Cowboys are everywhere in this industry. Most of them aren't bad people, and plenty of them are genuinely talented. But a talented cowboy can still leave you with a half-built system, a blown budget, and nobody to call when things go wrong.
The tricky part is that cowboys rarely look like cowboys during the sales process. They're friendly, they're responsive, and they say yes to everything. It's only once the project is underway that the cracks start to show.
There's a few telltale signs:
- Small organisations where everybody does everything
- Lack of pre-agreed approach to project management or governance
- Lack of project management at all!
- Inconsistent contract terms
- She'll be right
Small organisations where everybody does everything
We'll start by stating small isn't bad. Some of the best CRM partners we've worked with are a handful of people who know their platform inside and out.
The problem is when there's no separation of duties. The person who sold you the project is also designing it, building it, testing their own work, and answering the support phone. Nobody is checking anybody else's work, and when that one person gets sick, goes on holiday, or moves on, your project stops with them.
Ask them: who will actually be working on my project, and who checks their work? A good small partner will have a clear answer. A cowboy will tell you not to worry about it.
Lack of pre-agreed approach to project management or governance
Every good partner has a way of running projects. They might call it a methodology, a playbook, or just "how we do things", but they can explain it to you before you sign anything.
Cowboys make it up as they go. Scope gets decided in hallway conversations, changes get agreed over the phone with no record, and there's no regular point where everybody stops to check whether the project is still on track.
Ask them how they handle a change in scope. Ask what a status report looks like, and make sure you can see an example. Ask who from their side you escalate to if things aren't working. If the answers are vague, so is their governance.
Lack of project management at all!
"We don't need a project manager, we just get on with it."
It sounds efficient, and it's often pitched as a way to save you money. In reality, somebody still has to manage the project: chase decisions, track risks, keep the timeline honest, and make sure the right people are in the right meetings. If the partner isn't doing it, that somebody is you, whether you realise it or not.
We've written before about whether project managers are really necessary. The short answer is yes, and a partner who leaves them out of the quote isn't saving you money. They're moving the work onto your desk.
Not sure whether your partner's approach stacks up? Your CRM Coach can review a proposal or a project in flight and give you an honest, independent view of where the risks are.
Inconsistent contract terms
Read the paperwork. All of it.
Cowboy contracts tend to have a few things in common. The statement of work is vague about what's actually being delivered. The pricing model changes between the quote and the contract, from fixed price to "as used" or back again. There's nothing about who owns the configuration and code once it's built, what happens to your data if you part ways, or how either side gets out of the arrangement if it isn't working.
None of this means the partner is dishonest. It usually means they haven't thought it through, and that's a problem in itself: if they haven't thought about how the relationship ends, they probably haven't thought about how the project gets delivered either.
Ask to see their standard terms early, well before you're ready to sign. Have your lawyer look over them. A good partner won't be offended.
She'll be right
If there was ever a red flag for CRM implementers, this would be it!
Every project has risks. Your data will be messier than you think, your team will be busier than you planned, and at least one integration will turn out to be harder than anyone expected. A good partner knows this, talks about it openly, and plans for it.
A cowboy waves it away. She'll be right. Every question gets a "yes", every concern gets a "no worries", and every risk is somebody else's problem until it lands on your desk two weeks before go-live.
Try asking them: what's the most likely thing to go wrong on my project? If they can't give you a straight answer, that's your answer.
What if I've already signed?
Don't panic. Spotting a few of these signs doesn't mean your project is doomed, and plenty of projects with a rocky start finish well.
Raise your concerns early and in writing. Ask for a project plan, a status report, and a named person to escalate to. If things don't improve, escalate to their sponsor or manager and agree on a way forward together. The sooner you have that conversation, the more options you'll have.
Your CRM Coach can help
We've seen enough cowboys to recognise the signs early, and we've helped plenty of businesses steer their projects back on course.
Whether you're choosing a CRM partner or already in the saddle with one, get in touch with Your CRM Coach and we'll help you work out where you stand.