Management Consultants Continued…

Do You Need a Management Consultant?

A management consultant can help with many common business problems and needs.

Managing Change – To remain competitive, businesses must be flexible and responsive. A management consultant can help plan and manage changes to minimize disorder and make corporate transitions smoother for management, employees, and customers.

Finding Solutions – A business is a complex web of interrelated parts. A problem in one area can adversely affect many other areas, and solutions may not be readily apparent. A management consultant can analyze problems, find root causes, and propose and implement effective solutions.

Identifying Opportunities – The vitality of a business depends on discovering and exploiting new opportunities. A management consultant can advise a business on how to locate new customers and markets, introduce new products, utilize improved production methods, and enhance productivity.

Strategizing – Successful businesses have an overall strategy. A management consultant can identify the strengths and weaknesses of a business, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of its competitors, and help develop the best business strategy for the company.

Offering objective opinions – An objective review of company policies or problems can help staff make better decisions and avoid internal conflict.

Certified Management Consultants

A Certified Management Consultant (CMC) must meet a high standard of competence, education, experience, professionalism, and ethical conduct. The CMC qualification is regulated by the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes.
How to Select a Management Consultant

The first step in selecting a management consultant is to define the job you want the consultant to do. This should include the reason for hiring the consultant, the required tasks, desired outcome, what role the consultant will play, available budget, and timetable. Assemble this information in written form. This document is called the Request for Proposal.

Based on the Request of Proposal, prepare a list of specific attributes you're looking for in a consultant and rank these attributes by importance. This will help you evaluate the candidates and their proposals.

Next, develop a short list of consulting firms. You might select these firms based on past experience or personal recommendations, but there are some things you should consider when deciding which firm can best meet your company's needs. Has the consulting firm been in business for a long time, or are they relatively new? Is it a large firm or a small one? Are the staff Certified Management Consultants? What types of clients has the firm served in the past, and what do those clients have to say about the services they received?

Submit your Request for Proposal to the firms on your list and invite them to submit. A face-to-face meeting with representatives of each firm will be required to discuss the tasks involved and answer any questions.

Once you receive the proposals, evaluate each one based on your objectives and list of desired attributes. When evaluating proposals, you should consider the quality of the proposal, how the proposal addresses the specific items in the Request for Proposal, the feasibility of the proposed ideas, and the suitability of the time frame and fee.

Lastly, interview the individual consultants, and determine which one would best meet your needs.

After selecting a consultant, you will enter into a business contract with the consulting firm. Be sure you are comfortable with the terms of the contract, and that it covers all the work specified in the proposal.

Working with the Consultant

After finalizing the contract, it is important to work closely with the consultant to ensure that the work is proceeding satisfactorily. Assign a member of management to work with the consultant and establish a reporting procedure so the project is subject to regular review. Support the consultant by providing adequate facilities and staff, and making necessary decisions in a timely manner.

After completion, evaluate the project to determine its success and how the “lessons learned” can be applied to future projects.

By Carla Wakeman