Why R&D Managers Hate Consulting Companies and Why We at Skipper Are Different

I’ve been in the R&D trenches for years, from long nights debugging complex codebases to leading high-stakes product launches. Throughout this journey, I've learned a lot about what makes R&D managers wary of consulting and service companies. As the CTO of Skipper, a company that provides consulting and services in Quality Engineering, I know firsthand that skepticism exists for a reason. Let me take you through the main pain points R&D leaders face and explain why we approach things differently.

Reasons Why RnD Managers Dislike Consulting Companies

Superficial Understanding of Needs

Consulting firms often breeze into a project with cookie-cutter solutions and surface-level knowledge. They may lack the deep dive required to truly understand the intricacies of a company’s product and goals. This can lead to solutions that work on paper but fall flat in the field.

High Costs with Uncertain ROI

Consulting is not cheap, and R&D managers are responsible for ensuring that every dollar spent contributes meaningfully to the end product. Too often, consultants promise grand results that don’t materialize, making their steep fees hard to justify.

Disruption Without Value

Bringing in external consultants can sometimes feel like inviting chaos. They might disrupt established workflows, push unfamiliar practices, and leave without ensuring a smooth transition, leading to confusion and reduced productivity.

Generic Solutions, Not Tailored Ones

No two companies are the same, yet many consulting firms come armed with generic frameworks that don’t account for the specific culture, team dynamics, or technical landscape of the company they’re helping. It’s like trying to use a one-size-fits-all key for different locks.

Lack of Long-Term Support

Many consulting firms end their involvement as soon as the project is delivered. What happens after the consultants leave? The company is often left holding the bag, struggling to implement recommendations without adequate support or guidance.

Reasons Why We at Skipper Are Different – Thanks to Agile and Lean Startup Approaches

Genuine Collaboration and Deep Immersion

At Skipper, we don’t just walk into a project and throw a PowerPoint deck at it. We sit with your teams, understand the history, and immerse ourselves in the product. We value empathy and get to the core of what makes your company unique. This depth of involvement ensures that our solutions fit like a glove.

Iterative Value Delivery

Inspired by Agile principles, we focus on delivering small, iterative wins that prove value early and often. You’ll never wonder what your money is paying for because you’ll see progress in real-time, with clear metrics and actionable outcomes at every stage.

Adapting to Your Flow, Not Ours

We know that dropping into a fast-moving development cycle can be disruptive if not done thoughtfully. That’s why we work with your existing processes and gradually enhance them, integrating Lean Startup practices to test, learn, and adjust without upheaval.

Bespoke Solutions That Fit

We treat every client as a new chapter. Our approach is built around creating tailored strategies, whether developing an automation framework that matches your tech stack or forming QA teams that align with your company culture and needs.

Empowerment Through Knowledge Transfer

Unlike traditional consulting firms, we don’t hoard knowledge. We empower your team by sharing insights, conducting workshops, and embedding best practices so that you’re not just dependent on us—you’re stronger because of our collaboration.

How This Plays Out: A Real Case Study

I would like to share the story of a SaaS company that approached us with skepticism. They’d been burned before by consultants who had promised the world, delivered minimally, and left them to pick up the pieces.

The Challenge

This client was dealing with frequent release delays due to testing bottlenecks and manual QA that couldn’t keep up with their rapid development pace. The R&D manager had tried everything, from hiring in-house to bringing in external help that didn’t align with their tech environment. Morale was low, and the team was wary of yet another “consultant fix.”

Our Approach

We started with empathy. My team joined their sprint meetings, shadowed their QA processes, and engaged in honest conversations about pain points. We didn’t rush in with a predetermined solution. Instead, we implemented Lean Startup principles to test small process changes and gauge team feedback before scaling up.

We set up an agile automation framework that is integrated step-by-step, minimizing disruptions. We also held bi-weekly workshops that taught their QA team how to manage and extend these tools themselves. Every iteration was measured, with direct input from their R&D manager, to ensure alignment with their goals.

The Outcome

Within four months, the company had a 75% reduction in manual testing time and could release features 30% faster. More importantly, their R&D manager noted a culture shift. The internal team felt empowered, not just by the tools but by the knowledge and shared ownership of the process.

At Skipper, we don’t just build solutions; we build trust. By applying Agile and Lean Startup principles, we ensure that every strategy we develop isn’t just a temporary fix but a lasting, impactful change.

Good luck in building a sound quality that suits you. and gives opportunities to consultant companies.

P.S.

Also, if you want to know how to choose a quality and testing consulting company, follow us. We'll explain it in the following posts.

Author Eduard Dubilyer CTO and Co-founder of Skipper Soft