Five things to consider when hiring a consulting firm

Here are five things your company should consider if you're planning to hire a consulting firm

1. Do their capabilities fit my needs?

Understanding the capabilities a consulting firm has to offer is a key component in selecting the right person or organization to help you meet your strategic goals. When choosing consultants, it is important to understand the industry and subject matter expertise they will bring to your organization and how they complement your own internal resources. A consultant should have the relevant technical and industry experience and qualifications to either fill a capabilities gap or augment a team.

See Also

    Five things to consider for your merger integration

2. Ability to link business and technical concepts to goals

Developing people, process and technology solutions for clients cannot happen in a vacuum. Rather, successful consultants must first understand their clients’ strategies, culture, business processes and goals (both short- and long-term). In an age when technology and best practices are evolving faster than ever, the ability to conceptualize a client issue and quickly develop or adjust an approach to meet the need for long-term optimization is vital.

3. Local delivery with national expertise

A local presence is critical to establishing a strong rapport with clients. Consultants should be able to deliver projects locally, but understand when to draw upon subject matter experts from outside their location to successfully execute engagements. You should feel comfortable that the folks on the ground have the ability to call in other experts should the need arise.

4. Cultural fit

Ensuring your culture matches your consulting firm’s is important. Do you share the same principles and ways of doing business? Will personalities mesh well? You should feel comfortable that the consulting firm is a good fit based on relationships, as well as technical matters. The right consulting firm should be able to convey technical concepts to nontechnical executives in an easy-to-understand manner. A successful consulting relationship should motivate your employees by extending their capabilities and focusing on career mentorship.

see more http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/feature/5-things/2015/04/five-things-to-consider-when-hiring-a-consulting.html