Game, set and match to IBM

Of course, some companies have every right to complain over a bad business experience, but having seen at first-hand the work that went into one particular contract and the unblemished long-term relationship between the client and provider, I have to say these calls are mostly unjustified.

Take last week, for example, when I paid my annual pilgrimage to the leafy south London suburb of Wimbledon.

During the first Thursday’s play, I was guided behind the scenes of this massive operation by Chris Lee, a former navy helicopter pilot-turned IBM Wimbledon project director, who has the huge responsibility of ensuring that the technology and IT systems that process the official website and masses of tennis data run smoothly during the fortnight.

Think about this for a second: the website was updated an average 260,000 times a day by a team of dedicated techies checking that every digit within the Wimbledon network was correct and openly accessible to the public, statisticians, players, coaches and even Big Mac up in the commentary box.

It really is two weeks of intense pressure, with the whole world watching. Not only do the consultants spend 14 days solidly managing the technology and IT that supports the tournament, they are also on-call all year round to consult, advise and implement business ideas and projects within the All England Club.

What is forgotten is that Wimbledon is also a small to medium-sized business that needs advice, fresh thinking and a series of steady revenue streams.

Every detail is examined, tested, piloted and implemented. From those that endure days of camping in ‘the queue’, to the office workers trapped behind their desks dreaming of hitting a 140 mile per hour aces against Roger Federer, this truly is the dream consulting deal.

If everyone followed the Wimbledon example, no dodgy line calls would ever have to be heard over the industry’s reputation.

James Bennett is editor of Management Consultancy