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Before we can gauge the value of consultants we need to establish what this elusive title means. Whenever the word “consultant” is raised, it always reminds me of a T-shirt, which read “I am not unemployed, I am a consultant!” Consulting is a profession, but as the salvage industry battles with the “scrap yard” image, so do the professional consultants with the fact that anyone – regardless of their education or experience, can open up a company and call themselves “consultants”. Each must be gauged by their own merit, personal references are usually a good indicator. Be sure to establish what they accomplished.

Consultants come in many forms. For the most part, they are “problem solvers.” There are, amongst others, computer consultants, financial consultants, environmental consultants and management consultants, which we represent. We are also referred to as “accountability experts”, “profit engineers”, or “business consultants”. Our focus is the “small to medium sized” business market, the one typically not catered to by the “Big Six” consulting firms. The reasons for the existence of the consulting industry are many, but a primary one is to provide the expertise that the company lacks in a particular area. This is accomplished without incurring the cost of a full time employee - who would be both cost prohibitive, and have nothing to do for a large proportion of the time.

Reasons for hiring a consultant are many. Before hiring a consultant, first identify what you want to achieve, as that will dictate the type of consultant you should hire. Do your references before letting them elbow their way in! In our segment of the market, we are hired for any number of reasons, amongst others:

· To gain a competitive edge
· To improve profitability
· To control costs
· To provide an objective opinion
· To assist in the establishment of long-term goals
· To provide structure, responsibility and accountability

There is a popular misconception that an owner wants to gain an edge whilst withholding that knowledge from his competitors. This is a fallacy, as when the information is shared with his competitors, the INDUSTRY becomes stronger, developing a stronger client base. Our clients are aware of this and we have a strong referral market as a result. Each client is unique, with a unique set of values, so not all our clients need, or want all the benefits, but the value of our services can typically be listed as:
· Increased income
· Reduced overhead
· More time off for the owner
· Identification and development of management
· The company runs professionally with less emotional decisions
· “Making it happen” – as one client put it “what you have accomplished in a few days, I have been trying to do for the past few years!”

There is never a good time to hire a consultant. A typical business will always have something going on or they would cease to exist as a business. A consultant is useful person to have on your side – they retain the necessary objectivity, and they bring the necessary knowledge to the table to assist your profitability and growth. One consultant cannot do it all, the reason they consult in the first place is to provide a specialty not found in the typical company. “In the counsel of many, there is wisdom” the good book says, and after all, “knowledge is the single biggest commodity being traded in the 90’s!”

Make the decision today to gain some valuable outside input – and be careful of the high-pressure sales tactics some consulting company’s use – “the consultants have to be here tomorrow or you miss your chance!” It is accepted that there is “never a good time” but “tomorrow or nothing” fits their schedule more than yours, as you do not have time to do the necessary references. A project “forced in” over a few weeks has less success than one spread out over a period of time. Our desire is to build a client base where once we have the company headed in the right direction, we “phase out” their reliance upon our services, but maintain a regular on-going relationship – as “people do what is inspected, not what is expected!”

Brent W. Stephens is a project manager with a Masters Degree in Social Sciences. He worked for George S. May International Company and International Profit Associates, Inc. prior to opening his own management consulting company, CE Corporation in 1996, incorporating as Consulting Expertise Corporation in 1999. When the business was closed in 2001 due to personal circumstances, close to 80% of their client base were auto recycling facilities. He was a freelance contributor to the Premium Parts magazine.