I’ve Hired a Consulting Firm, Now What?

Story by: Shareen Baptiste

After reading last year’s article featured in SYNERGY, “Top 5 Reasons Why Businesses Should Outsource Professional Services,” you decide to hire a consulting firm. You did everything by the book – you did your research, drafted a contract and even onboarded a specialized consulting firm. Now what? Here are some best practices to engage your consulting firm effectively.

1. Select a liaison. Designate one team member who will liaise with the consulting firm. This individual will need access to the scope of work portion of the contract, so he/she has an accurate and comprehensive understanding of what services the contract entails and what it does not, as well as the budget from which the consultant(s) will operate from in order to execute the requested services. In the beginning as the business relationship forms, the consultant(s) may need to meet often, so this individual needs to be responsive and accessible. One aspect to being responsive is providing documents and information the consultant(s) need within the agreed upon timeframe. Additionally, the liaison should have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the business or open access to the business’ decision maker and his/ her calendar. Last but not least, it is key that this liaison has excellent organizational, communication and coordination skills. Selecting one team member to serve as a liaison reduces the occurrence of miscommunication, ensures continuity in the flow of information and ideas, and facilitates responsiveness, quicker decision making and a stronger bond between both parties.

2. Communicate your preferences. Write down your preferences and go over them with the consultant(s) within one of the first few meetings. Doing so establishes clear boundaries and sets precedent for how all parties wish to be engaged. Preferences include, but are not limited to the following:

Communication - how do you wish to be contacted and how often. Identifying your preferred communication platform and style in advance shortens the firm’s learning curve and encourages speedy responses.

Level of involvement - when do you wish to be engaged. Providing this guidance makes clear which types of decisions the consultant(s) can make without you and in which ones your involvement is mandatory.

Blind spots - these are areas of potential pitfalls. Giving the consultant(s) a heads up indicates that you would like for them to create processes and put in place measures to avert failures from blind spots and better position both parties for success.

However, do not forget the concept of reciprocity. Inquire about the consultant(s)’ preferred communication and learning style. Accommodating each other’s preferences leads to more fulfilled interactions, better collaboration and improved outcomes.

3. Present historical knowledge. It is always best to provide consultants with an idea of what was, in order to guide what will be. This process can take place in the form of presenting written standard operating procedures, sharing old articles, photos and videos and even explaining how events/ programs/activities/milestones were previously achieved. Providing access to historical knowledge gives the consultant(s) an idea of what worked and what didn’t, helping them decide what to maintain, improve upon or discontinue. Historical knowledge provides the consultant(s) with a more comprehensive picture, which allows for better and more consistent storytelling. Quick tidbit, if properly negotiated upfront, the consultant(s) may even assist with documentation, which would serve your business longterm.

4. Share the vision. Presenting historical knowledge is not enough, you must share your vision for the future – even if you do not have the whole picture, share what you know or share what you know you do not want. A consultant’s job is to help carve out the most efficient path that will help your business progress from where it stands today to what you would like for it to achieve tomorrow, so every bit of guidance helps ensure that both parties work towards the same, desired end result.

5. Be honest. As the saying goes, honesty is the best policy. So to build trust, communicate honestly with one another. If a peg in the process is not working, speak up. If you do not like the piece that the consultant(s) created, provide constructive feedback. If you do not like the methods implemented, provide alternative options. Not even the best consultant(s) have mind reading capabilities, so provide open and honest feedback in real time so the he/she/they may pivot accordingly. Ultimately, you sign the checks, so it is important that you and your team are happy with the end result.