[R0b0t1]

Nah. You can definitely blame them. As a vendor you should be able to put some kind of error bars on the potential savings. If they then refuse because they think your cut will be too high, move on and let them flounder. The major malfunction a lot of executives have is that they overestimate the value of not only their own labor and their company's position in the current market, but they underestimate how hard it will be to get a competent replacement.

I don't really know why. It's partially hubris. But I think it stems from not being able to separate the superficial understanding that happens when being told something from the true understanding of synthesizing that understanding yourself. Most executives seem to go through life thinking they are amazing just because they can understand what people are telling them and attribute it to themselves, when in reality they can make nothing of value.