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Author Topic: iStockPhoto has hired the Boston Consulting Group  (Read 18312 times)

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« Reply #50 on: March 14, 2013, 18:05 »
+4
No filling out new surveys for me.   They know what is wrong.  Their objectives are not the sames as contributors.  Especially exclusives!

Can't do any harm telling them one more time, especially if you hope to remain exclusive for as long as possible. The more people that tell them the same things, the more likely that IS will take some notice.

It seems likely to me that this survey has been prompted by the numbers of exclusives handing back their crowns. Might as well tell them what they need to do for you to keep yours.

The survey answers might even be the ammunition that IS requires to make Getty understand what is going on and give them the authority to take the appropriate action __ even if it does mean a reduction in the profits in the short to medium term.



« Reply #51 on: March 15, 2013, 03:06 »
+1
and give them the authority to take the appropriate action __ even if it does mean a reduction in the profits in the short to medium term.

LOL!

Microbius

« Reply #52 on: March 15, 2013, 09:37 »
+4
I really tried to get the survey filled in so I could say why I don't buy there anymore as a designer- the company has zero ethics and treats contributors like sh*t- but I couldn't get through it.

It is incredibly poorly constructed/ worded which meant the whole experience was far too long winded and frustrating, I didn't have answers for half the question

e.g. "What percent of your company's total spend ($) on images, will go to stock photography vs.  in-house photographers?"
How the heck am I supposed to give a percentage spend for work I do in house?

Or having to rank reasons for buying less stock this year site by site 1-5 from a long list, when the reason I said there was a decrease in purchases on every site is that I will be choosing to take on less design work overall.

I can't believe how much these firms get paid to put this cr*p together! What a waste of my time (and my money too I guess as it's a cut of my commission going to pay for it!)



« Reply #53 on: March 15, 2013, 11:11 »
+8

I can't believe how much these firms get paid to put this cr*p together! What a waste of my time (and my money too I guess as it's a cut of my commission going to pay for it!)

I met a tip-top consultant once, she had been employed by Maggie Thatcher at one time, she explained to me that the job basically consists of listening to people tell you what the problem is and then tell them what they told you, since they really know the answer, anyway.

Good money for old rope.

« Reply #54 on: March 15, 2013, 11:15 »
+5
Or an expensive backup opinion to support some managers thoughts to push on to the organization. "See, the survey said this too! So I must be right!"

« Reply #55 on: March 15, 2013, 11:25 »
-5
.
« Last Edit: May 12, 2014, 15:59 by Audi 5000 »

lisafx

« Reply #56 on: March 15, 2013, 11:33 »
+5
It's interesting to see that a few of Shutterstock's higher ups worked at the Boston Consulting Group before joining Shutterstock.  Financial Planning & Analysis Manager, Calvin Peng and Thilo  Semmelbauer, President and Chief Operating Office

Do you guys love the Boston Consulting Group now?   ::)

Nope.  Not at all.  Simply one more reason to worry about the direction SS may be headed in. 

« Reply #57 on: March 15, 2013, 15:31 »
+1

I can't believe how much these firms get paid to put this cr*p together! What a waste of my time (and my money too I guess as it's a cut of my commission going to pay for it!)

I met a tip-top consultant once, she had been employed by Maggie Thatcher at one time, she explained to me that the job basically consists of listening to people tell you what the problem is and then tell them what they told you, since they really know the answer, anyway.

Good money for old rope.
It's interesting to see that a few of Shutterstock's higher ups worked at the Boston Consulting Group before joining Shutterstock.  Financial Planning & Analysis Manager, Calvin Peng and Thilo  Semmelbauer, President and Chief Operating Office

Do you guys love the Boston Consulting Group now?   ::)

Actually I would expect people who worked at BCG to be pretty sharp, capable, and good to have in management as they've spent a lot of time analyzing bad management.  Its more the use of consulting businesses that I don't like.  As BaldricksTrousers quoted, it is basically telling people what they already know and sending them a big bill.  Really I blame the people who hire them, not the consultants themselves. 

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #58 on: March 15, 2013, 15:41 »
+9
On the remote chance someone hasn't seen this oldie but goodie before:

A shepherd was herding his flock in a remote pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced out of the dust cloud towards him. The driver, a young man in a Broni suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the shepherd... "If I tell you exactly how many sheep you have in your flock, will you give me one?"
The shepherd looked at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looked at his peacefully grazing flock and calmly answered "sure".

The yuppie parked his car, whipped out his IBM ThinkPad and connected it to a cell phone, then he surfed to a NASA page on the internet where he called up a GPS satellite navigation system, scanned the area, and then opened up a database and an Excel spreadsheet with complex formulas. He sent an email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, received a response. Finally, he prints out a 130-page report on his miniaturized printer then turns to the shepherd and says, "You have exactly 1586 sheep.
"That is correct; take one of the sheep." said the shepherd.
He watched the young man select one of the animals and bundle it into his car.

Then the shepherd says: "If I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my animal?"
"OK, why not." answered the young man.
"Clearly, you are a consultant." said the shepherd.
"That's correct." says the yuppie, astonished, "but how did you guess that?"
"No guessing required." answers the shepherd. "You turned up here although nobody called you. You want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked, and you don't know cr*p about my business......

Now - give me back my dog."
« Last Edit: March 15, 2013, 15:46 by ShadySue »

« Reply #59 on: March 15, 2013, 15:44 »
+3

I can't believe how much these firms get paid to put this cr*p together! What a waste of my time (and my money too I guess as it's a cut of my commission going to pay for it!)

I met a tip-top consultant once, she had been employed by Maggie Thatcher at one time, she explained to me that the job basically consists of listening to people tell you what the problem is and then tell them what they told you, since they really know the answer, anyway.

Good money for old rope.
It's interesting to see that a few of Shutterstock's higher ups worked at the Boston Consulting Group before joining Shutterstock.  Financial Planning & Analysis Manager, Calvin Peng and Thilo  Semmelbauer, President and Chief Operating Office

Do you guys love the Boston Consulting Group now?   ::)

Being a 'consultant' very often leads to being offered top positions at the businesses you are advising. Happens all the time.

« Reply #60 on: March 15, 2013, 16:12 »
0
Yes gostwyck, and iS want hear what they want to hear; and the consultant say what iS want hear, because they don't want to contradict the cash cow.

« Reply #61 on: March 15, 2013, 20:58 »
0
i got an email - clearly indicated from istock - questions were very good &guess BCG wrote them.  didn't see anything about winning an ipod - wouldn't have taken it seriously if there had been.  the message said it was a survey for all exclusive istock contributors.  anyway i answered it in depth, also cited a particularly rude comment made to me, but no names.

« Reply #62 on: March 15, 2013, 21:12 »
0
i got an email - clearly indicated from istock - questions were very good &guess BCG wrote them.  didn't see anything about winning an ipod - wouldn't have taken it seriously if there had been.  the message said it was a survey for all exclusive istock contributors.  anyway i answered it in depth, also cited a particularly rude comment made to me, but no names.

That is a different survey to exclusives the BCG survey was for buyers

« Reply #63 on: March 16, 2013, 06:54 »
0
Quote
It's interesting to see that a few of Shutterstock's higher ups worked at the Boston Consulting Group before joining Shutterstock.  Financial Planning & Analysis Manager, Calvin Peng and Thilo  Semmelbauer, President and Chief Operating Office

Do you guys love the Boston Consulting Group now?   ::)


Maybe they realized what a farce their job was and wanted to do some real work.


« Reply #64 on: March 16, 2013, 10:29 »
0
Are you people really this naive? consulting is just an age old way of wall street to extract money from companies being gutted. The good pals at the consulting company does just enough to have an excuse for handing over a bill and nobody gives a flying hoo anout any result of any survey

« Reply #65 on: March 16, 2013, 10:58 »
+7
Have any of you actually worked with consultants, or served as consultants yourselves?  I've done both, and the quality of consultants' work varies pretty much like any other kind of service.  It depends as much on how the hiring firms describe what they want done and how they want the results to be delivered as it does on the ability of the consultants.  Even the best and most honorable consultants have to deliver news in a way that will be accepted and stand a chance of getting them additional work, which means not telling the client that their kids are ugly and they dress them funny.  It's a balancing act, but one that helps the client more than being brutally honest.

I've been at places that hire consultants, and I've even been a consultant on a few memorable occasions.  It's a job like any other, but one that has special challenges due to its short term nature.  In this case I'd say that the exercise is a waste of time and money, because I believe iStock already has their mind made up before it starts.  That's not the consultant's fault, and if they try to budge iStock in the process, they'll try to do it in a way that doesn't preclude further work from iStock and Getty.  We'd like them to be more direct in their advice than they probably will be, but I understand why that's not likely to be so.

« Reply #66 on: March 16, 2013, 11:22 »
0
Have any of you actually worked with consultants, or served as consultants yourselves?  I've done both, and the quality of consultants' work varies pretty much like any other kind of service.  It depends as much on how the hiring firms describe what they want done and how they want the results to be delivered as it does on the ability of the consultants.  Even the best and most honorable consultants have to deliver news in a way that will be accepted and stand a chance of getting them additional work, which means not telling the client that their kids are ugly and they dress them funny.  It's a balancing act, but one that helps the client more than being brutally honest.

I've been at places that hire consultants, and I've even been a consultant on a few memorable occasions.  It's a job like any other, but one that has special challenges due to its short term nature.  In this case I'd say that the exercise is a waste of time and money, because I believe iStock already has their mind made up before it starts.  That's not the consultant's fault, and if they try to budge iStock in the process, they'll try to do it in a way that doesn't preclude further work from iStock and Getty.  We'd like them to be more direct in their advice than they probably will be, but I understand why that's not likely to be so.

^^^ Wise words.

PaulieWalnuts

  • We Have Exciting News For You
« Reply #67 on: March 16, 2013, 12:49 »
0
Have any of you actually worked with consultants, or served as consultants yourselves?  I've done both, and the quality of consultants' work varies pretty much like any other kind of service.  It depends as much on how the hiring firms describe what they want done and how they want the results to be delivered as it does on the ability of the consultants.  Even the best and most honorable consultants have to deliver news in a way that will be accepted and stand a chance of getting them additional work, which means not telling the client that their kids are ugly and they dress them funny.  It's a balancing act, but one that helps the client more than being brutally honest.

I've been at places that hire consultants, and I've even been a consultant on a few memorable occasions.  It's a job like any other, but one that has special challenges due to its short term nature.  In this case I'd say that the exercise is a waste of time and money, because I believe iStock already has their mind made up before it starts.  That's not the consultant's fault, and if they try to budge iStock in the process, they'll try to do it in a way that doesn't preclude further work from iStock and Getty.  We'd like them to be more direct in their advice than they probably will be, but I understand why that's not likely to be so.

As a consultant for one of the world's largest companies I'd also question whether any of you have ever served as a consultant or hired one. If you never have, to make such assumptions is pretty absurd.

For Istock to hire consultants they, or Getty, have likely realized they aren't making progress in the right direction with buyers and have run out of ideas that are producing positive results.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #68 on: March 16, 2013, 12:55 »
+2
Yeah, but they've had surveys with contributors, and don't like what they heard and certainly didn't act on the feedback they got.
And surveys with buyers, and presumably didn't like what they heard, and presumably didn't act on that either, as buyers seem to be disappearing.

Pinocchio

« Reply #69 on: March 16, 2013, 12:55 »
+2
Have any of you actually worked with consultants, or served as consultants yourselves?  I've done both, and the quality of consultants' work varies pretty much like any other kind of service.  It depends as much on how the hiring firms describe what they want done and how they want the results to be delivered as it does on the ability of the consultants.  Even the best and most honorable consultants have to deliver news in a way that will be accepted and stand a chance of getting them additional work, which means not telling the client that their kids are ugly and they dress them funny.  It's a balancing act, but one that helps the client more than being brutally honest.

I've been at places that hire consultants, and I've even been a consultant on a few memorable occasions.  It's a job like any other, but one that has special challenges due to its short term nature.  In this case I'd say that the exercise is a waste of time and money, because I believe iStock already has their mind made up before it starts.  That's not the consultant's fault, and if they try to budge iStock in the process, they'll try to do it in a way that doesn't preclude further work from iStock and Getty.  We'd like them to be more direct in their advice than they probably will be, but I understand why that's not likely to be so.

Having worked for various members of the "big four" for a combined total of more than 10 years in both the commercial and government spaces, Disorderly's post is a good assessment of what happens.  Some clients, generally those who are honest with themselves and the consultants, get a lot of value, primarily in the form of risk mitigation.  Being an effective consultant requires a great deal of diplomacy and persuasiveness as well as technical skill, because implementation almost always requires some degree of cooperation from all levels of client staff.  Consultants know this, and so the task of helping management to gain and hold the required commitment often becomes a key element of their role.  Ironically, this dynamic is very similar to the challenge that iStock now faces in trying to retain contributors and buyers they have antagonized, or recruit new ones after the recent publicity (I am assuming that's part of iStock's motivation for the recent "surveys").  Karma.

Regards

« Reply #70 on: March 20, 2013, 12:38 »
+9
Sometimes these surveys help. Doing a google search, found this letter on ebay:

« Reply #71 on: April 11, 2013, 07:16 »
0
I got the mail, and there was no indication who it was initiated by, outside of BCG.  Plus, they said they are giving away 100 iPad minis, which at first said 'scam!' to me.  That's $33,000 just to elicit responses!

Aside from the one IS member who said he got a mini, did anyone hear of anyone else getting one?  Did they really give out the prizes?


 

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