they study issues and formulate strategies to deal with them.  "Parallax" (yes, I had to look it up) means "an apparent change in the direction of an object, caused by a change in observational position that provides a new line of sight."   In other words, looking at issues from different perspectives to see if there are better alternatives for dealing with them.  "Over the years, I've seen a lot of swarming in the analyst community and in the press," said Grackin, referring to the popular bandwagons that people tend to jump on and off. "But just because someone says or does something, it doesn't mean it's right.  You can't vanillaize strategies and think they also fit you.  Business is about differentiation and leadership.  I want to help my clients develop and follow their own paths to success."

If you'd like to hear more from Ann Grackin, join us in the heart of New York City on July 24th, at the W Hotel, Lexington Ave.  Adexa and IBM are presenting "Ann Grackin Unplugged" a cocktail hour seminar where Ann will promote what's real and expose what's not.  Admission is $99 and the ROI might be in the millions.  To register online visit Ann Grackin Unplugged.

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