Comments on: When to hire a consultant

Tech companies often hire consultants for the wrong reasons and fail to hire them when they should. Here's guidance from someone who's worked both sides of the fence.

[labazzo]

I don't know much on consultants but from my experience (my wifes) is that some are a waste of time and money. My wife was working with a consultant in the Boimedical field and the consultant did not say anything about disliking a project ,so when management saw the presentation they had a lot of questions was ready to pull the plug. So My wife's group pulled together a second presentation and got it approved. The consultant at the time management not liking the project made his comment. Sounds like he was just saying anything to look like he was right.

[phillynets]

Sorry, but you didn't say enough to offend McKinsey, etc. While the lead of the article indicated you might have something new to add to the Consultant Debate - you didn't. Ironically, you offered the same trite cr*p consultants offer even as you were espousing your uniqueness. Congratulations.

There is a role for consultants in today's business world, at least in the theoretical sense, but we are all hard-pressed to identify the specific instance when you guys are necessary.

[InnovationConsultant]

Good consultants bring experience from working many projects, across business functions, industries, technology, etc. I've been able to put that experience to use as an independent, 3rd party contributor to recover failed projects in organizations too frozen in their own politics. Many individuals who have trouble working with consultants are protectionist rather than confidently competitive in putting their talents to work for the organization.

[consultantserviceprovider]

Perhaps Consultants need to be willing to provide the services they recomend. I have a consulting company that offers services as well as consulting. I take a more active approach and work with clients on a more personal level getting to know their personalities and offering services and ideas based on who they are individually. It is no use recomending a solution when you know they are not going to apply it. Come up with a solution that works with their personality, you and they are going to be successful., and the client will know you have their best interest at heart and how much you have invested yourself in the process. This approach doesn't work for every company and they are not a good fit for me. Most important to me; their integrity has to match mine. There is a place for consultants but I think the old description of consultant needs some remodeling just like everything else that doesn't seem to work the same as it once did in our current society. You know the old saying: The definition of insanity is expecting a different result from doing the same thing over and over.

[LarryLo]

Wow, you really think so eh Mr. Philly? Thank you for your obviously expert opinion on the role third party experts play in "today's business world"

First off there are many consultant who are merely hour vampires, there is no denying this, in fact I wouldn't call them consultants so much as contractors. They will try to use title 'consultant' to up their hourly rates. A real consultant is someone who is an expert in some field that brings skills and time to his customer projects, is there to finish something and move on to the next project. So lets not get the two confused.

Steve is absolutely right about what you can expect from a real consultant. A really good consultant's can help grow or even save a company from failing, there by keeping all the regular employees gainfully employed (people like you I assume). I saw this first hand, because I am consultant, I've helped many companies accomplish their goals, grow their business, change the way they work, pass an audit etc etc. If they could do it in house, they would have, but they can't, because the skills that are required for those projects usually demand a higher salary than they are willing to spend, and to be frank, they only need them for a particular project anyway.

So keep thinking that real consultants are bad, and you don't need them. Because someone else either within your organization or maybe even your competitors will hire us and reap the rewards.

[busintelguru]

I agree with you InnovationConsultant.

This past year, I have experienced more miscommunication between the client and the consulting firm then ever before. The client wants to fill a gap, however they don't spend the time with the consulting firm or the candidates to confirm the skill set or direction.

Granted there are some great firms that provide quality services for their clients everyday and that is how they stay in business. However, there are a great deal of firms out there with the "let's get the warm body in the door and the figure it out later attitude." The consultant walks into a grid iron of competition between services firms on site to find out they are just another warm body. This in itself is what is hurting consulting services these days. Some firms no longer consultant from an education perspective anymore. It seems to be more about volume of consultants in the door then skill set and deliverables. The result; waste of time and dollars for the placed consultant and the organization.

The best consultants and services firms are the ones that listen to the client's requirements and deliver without getting involved in the games of their competition or the politics of the organizaiton.

[ITSMconsultant]

There are a number of reasons why using a consultant makes sense over hiring a permanent employee. When an organization is going through a one time activity, such as designing and implementing a CMDB for example, it makes sense to leverage someone who has gone through that activity a number of times. It also makes sense to utilize a consultants external objectivity. Consultants can hasten adoption of new processes and cultures because they are perceived as neutral parties. They also can share insight into how the adoption of the new behavior has worked for others. Consultants can also act as honest brokers of information between the vendor community and the enterprise. It is sometimes difficult to find out what a solution doesn't do from the vendor when you are engaged in the sales process.

In terms of providing the services that they recommend, or providing solutions, or implementing solutions, the obvious problem is the complete loss of objectivity. A consultant that offers solution or service A will always come up with that recommendation. This is often the difficulty in contracting for services with a technology vendor as they will tell you how to change their business to fit their tools, instead of telling what tools are needed to fit your business.

[djf13]

I have worked as an IT consultant for several of the largest constulting firms. Companies often bring in our consultants for short-term projects to provide greater experience with a product or technology. It does not always make financial sense for a company to hire someone with many years of experience; instead, they bring in a few higher-paid consultants and have them work with and train their in-house staff.

Additionally, working in public services for the US Government has shown me that many government agencies depend on their consultants for talent because of the red tape involved in hiring skilled people from the private sector. We have the flexibility to pay market value for individuals that the government cannot directly hire because of their rigid GS level system.

I can assure you that reputable consulting services firms are very concerned about client satisfaction. Eighty percent of my company?s business is with existing clients who bring us on based on past successes.

[jvbroker]

anyone here own their own JV firm? I'd like to speak with you on the business.