Consultants & Advisers: A Best Practice Guide to Choosing, Using and Getting Good Value »

Harold Lewis is a writer, editor and independent consultant with more than 30 years of professional experience working with businesses of all kinds and with private and public sector clients. Having written over 300 successful bids and proposals, he is a leading authority on developing and writing competitive tenders.

* Valuable guidance on hiring experts for both new businesses and established firms

Soundview Review - Soundview Executive Book Summaries

Everyone in business will need the help of consultants, contractors or professional advisers at some time or other. In Consultants & Advisers, independent consultant Harold Lewis presents an accessible resource for individuals, businesses and organizations on how to get the best value from the consultants they hire. Lewis provides answers to many common questions about consultants and advisers, as well as examples of both good and bad practices. Throughout, he offers a thorough examination of everything involved, from picking consultants to writing contracts to solving problems.
Consultants & Advisers guides readers through the process of choosing and using consultants so they can secure the help they need and the results they intend. It helps readers avoid mistakes and pitfalls; save time, money and effort; and make the process of working with consultants really worthwhile. It also offers larger companies many lessons about where levels of risk are high, and how poor advice can cause financial loss.

After identifying the kinds of situations in which professional help might be necessary or useful, Lewis discusses various ways to obtain help. He also indicates circumstances in which bringing in outside advisers might not be the best course of action.

Why Would I Want to Use Consultants?
Every person in business will at some time need professional advice. To make a relationship with a consultant or adviser succeed, the key requirements are confidence, honesty and trust, based on a shared understanding of professionalism and the importance of businesslike delivery. To quote business guru Charles Handy, "If you trust people, they will surprise you. And they will surprise you positively if their interests coincide with your interests."

Business managers use consultants because of the expertise they offer, their independent viewpoint and the resources they provide. Their expertise can be defined as specialist skills, deep experience, insight, awareness of best practices, research skills, and creativity. The independence of consultants offers a detached viewpoint, impartiality, and unbiased analysis. The resources they provide can improve a company's cost effectiveness and cost savings.

First, you need to determine whether you are looking for a consultant or an employee. Choosing one of these options depends on what you will allow this individual to do. Are you comfortable with this person being able to delegate authority, working on one specific task, and taking care of his or her own tax records? If the answer is yes, then you are probably looking for a consultant. If the answer is no, then you are probably looking for an employee.

Alternatives to an External Consultant
Before you seek out a consultant, Lewis explains, you need to figure out if your company can do the job itself without resorting to outside help. For example, your in-house staff might be able to handle the job with some additional training, or you might be able to use your company's own internal consultants, which would probably be cheaper. You could also consult a sister organization, a current business partner, a professional institution, a trade group or even the local chamber of commerce. Further, you might look at university and college departments, volunteer advisers, or even Internet discussion groups if you are seeking help. Copyright © 2006 Soundview Executive Book Summaries

Lewis writes that your choice not to use a formal outside consultancy process should be based on what you want to achieve, the price of getting it wrong, the urgency of the work, and the relative talent levels of the people who you would be asking to do the work. Copyright © 2006 Soundview Executive Book Summaries