[shell_game]

“it depends on X and Y” and “here are things you should care about” is the most annoying thing ever IF you actually need to make a decision and IF the service provider doesn’t give you a path forward. It’s fine if you’re just gathering information, but not when there is a business impact to delaying.

This goes for people in a consulting capacity in internal roles, too. There are way too many “SMEs” who will show up to your meetings, tell you it’s “complicated”, and then leave, thinking they’ve made a contribution. If you raise issues but don’t help your customer navigate this complexity, you are adding negative value.

[dudul]

Came here to say this. I think if as a customer you have some understanding of what you're trying to do, sure working with the folks who "give a shit" will be great. If you just want to get it done and don't have a clue about the details it feels like friction.