Hiring a Consultant

Planning Phase
Implementation Phase
Follow-up

The process of preparing a needs analysis to hiring a consultant, working with one, and finalizing the working relationship can be a daunting exercise. This, however, is not necessary. Following these steps can help make any consulting project more predictable and satisfactory.

Planning Phase

Know your fundamental needs

  • Improved accuracy
  • Better timelines
  • Greater flexibility
  • Enriched job functions
  • Improved quality
  • Enhanced support to field locations
  • More advanced technology


Identify areas of opportunity

  • Raise your technology IQ
  • Examine processes
  • Consider long-term strategies and goals
  • Involve users, strategic planners, and decision makers
  • Prepare a list of desired features and concerns
  • Develop several options

The more detailed this process, the shorter and more productive the planning period and the better the understanding between the client and the consultant.


Choose consultant based on:

  • Reputation
  • People skills
  • Project methodology/approach
  • Technological sophistication
  • Disaster recovery
  • Delivery time
  • References and examples of successfully completed work
  • Price


Select a provider

  • Review each candidate's response to the RFP
  • Have candidate visit the company to explain the business, organizational structure and objectives
  • Have candidate meet with treasurer to discuss fee options and review agreement
  • Involve a diverse group from the company

 

Implementation Phase

  1. Involve the sponsors of the engagement (a steering committee, for example and the project team responsible for actually doing the work

  2. Select a dedicated primary customer service contact person, backed by several representatives who are intimately familiar with the operations/system

  3. Construct work plans that identify tasks, milestones, and a timetable

  4. Use insiders to ensure that changes have staying power

  5. Be sure consultant shares his methodology, process tactics, etc with internal staff

  6. The consultant is responsible for
    - Coordinating the efforts of cross-functional teams
    - Agree to task responsibilities and decision-making empowerment
    - Publish meeting summaries
    - Occasionally prepare a written summary of the status of each initiative, upcoming tasks and timing, and a projection fee
    - Submit a weekly recap of hours worked and primary areas of effort to allow monitoring of progress and anticipated costs.

  7. Keep an open mind
    - Flexibility and adaptation are key to the success of the transition to a new system
    - Keep the momentum going
    - Watch out for overreliance on consultant to carry out tasks that internal staff typically performs

  8. Agree on expected deliverables related to each project. Can be
    - Informal: verbal debriefing, ongoing daily updates, etc.
    - Formal: periodic reports, management presentations, etc.

  9. The Final Report should include:
    - Executive summary
    - Analysis of current environment
    - Key findings
    - Recommendations
    - Cost/benefit analysis
    - Next steps

 

Follow-up

  • At all times, the consultant should be available within a specified time period to answer questions and respond to problems.
  • After three to six months, the consultant should arrange a review to discuss the steps suggested in the executive summary.