CHOOSING THE RIGHT CONSULTANT FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Here are some simple steps/questions to guide you through the process?
1. Has the Consultant owned/managed/operated their own business? If so for how long?
Is it their own business they have created or a franchise model?
2. What are the business milestones/goals/successes have they achieved and enjoyed in their own business?
3. How long have they been operating as a Business Consultant? Do they have relevant ‘Professional” Business Qualifications.
4. What type of industry sectors do they have experience in?
5. Names of businesses they have previously consulted with?
6. What successes have they achieved with these businesses?
7. Are you able to contact three (3) business owners for references and further validation?
8. What do they feel is their major strength and how do they feel they can assist your business.
9. Do they have the relevant experience to help you resolve your business issues?
10. Will there be a focus on skills transfer? E.g. they need to transfer their skills in the particular area of interest to you, so you as the Owner of the Business can affectively deal with the task/problem at hand and future similar issues.
11. Are they willing to undertake a free health check on your business, draw up an action plan/proposal with timeframes of completion and meet with you to discuss the process step by step.
12. Are their fees to undertake the consulting work within your budget? Have they factored in stage payments? What happens if it doesn’t go to plan?
And finally
13. What guarantees are they able to provide you with?
Key to engagement of Consultant is to consider your ability to relate to the Consultant on all levels. From experience most of us will state that first impressions are 9/10 correct, so go with your gut feeling.
Posted by Melanie Lavelle-Maloney on 02 May 2011