In any business, if the services of a strategy consultant are required, the person responsible for hiring business consultancy services will need to demonstrate a return on investment and show whether the hired consultants are worth the money they are paid. So how does one hire a credible consultant who will deliver visible results?
Firstly, have a detailed plan of the project; scope out every aspect of the project and set expectations for each. These expectations have to be explained clearly to the strategy consultant from the start itself. When an organization decided that they need to use the help of a consultant, don’t just jump the gun and hire the first company you come across. Invite quotations and proposals from different business consultancy services and get a clear understanding of what the industry has to offer for your particular project. Without testing the market, you will not be able to get the best service at the right price.
When you have selected which consultant to interview, prepare a checklist before the interview. Make sure the consultant has a full understanding of the business issues in your field and is capable of meeting deadlines. For example, if you want corporate restructuring done for your firm, experience in similar projects and solving similar issues will be an added advantage for your business. One more thing to keep in mind is the quality of client references of the particular consultant you have in mind. If you know any other firm who has hired consultancy firm XYZ for a project, get in touch with them for their reviews on the performance of consultancy firm XYZ.
When it comes to costs of the services provided, be very clear from the start as to what they are going to provide within the given quotation and whether the quote includes expenses or not. Furthermore, it is best to avoid consultants who use a lot of jargon and clichés. You can guarantee results from a strategy consultant who has valid qualifications to display. Also, one who gets along well with the employees in your office will show better results than a consultant who is very reserved. Finally, before you decide who you are going to hire, you could introduce the potential consultant to the people they will be working with and see that they have to say about the particular consultant. Most importantly, the project manager should get along well with the consultant because he/she is responsible for the results delivered by the latter.
