How to Choose the Right Consultant
1 Jan, 2004
By: Mark StanleyQuestion: In 2004 our executive team will finally be able to release funds to expand and upgrade our call center! Yeah! The problem is I don’t know where to begin. I’ve heard call center consultants can help guide and direct some of these decisions. Can you give me some tips/guidance on how to choose the right one? – Lost in Lubbock
Answer: Congratulations on the success you have made in obtaining funding for your upcoming initiatives! That is probably the most difficult part of any project.
Consultants can help with many different aspects of a project, including:
• Defining business and technical requirements
• Procurement
• Implementation
• Testing
• Overall project management
More often than not a company won’t even be clear on how to define a project, or where to start. In that case it may be helpful to have a consultant start with an overall assessment and recommendation, sometimes referred to as benchmarking. This can help you identify the list of what you need to do, and then prioritize the list in such a way that the most important issues rise to the top. What’s critical in identifying problems and solutions is to avoid confusing the “current state” with the “problem.” In reality the “problem” is the gap between the current and desired state. The gap becomes the task or project with clearly defined criteria for success.
I had a client that posed the following situation to me: the client had been outsourcing a portion of their business to a service bureau for about six months and was unhappy with the results. They asked me to help them find another service bureau and transition the business to the new provider. I asked them to outline the business requirements they had developed when the decided to outsource the business in the first place, but they were unable to identify what any of the key criteria had been. My reaction was that if they could not define the “win”, how could they state with certainty that the current provider was not up to par? So the first task was to actually define the business requirements. Only then could we evaluate the current provider and see how close they came to meeting the requirement and decide if it would be necessary to find a replacement.
As to your question, there are really three basic things to consider:
1. Timing (when it would be appropriate to use the services of a consultant)
To be sure, there are plenty of good consultants out there who are able to demonstrate real value. The first challenge is in determining if you really need a consultant in the first place, or if the project can be handled by an internal resource. In each case it should be at least one of the following reasons:
• When you are lacking specific technical skills that will only be needed for a limited duration.
• When you simply don’t have enough staff to handle the job, particularly when the project has defined entry and exit criteria.
• When members of the project team have a conflict of interest, lack creativity, bias, or any other element that prevents objective analysis of the range of alternatives or when the alternatives are not clear.
Very often an initiative has been identified but only the costs for procurement were included in the plan. The reality is that SOMEONE has to take on the project, regardless of whether it is an internal or external resource. Most internal resources already have their full-time job to do, and are probably overworked. The last thing they need is one more project in their in-box. What’s more, the skills necessary to effectively and efficiently manage a project take years to acquire.
2. Selecting (how to find the right consultant)
So if you have determined that your project meets the first test, how do you go about finding the right consultant for the job? The first thing you have to do is figure out what skills a consultant ought to have to do the type of project you are facing. For example, if you wanted someone to design a house you would probably go looking for an architect and not a plumber. Why? Because architects specialize in design. The same thing is true for technology. If you are considering a CRM application that will depend on several sources for information you will probably want someone with a lot of systems integration in their background.
You should also understand that there are basically two types of consultancies. On one end are the very large firms (KPMG, Accenture, etc.) who have thousands of employees world-wide with varying levels of experience. At the other end are small (boutique) firms who have few employees and typically specialize in a limited number of areas (e.g. HIPAA). As you might imagine there is a big difference in price as well; the larger the firm, the more overhead, the higher the price.
When you begin vetting candidates, consider the following:
• What skills should a good match have for this assignment?
• Does the candidate you are considering have the skills you identified?
• Has the candidate performed in a capacity similar to the project you are considering, and what was the result?
• Does the candidate have references?
• Can the candidate provide samples of past work?
• Is the candidate independent, or do they have relationships with vendors (particularly of solutions you may be considering) – you need to know if there might be a conflict of interest.
• Does the candidate have any certifications?
There are several resources you can check with depending upon the type of project and need:
• If you need a project manager, look for someone who has been certified through the Project Management Institute (PMI). Consultants who have passed a very rigorous testing procedure and who agree to conform to PMI standards are given the title of “PMP”, Project Management Professional. The PMI Website (www.pmi.org) has information about referrals, and you will find local chapters in most major metropolitan areas that can also provide referrals.
• The Society of Telecommunications Consultants (www.stcconsultants.org) is an international organization of voice and data communications professionals who serve clients in business, industry, service organizations, and government. STC members adhere to strict professional standards and a rigorous code of ethics. STC can also help you find a consultant if your need is in the telecom or call center area.
• BenchmarkPortal (www.benchmarkportal.com) provides referrals to certified benchmark auditors that follow a defined methodology to analyze information gathered on your call center as compared to similar companies in your peer group. The process is a great way to find out what you really need to focus on, and where to begin.
• Your internal contracts department may have master agreements in place with consulting firms.
3. Value (how do you get the best return on investment)
Once you have identified the consultant that you think may be a good fit, how can you be sure you are getting what you pay for, and how do you know when the consultant is done? The key comes from being able to clearly articulate answers to the following questions:
1. What is the scope of the project? How clear is the project’s goal?
2. What marks your project’s beginning?
3. How will you be able to tell if the project is on track?
4. What will be the determining factor to mark your project’s end?
If you are able to identify the outcome you are hoping to achieve and the process to get there, you will know when you have achieved the goal and the consultant’s work is through.
I hope you find these tips useful, and wish you all the best with your project!
