Has depth and breadth of experience
When you hire a consultant, you’re hiring all the learning that consultant has gained from previous clients. Experience in continuous improvement of client satisfaction from the private, public and non-profit sectors should bring fresh ideas, unbiased approaches, proven methods and a range of options. Jan Grude, chair of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants, cautions you to beware of consultants who sell you on their best personnel then switch to juniors when the work begins.

Explore the consultants’ experience, find out:

• If they have worked with a variety of clients, from all sectors.
• How they adapted their methodology to suit the culture and needs of each client.
• How they will use their experience to ensure no false starts for your project and provide sufficient contingency planning.
• How they use continuous improvement and customer satisfaction in their own practice.
• Who will be working on the project and their qualifications.

Listens to your needs
The right consultant listens carefully when you speak, takes notes, checks for understanding, and asks pertinent questions. The right consultant takes the time to examine your concerns, and any constraints or limitations connected to the project.

Look for consultants who:

• Consider how the outcome of the project will affect the organization, staff, clients and other stakeholders.
• Understand the consequences of a successful or unsuccessful project and how those consequences will affect you personally.
• Do not start out with assumptions, propose early solutions or emphasize their “tried and true” methods.

Integrates learning into the process
You’ll want consultants who provide a transfer of learning and emphasize mastery not dependency. Not only should the consultants help you achieve your goals, they should leave you with an in-house team which has become increasingly knowledgeable about service improvement and client satisfaction and will be able to continue the process with minimal expert help.

Consultants who integrate learning into their process:

• Are experienced on-the-job trainers who coach and guide your staff through the process.
• Share the reasons they chose certain methods and the rationale behind recommendations.
• Provide templates and documentation to help you improve service on your own.

Works well with all levels
The right consultants will be able to work well with all levels within your organization. They’ll be able to discuss planning and outcomes with senior management and work with front line staff in developing and implementing improvements.

You’ll want to find out if they:

• Provide the appropriate degree of detail needed to keep sponsors and leaders informed and engaged with the project.
• Tailor their methodology to match the level of experience within the organization.
• Determine how often special requests are escalated for authorization.
• Treat everyone in your organization as a valued client.

Focuses on results
The right consultant focuses on results, rather than offering an off-the-shelf solution. The Canadian Association of Management Consultants’ Jan Grude warns of the “pin wheel consultant who every so often gives the client a tweak, and as long you’re spinning, you fork over the fee.”

When you check references, make sure you ask these questions:

• Did the consultant fulfil every aspect of the contract?
• Were deadlines met?
• If the project was over-budget, how much was the consultant willing to absorb?
• Did the quality of the work meet the standards originally agreed upon?

Works efficiently
The right consultant designs the methodology to maximize staff members’ input while minimizing the use of their time. For example, the right consultant would hold a well-planned and facilitated workshop with key staff to get input into the design of a client survey and then take the results away to wordsmith the survey, incorporate the major elements of effective surveys and produce a close-to-finished product, ready for review and signoff. The right consultant will produce a plan to use your resources for optimal results. The consultant will have templates that can be adapted to your organization, rather than starting from scratch. Ask to see a sample of tools the consultant has developed.

Writes and speaks with precision
Avoid “bafflegab consultants, who operate on the premise that if you can’t understand what they’re talking about, they must be worth the cost”, is a further warning from Jan Grude. And you don’t have time for misunderstanding or incomplete reports. Pay close attention during the interview and assess how well the consultants express their understanding of your needs. Do the consultants open the interview with the right amount of social conversation and then get down to business? Was their proposal easy to read and understand? These clues will help you predict if the consultant will write and speak with precision during the course of the contract.

Demonstrates a positive attitude
Chemistry counts. Not only must you click with the consulting team, so must sponsoring executives and front line staff. That’s why interviewing consultants is essential. Ask yourself, “Can I and my team work collaboratively with these people?”

And look for consultants who:

• Portray a love of what they do.
• Have real curiosity about your organization and the outcomes of your project.
• Convey respect for their prior clients.

Understands organizational change
It’s obvious the right consultants must have the technical expertise to get the job done. But they also need the sensitivity to get the job done right, and that includes understanding the feelings and fears of the staff. Changing the focus of an organization to be citizen/client driven, involves a major organizational shift.

The right consultant will know how to help staff through this change by:

• Clearly explaining the process and details of the methodology they will use.
• Encouraging participation by those who will be affected by the service improvement plans.
• Avoiding a we/they mentality by becoming members of the team for the duration of the project.

Practices ethically and provides a money-back guarantee
The right consultants will be completely ethical in their dealings with you. They have the courage to challenge your perceptions and the strength to present opposing views. And they will give you the advice you need to hear, rather than what you want to hear. In fact, consultants who have faith in themselves will put their reputation to the test by offering a money-back guarantee.

The added value
At its best, the consulting relationship will do more than achieve the project goals; it will leave the participants with new skills and knowledge and the readiness to exceed the targets of the Service Improvement Initiative. That success can revitalize your team, instill renewed pride in their work and boost morale. Your personal pay-off is a more rewarding job.