Using Consultants

Many of us use outside resources from time to time and, as there are often questions about getting the most from external suppliers, I thought some comment might be in order on how to make the best use of the relationship. As both a consultant and a company that uses outside support occasionally, I think about this a lot. So I put together some questions you may want to ask yourselves to make the process more effective.

By:
May 8, 2012

Author: Paul Balbresky

Many of us use outside resources from time to time, and as there are often questions about getting the most from external suppliers, I thought some comment might be in order on how to make the best use of the relationship. As both a consultant and a company that uses outside support occasionally, I think about this a lot. So I put together some questions you may want to ask yourselves to make the process more effective. Hope this is of use to you

KNOW THE TASK TO BE ACCOMPLISHED

This is one of the most common problem areas for a project. I have seen this result in excess charges, unmet expectations, and frustration with the process. Make sure you have total clarity and agreement on your end before you go too far down the line with a partner. Ask yourself these questions:

What are you trying to change?
Why are you going outside for help?
How can they help you (additional resources and/or different skill sets)?
When is it needed?
How will you need it delivered?
Who in your leadership has to sign off?
Who will be the contact person on your team?

KNOW YOUR SELECTION PROCESS

Regardless of whether you are lucky enough to have a large pool of potential support partners or only a few, you will need to know how you can make an informed decision in selecting the ultimate winner. Some things for you to consider:

Who is involved from your end in making the decisions?
How many potential candidates do you want to interview?
On what criteria will these people be evaluated and compared?
What vetting will you do of their credentials?
What sample work product do you want to see from them?
What is your time frame for making decisions?

KNOW THE CAPABILITIES OF THE CONSULTANT

Supplementary assistance can be very effective if you are asking the person to do something within their range of expertise. A good consultant will know where they can help you and where they cannot. A great consultant will help you think through the process of whether you even need them or not.

How did you hear about this person?
What is their track record?
How will you use them?
What is their experience in this specific area?

KNOW YOUR CONTRACT

Every company has their own preferred process for contracting with outside folks. However, standard agreements may not be appropriate to your aims with this project. Knowing which clauses are pertinent can save you time and anguish. While it would be nice to just use a handshake, a brief and clear letter of agreement can avoid confusion down the line. Consider:

What are they charging you for and what is free?
What is the cancellation or change policy?
Are there retainers?
Who owns the work product (training material specific to your company)?
Is the work product customized to your needs or is it shelf material?
What is your recourse for non delivery?
How will you ensure satisfaction with deliverables?
What is your recourse if they fail to meet your expectations?
Who will be delivering work product – is it the senior person you expected?

BUILD IN MILESTONES TO KEEP YOU ON TRACK

Starting from the end date backwards is often a good way to lay out time lines. Be sure to consider critical paths and concurrent activities to get a good estimate of schedules. Build in metrics to ensure progress is on track.

When do you need this completed?
What preparation do you need within your company?
What preparation does the consultant need?
How much time will this take?
What competing activities are going on which may distract from this task?
What specific dates need to be met to ensure you reach your end point?
What contingencies are appropriate?

KNOW YOUR PAYMENT PROCESS

The project is underway and you can move off to other concerns. But wait, the contractor is calling you all the time for payment. What happened? Knowing your process can help alleviate time and energy diverted to administrative tasks, and establish realistic expectations from the beginning.

Do you need budget approval?
Who has the authority to make payments and for what amounts?
What is the typical turn around time for checks to be cut?
Do you need to set up special vendor relationship processes in your company (POs, etc)?
How will travel and other expenses be handled?

KNOW THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP NEEDS OF BOTH PARTIES

If you are expecting some degree of customization of work product (training class or other such project) how will your consultant get the information they need to do this? Understanding how you and this person will interact is often as important as the services they provide and the cost/benefit for the services. Consider the following:

What background material does the consultant need about your company and the project?
Other than written material, what other understanding (e.g. direct observation) is needed by the consultant to give them context?
How does your project team need to be communicated with during development steps?
What interim steps and approvals are needed and how will they be handled?

Working with outside resources can be a pleasurable as well as beneficial experience. Manage this as you would any project for which you have total responsibility, and you will have fewer surprises and better outcomes.

Balbresky Consulting Services
INSURANCE TRAINING FOR BOTTOM LINE RESULTS
(856) 985 – 0955
pbalbresky@verizon.com
visit our website at
www.insurancetrainingbypaul.com
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