I might as well say it straight away, consultants are generally not liked, and it is one of them who writes it.
Indeed, as soon as the word ‘consultant’ is mentioned, many people come up with the most diverse and varied arguments to say all the bad things they think of these ‘preventers of going round in circles’.
It is true that before becoming a consultant, I had the pleasure of being their clients and guinea pigs: I had to deal with the most talented as well as the worst. Moreover, some of them were more comfortable using a calculator to let pay their fees than using their ability to provide real added value for the client.
But one should not be too quick to “throw the baby out with the bathwater” because most consultants want to provide real added value to their clients in quite acceptable financial conditions. The problem often lies in the definition of the mandate and the client’s expectations.
First, it is necessary to find the consultant who best corresponds to the expectations and needs of the client. Hiring a large consulting group to revisit the processes of a small SME can generate a waste of time and money and, above all, a mismatch in the levels of approach: while one (the consultant) will philosophise on the big economic ideas, the other (the client) will be looking for a simple and pragmatic answer. A clash is therefore guaranteed.
What to look out for:
• The chemistry between the consultant and the client must be established quickly
• The relationship of trust must be healthy, and transparency must be unreserved
• The mandate - and especially the deliverables - must be clearly expressed and explained, which is not always easy in reality
• Resources must be adequate and proportionate
• The consultant must help his client by making him aware of the opportunities but also of the questionings, doubts, and different approaches
• The consultant must have the courage to stop the mandate if the added value is no longer there, even if the client wants to continue.
Furthermore, one should never hire a consultant who is directly or indirectly linked to entities, companies or groups that offer operational services within the framework of the mandate: even if everyone claims that there are “Chinese walls”, this is a double game that can be dangerous for the client.
Consultancy is an exciting but difficult job that requires a great deal of operational experience: great (good) ideas often come up against operational problems: it is therefore necessary to know how to keep a sense of proportion and above all to propose solutions that are applicable in the medium term. There should never be any room for announcements or “stunts” in this sector, which is not, let’s remember, protected!
Good choice, good thoughts, and good reading.