For start-ups and first-time business owners, there comes a time when external assistance – or business consultancy- in some areas of business, especially that outside of one’s expertise or comfort zone, may seem to be wiser thing to do. But also, you may find yourself having second thoughts on whether you really need to hire a consultant or not – and understandably so.
The right consultant can create for your company tremendous benefits – even help skyrocket its growth. But hire a bad one and you’ll lose precious resources – time, finances and effort.
Understanding the process of business consultancy, what a consultant does and how one can benefit your business can help you find the right fit for your business.
But first, what is a consultant?
Put simply, a consultant is an off-site specialist hired by companies for their specialized knowledge and skills, which aid in identifying areas for improvement and creating resolutions to correct or optimize existing business conditions.
Consultants are independent, that is, they are hired on a per-project basis and have no binding in-house contracts with clients. Occasionally though, depending on the agreement, they go to the client’s office for evaluations and meetings. In these meetings, they may bring members of the consulting team – analysts and project managers – to help in the evaluation and strategy building.
To maintain a streamlined process, it’s crucial for both clients and consultants to set one point person for all communications regarding projects.
Business consultancy experts have various fortes, which include development of strategies for sales and marketing, enhancements, expansion and towards the ends, execution of the plans and suggestions.
Business Consultancy Basics
The consultancy process is divided into three phases.
Pre-consultation period
Pre-consultation covers the period prior to signing an agreement. Here, the client and consultant outlines the terms, conditions and extent of the consultation agreement, including specific delegations and responsibilities, payment terms and completion dates for deliverables.
Typically, contracts span three months to a half-year. It’s important for both parties to establish a realistic time period for each project to give the consultant enough time to implement and execute plans and ensure optimum results.
Consultation proper
After signing the agreement, the business consultancy firm or professional will now begin the process of research and development. At the tail end of the period, he will provide his recommendations for the project, which usually signals the end of the contract.
Post-consultation period
Depending on the outcome of the project, the client may extend the contract after evaluationhas been made by the consultant. If you’re confident that you can work independently with the consultant’s suggestions, you may decide to move on without his help.
Business Consultancy Can Catapult Your Business To New Heights
By providing expert skills and knowledge unknown to you or your staff, consultants can help enhance your business. Very rarely can business owners act as a jack of all trades. Often, there will be one or more areas in the business that could use improvements, or that can still be optimized so a company can reach its maximum potential. Consultants help bring in fresh perspectives to areas that you might be missing being so accustomed to everyday work routine.
As someone with years of experience in the business consultancy field, I believe that consultants can make a huge world of difference for businesses, big or small, because I see it happen all the time! If you want to witness this difference yourself, contact me today for a free consult.
