Platinum Consultants?

[harishtk1]

I saw the website of a company which says all their consultants are "Platinum Consultants". Is there an official recognized level called Platinum Consultant? Does SAP decide who acheives this level? Are there exams and such to pass? Does the term have any value at all?

Any enlightenment appreciated.

Thanks and Regards

Harish

[Former Member]

Here is a question asked by a SAP Platinum consultant -->

I think the requirement is attitude and entertainment value on SDN.

BTW: I am a certified maximum number of tables consultant. Olivier gave me that and the entire internet witnessed the event. I am also a PADI certified rescue... ahh.. underwater consultant. See my Business Card and have no fear.. I know what I am doing...

Cheers,

Julius

[esjewett]

I think a Platinum consultant is almost the same color as a Silver consultant, at least if you polish the Silver consultant until it is really shiny

More seriously, no, this doesn't mean anything in particular, though the company in question may provide a definition. In all likelihood they are just mimicking SAP, which has a "Platinum" designation for some of its consultants. Or at least, they did a few years ago. My understanding is that this SAP designation is based on revenue generation rather than a measure of consultant quality, though there should be some correlation there.

Ethan

[stephenjohannes]

Having met a few SAP Platinum Consultants from SAP many years back, in general the recognition was based on knowledge, experience and several client references. That was at least for the ones I met in terms of how they achieved it. In other words the SAP Platinum consultants I knew had to earn the title based on their work, and then of course were always at a "cost premium" above the regular consultants once receiving the recognition.

I have seen several firms use the phrase staffed by former SAP Platinum consultants, which perhaps what they are talking about or they like the phrase for their senior folks.

Take care,

Stephen

[Former Member]

Never mind.

Good day, Ethan.

Edited by: Jen Yakimoto on Feb 10, 2011 2:41 AM

[esjewett]

Hi Stephen,

All the SAP Platinum consultants I have met have been great consultants. As I said, there is usually a correlation between revenue and consultant quality - at least I hope there is.

The point is that any special designation a company may have for some of their consultants is meaningless if the company does not provide explanation of the meaning behind that designation or spend the effort to create a recognized brand for their designation. I'd say that SAP has had ... mixed ... success with the Platinum brand, as some customers see it merely a way to extract higher rates.

Regards,

Ethan

[matt]

Are there Rhodium Consultants - laying somewhere between Gold and Platinum?

[former_member186746]

I don't think so.

There are loads and loads of BS consultants though 😛

Double the elements, double the.. err can't find of anything funny to put in here, sorry

Cheers, Rob.

[harishtk1]

The only time I came into contact before this with a Platinum Consultant was 5 years ago when , I could not see some solutions provided by a senior person, as being feasible or practical. However, I was continuously reminded that the person in question was a "Platinum Consultant". Later some of these designs were quietly forgotten.

So it appears that I just ran into an expection, or to be fairer, maybe the person was just having an offday. It appears from all the evidence provided above, that the term "Platinum Consultant" is a real term and is earned during the stint at SAP with some high class consulting work.

[Former Member]

You can consider offshoring to Pandora - I have it on good source that they have all [unObtainium|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unobtainium] consultants.