Client-Focused Consulting

The most recent edition of Consult Magazine (published by the Canadian Association of Management Consultants, Fall 2011, p. 25).) featured an article about what clients really want from management consultants. It turns out that many clients feel their consultants are doing a poor job of determining their needs, and then delivering solutions to meet those needs. They don't want consultants to come in to their workplace, take over a whole project, and deliver a pre-set solution.

Rather, they need to 'think outside the box.' Considering this is what our three companies have worked hard to do for the past 25 years, we're happy to see this being recognized.

Here are the three key ways that we do business to differentiate ourselves from others, which echoes the article.

1. Involve the client more closely. Rather than coming in and bringing all the required staff members, consultants should propose to work closely with clients and leverage their expertise as well. At Stonecircle, we try to see if there is a way to include someone from the client organization as an active member of our team. This ensures buy-in to the project and helps build capacity.

2. Work at the Client's Pace. While no one likes to have projects drag out for many months, we have to be flexible enough to rethink our original timelines and provide enough opportunity for clients to review our work and comment appropriately.

3. Charge for Outputs not Inputs. Be very clear what the objectives of the project are, and commit to providing the very best product or service to meet that objective, rather than just charging by the day or hour for certain tasks.

4. Finally, listen to the client and adapt to your client's unique cultural and geographic position; don't offer a cookie cutter approach. As the article points out, don't "propose the same project structure to each and every client....firms that can re-invent themselves have an opportunity for differentiation."