Skip to main content

The Benefits of Using a Consultant

Using a consultant can have many benefits, but before we go through these benefits it’s important that we cover a few things about consultants, as well as some tips for when using one.
The nature of a consultant’s engagement with the client will change as priorities are refined and projects develop. Care must be taken to keep the project focused and stop it becoming an open-ended arrangement. It is essential that the client clearly remembers the initial purpose of the consultancy, and that changes in direction are subject to rigorous assessment.
A consultancy assignment may contain a number of elements simultaneously. In other cases there may be a clear sequence from the strategic, through the tactical, to the purely operational. This could mean changing consultancies or adding other practices to the team, as the consultancy you start with may not be the most appropriate choice going forward.
Now, onto what you came to read…

The benefits of using consultants include:
  • Unique solutions that reflect the circumstances and aspirations of the client.
  • Speed, because the consultancy team (unlike the in-house management) isn’t distracted by other tasks.
  • Knowledge of ‘best practice’ and effective solutions from within the client’s industrial/commercial sector.
  • Exposure to expertise derived from other industries and sectors.
  • Provision of specific technical skills that are non-existent or in short supply in-house, and often the transfer of such skills to in-house staff.
  • Change management skills enhanced by the consultant’s position as independent and objective.
This should lead to value for money, demonstrated through the client’s improved performance. The client can increase the likelihood of a good outcome by establishing with the consultant what the final report will include and how it will be presented. They should understand the time commitment of the consultancy and who will carry out the work.
It is also important to agree regarding knowledge transfer from the consultant to the client’s organisation and to ensure that the organisation is briefed about the project to prevent obstruction or lack of commitment.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Police Bust Alleged $13 Million Crypto Pyramid Scheme

Police in China's northwestern city of Xi'An have arrested the founders of a claimed nationwide cryptocurrency pyramid scheme that allegedly amassed 86 million yuan ($13 million) from over 13,000 people. According to a report  from local media source Huashang News, Wednesday, the scheme launched in March 28 this year after months in preparation by a primary suspect who has has the surname Zheng, as well as three other accomplices. The report cited an investigation from the police who said the scheme used a cryptocurrency called Da Tang Coin (DTC) that is linked to DTC Holding  - a firm under the suspect's control and registered in Hong Kong - to allegedly hoax potential members of the pyramid scheme. In various promotional events in multiple cities in the country, the scheme claimed that new members can make 80,000 yuan (roughly $13,000) per day with an initial investment of $480,000 to purchase the DBTC at $0.50 per token, according to the report. These promises o...

Duncan Logan just tweeted that he's on board Electroneum

I have been a buyer and holder of bitcoin and Etherreum for a long time but this will be the first ICO I buy into--Duncan Logan. What is Electroneum? Electroneum (ETN) is a cryptocurrency that can be mined with a smartphone, requiring almost no technical knowledge or prior experience. This sets it apart from other cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin) which require expensive hardware and technical know-how to mine. Electroneum’s unique mobile mining experience allows anyone with a smartphone to earn ETN coins by letting the miner app run in the background. It was designed specifically with mobile users in mind, thereby appealing to a potential market of 2.2 billion smartphone users around the world. Unlike other cryptocurrencies, Electroneum has a user-friendly, beginner-oriented interface that allows users to seamlessly transfer ETN coins between one another, check their balances, and mine coins. Being a  cryptocurrency , Electroneum is created, held, and spent electronical...

How to spend your Bitcoin and Ethereum in South Africa

As Bitcoin and Ethereum gain popularity among investors, an increasing number of users are creating cryptocurrency wallets. The wallets are either hosted through an online provider or stored on the user’s hardware. From these wallets, cryptocurrency owners can make transactions on a blockchain, interact with exchanges and other users, and in the case of the Ethereum blockchain, programme autonomous contracts. Sending cryptocurrency through the blockchain is quick and easy, but using cryptocurrency in lieu of fiat currency is still limited. South African stores and services are slower to adopt cryptocurrencies than more developed countries, but users can still buy products locally with Bitcoin or Ethereum. Stores There is a growing list of stores in South Africa which accept Bitcoin as a payment option – many of which offer the option by allowing users to pay with  PayFast . PayFast has partnered with South African Bitcoin exchange Luno to provide users with a way to ...