Consulting, from the Client’s Perspective by Bobbie Kite

I would be hard-pressed to tell you all the times I have seen people’s face fall when they ask me what I do for a living and I respond, “I’m in consulting.” For months, I tried to elicit a different response from them to no avail. I realized that they were reacting to the same negative connotation attached to the industry that still makes me recoil. So I changed my response when they ask me to, "I own a how-to company."

When someone tells me they are in consulting, I automatically begin to wonder certain things:
1.Do they really have any idea what they are talking about?
2.What do they really do?
3.How do they base their pricing?
4.What of concrete value, if any, do they offer their clients?

These are valid questions. When listening to a consultant I am looking for a connection between their training, knowledge and skills.

Now, let’s talk about the client’s perspective on consulting.
A client sees the consultant as someone who comes from the outside to analyze what they survey and reveal those results.
The client may or may not expect to be observed and evaluated through this process.
It is difficult to justify paying for a service that does not result in tangible goods. This is further complicated by the fact that you are expected to pay for what you “technically” have the ability to see without help. The value of consulting is hard to quantify from this perspective until a return on the service is received.

Few want to pay someone to analyze their actions and point out what they had a hard time identifying themselves. Aside from this previous type of client, there is also the client who seeks to implement advice they have already gathered. This client might view consulting as a necessary evil.

For example, if a motivated and intelligent person has educated themselves with all available resources about a particular tax matter, they are still encouraged to consult an attorney. From this perspective, the consultation is a mere formality. Although this last step must be completed, it is often approached with skepticism and contempt. This client expects a revelation of their mistakes instead of new information.

The first type of client seeks information to be delivered from a consultant with a respectful personality. The second type of client wants a consultant that offers their value in information rather than through personality.

Consulting from the client’s perspective really depends on whether the client wants implementation and/or informational advice. No matter what the client’s motivation, all clients want answers to similar questions such as the ones I posed in this article.

To be a successful consultant, it is important to answer client questions and understand their perspective in relation to your services.

The Answer Company Blueprints were developed with varied client perspectives in mind. We offer alternatives to traditional consulting through the Blueprints which combine training, knowledge and skills. The Blueprints provide a path and resources for whatever your "building" will be. The path is customized to fit within your budget of time and money.

Please feel free to email me for more information or references for this article.
info@theanswercompany.net

Take a look at our website:
www.TheAnswerCompany.net