The implication of getting that phone call is that there's a gap between what the client's asking for and what the client needs, which has led them to bring in

The implication of getting that phone call is that there's a gap between what the client's asking for and what the client needs, which has led them to bring in an outsider. That's the apparent answer. Underneath it, the real answer is someone in the org, most likely whoever approved spend hiring the consultant, knows the answer but needs insulation from the political fallout from saying it out loud.