By: Martha Buyer (www.marthabuyer.com)
Since the beginning of the Arthur
Anderson implosion, consultants generally have been given an unwarranted, and
unjustified, bad rap. By the same logic
that suggests most accountants are competent and ethical so, too, are most
professional consultants who operate in all sectors of the marketplace. The bottom line is that competent,
independent consultants bring value to the table. In a tight technology market, clients assume that consultants
cost money. But the fact remains that
the value a good independent consultant, or consulting firm, brings to the
table far outweigh its fees, no matter what the size or scope of the project.
Generally speaking, consultants come
to their respective practices after years in the field, either on the vendor or
user side. They understand the
technology, the market space, and how “the game” is played. They provide an end-user, be it a Fortune 50
company or a neighborhood business, with the necessary expertise and experience
to make the best decision in the most efficient way.
Rather than spending time to learn
the technology and the distinctions among product offerings, the client’s
decision maker relies upon the consultant’s familiarity with the technology or
product and his/her independence from any one vendor or product
line. In this way, the decision-maker
can evaluate the alternatives in an understandable format and make the best business
decision, effectively, efficiently and objectively. From the decision-maker’s perspective, most
technology is only of interest if it’s not working properly or if it’s costing
the company money without perceived benefit.
Another area where a consultant
can be of great value is as an outsource provider. Many consultants with years of experience running departments
within businesses have opted to provide outsourcing services to clients that
may have neither the time nor the resources to operate their own IT or
telecommunications departments. Here
again, a business, governmental entity or organization can benefit from the
years of expertise and experience of its outsource provider at a fraction of
what it would cost to bring the same individual, or team of individuals, in
house.
The stories of money saved,
refunded, or costs avoided following the work of a consultant are
legendary. Millions of dollars are
found each year for businesses and other telecommunications consumers who have
been erroneously or inappropriately billed for services that either they did
not contract for or did not use.
In short, independent consultants
bring value wherever they go. Unlike
the old adage “you get what you pay for,” with an independent consultant, you
get much, much more.