Six Steps to Follow When Selecting a Telecommunications Consultant

Step 1. Articulate Your Concerns

You may not be able to define the exact problem. (In fact, you may engage a consultant to do just that!) But there are always tell-tale signs of problems. For instance, general concerns may be expressed by you or your staff, as:

“Telephone costs are eating us alive!”
“Employees complain about the phone system”
“Customers complain; We may be losing business!”
“We should do something about telecom, but what?
“Management has asked for a complete telecom audit”

After writing down all your concerns, eliminate the trivial and gather relevant facts about the rest. For instance, your next list might look something like this:

“Telephone costs have grown from 1.9 to 2.8% of sales!”
“We pay the bills but no one knows exactly how to find all of the errors”
“The telephone company recommends more trunks”
“Service providers say they can audit our bills for us”

Now, armed with these more specific facts, you need to determine exactly what it is that you want a consultant to do. Move from the general to the specific.

General items might include:

1. Do you want information to clarify the problem so you can make a decision?

2. Are you considering outsourcing your telecom bills or adds, moves, and changes?

3. Do you feel you are wasting money by just paying the phone bills without looking at them carefully?

4. Would you like the consultant to examine your entire telecommunications operations and identify areas needing attention?

More specific areas a consultant can help you with could be:

1. Do you want to squeeze unnecessary costs out of present services?

2. Do you want help in being more efficient at moves, adds, and changes?

3. Do you want someone to review service providers’ proposals to be sure nothing has been overlooked?

4. Do you want an experienced consultant to train your staff how to conduct your own audit?

Lastly, consider cost. How much are you willing to pay for what you want? Even in consulting, the old adage “you get what you pay for” rings true. It isn’t always the least expensive consultant that will do the best job.

Step 2. Narrow the Field

Hundreds of telecommunications consultants maybe interested in your assignment, but finding the best one for you could take a lot of time and effort…IF you try to look at every one.

Preliminary screening, using readily-available information about consulting firms, is a great way to narrow the field of potential candidates.

Relevant criteria may include:

TELECOMMUNICATIONS SPECIALTY:

Does your concern involve voice communications? Data? Wireless? Teleconferencing? Frame Relay? Internet?

PROGRAM SPECIALTY:

Do you seek audit and analysis of services? New system/ service selection? Training? Diagnostic help?

If your problem is within a particular specialty, a specialist may solve it faster. On the other hand, the more narrow the specialty of the consultant, the greater the risk that your problem will be forced to fit the consultant’s ‘ standard’ solutions.

INDUSTRY SPECIALTY:

Do you need someone with extensive experience in your industry?

An organization already familiar with your business area reduces the orientation time for the assignment, and the consultant is able to apply known solutions. However, a consultant with experience in other areas may offer fresh— and possibly better—approaches to your concerns.

SIZE OF CONSULTING ORGANIZATION:

One-person firms may offer more flexibility and top-level attention. A consulting firm that boasts hundreds of employees isn’t always a better choice than a firm with 15-20 employees.

However, larger and longer-term projects may warrant greater resources and back-up capabilities of a larger organization.

NOTABILITY:

A recognized firm may lend needed credibility to recommendations that must be approved by others. Lesser-known firms may provide equivalent analysis and output at lower costs.

LOCATION:

A local firm should be more accessible and eliminate travel expense, but it may be less prepared (or refuse) to handle outlying locations. An out-of-town firm may incur more expenses, but it may be more frugal with both its time and yours.

Another consideration is the geographic range of clients. Firms that work on a national or international basis may be more familiar with a variety of service providers than would a local or regional client-based consulting firm.

Step 3. Identify Potential Candidates

If you think that you may want to use a consultant in the near or distant future, it’s best to begin your research now!

Start a file, and routinely place in it every reference that includes the name of a telecommunications consultant. Such names will come most often from three areas.

PUBLICATIONS

Articles and news stories are written by, refer to, and quote consultants. Consultants sometimes advertise. When you receive seminar mailings on telecommunications topics and consultants are speaking, clip and save these references.

SOLICITATIONS

Consultants may contact you. Save their names and any materials they provide.

REFERRALS

Friends and business acquaintances may be using telecommunications consultants. Users groups or internet chat groups discussing telecommunications many times share this type of information. Make note of such instances, along with details of assignments, client satisfaction, etc.

You can supplement your file by adding names from other sources such as:

YELLOW PAGES or SEARCH ENGINES

Search under the headings Telecom Consultants, Telecom Audit, Telecom Consulting (or)Telecommunications Consultants, and Management Consultants. But be alert… service providers also list themselves under these headings.

DIRECTORIES

Names and descriptions of telecommunications consultants can be obtained from directories published by Consultants News, Gale Research Company and others. You may also obtain consultant names by searching on the project you want to have completed, such as telecommunications audit.

Other sources to obtain consultant names include user groups, your own trade association, telephone suppliers, trade and professional magazines. These organizations can supply names with which they’re familiar.

Step 4. Screen Potential Candidates

Sort through the names you’ve identified, and qualify them with the criteria outlined in Step 2. Immediately eliminate names that obviously don’t meet most criteria. Add additional known relevant information, such as firm size, years in business, specialties, etc.

IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THE LIST DOWN TO THE MOST SUITABLE TWO TO THREE CANDIDATES, THESE METHODS ARE COMMONLY USED.

1. Talk to others who are familiar with the consultants on your list. These may be people who have used them, or they may be people who have heard about the consultants’ work from others.

Be aware that such sources are subjective, so frame your questions as objectively as possible. For persons who have previously used the consultant, the final key question should be - “Would you hire this consultant again?”

2. Talk to the candidates themselves (by telephone). Have a list of questions ready, and be prepared to reveal information about your organization and the assignment you have in mind. Depending on the assignment, you may find that talking to different consultants is all you need to make a decision.

Finding a consultant that you feel comfortable with is the key to a pleasant working relationship. If, after talking to your candidates, you are still not sure who to use for your project, you can take the next step.

3. Mail a questionnaire or Request For Proposal (RFP) to the prospective consultants on your list. The mailing may be limited to gathering information about each consultant. Or, a complete RFP may describe the assignment, provide extensive background information, and ask for a preliminary or specific proposal. (Be aware that many good consultants will not respond to RFPs.)

Whichever method(s) you use, obtain basic information about each candidate, and further qualify with questions such as:

• “ How long have you been in business?”
• “What are the backgrounds of you and your staff?”
• “Are you affiliated with any Service Providers?
• “What kinds of clients do you serve?”
• “What similar assignments have you had?”
• “What is your availability (schedule) for our assignment?”
• “What is your approach to fees?”
• “Do you personally visit larger locations?”

From the information gathered, reduce your list to the candidates you wish to meet personally…probably no more than one or two names. Invite them to meet with you in your offices, or even consider meeting at the consultant’s place of business! Beware of consultants who won’t agree to meet in person.

Step 5. Interviewing Candidates

Any of the consultants you’ve decided to interview can almost certainly do what you want done. But only one of them is best for you. The interviewing session(s) will virtually complete your evaluation.

THREE THINGS SHOULD HAPPEN DURING A GOOD INTERVIEW

1. You will get additional information about the consultant

2. The consultant will obtain information needed to make a proposal,and

3. The two of you will get a feel for the chemistry of the situation…will you be able to work well with each other.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONSULTANT

The representative will usually take the lead and tell you a lot about the firm, its capabilities and accomplishments. Take notes, and check off items on a prepared list of topics and questions. Listen carefully for what is not said, and probe for information that isn’t volunteered.

• How long has the firm been in business?
• Who are the principals, and what are their backgrounds?
• What kinds of work are done? main activity?
• What about staff—how many, background, type, tenure,etc?
• What is the firm’s approach to fees?
• Who are some relevant clients? Any repeat business?
• What has been the nature of assignments?
• What results were achieved? (Specifics can be provided without divulging confidential information.)
• How will the consulting firm approach your assignment? (Describe the process.)
• Who will be doing the specific work, and who will be available for back-up?
• What involvement will be required of you?
• What is the firm’s availability/schedule for your task?

INFORMATION ABOUT YOU:

A consultant needs to know a lot about your situation to make an intelligent proposal. So be prepared to provide necessary, even confidential information. You should volunteer some of this, but a skilled consultant will ask for needed data that isn’t immediately covered. Usual topics include:

Background of your organization — what it is, what it does, its sales volume, employment size, and organization structure.

Provide background on yourself (or the consultant’s primary contact) including title, tenure, responsibility, authority.

Relevant concerns and problems—why you are seeking the assistance of a consultant.

Nature and timing of the assignment—at least preliminary ideas on what you think you want, and when.

Available budget—you don’t have to commit to anything, but the consultant needs to assess whether the budget will allow for the envisioned assignment, or if an alternative is required.

Telecommunications profile—provisioning at the locations to be involved, present expenses with relevant detail, samples of actual bills, internal policies, etc.

CHEMISTRY

Ask yourself questions during the interview to assess how well you could work with this consultant.

• Do you like this person?

If the representative won’t be significantly involved in the project, will you be comfortable with the firm?

• Does the representative seem knowledgeable, organized, asking appropriate questions, and interested in you?
• How have you felt while discussing confidential matters?

However competent the consultant, unless there’s a feeling of mutual trust and respect, unless you’re comfortable, the chances for a satisfying relationship are very much diminished.

After the interview, if it was satisfactory, have the consultant prepare and/or present a written proposal or agreement.

And you should check the consultant’s references. (Keep in mind, it’s not ethical to ask for proposals from a candidate you’ve already rejected.)

Step 6. Obtain a Written Proposal

Except for repeat or continuing engagements, always get some type of written proposal, agreement or project description from the consultant. This is the only practical way to minimize ambiguities and make sure that everyone involved in the project understands what is expected.

Proposals come in many different forms…from a simple letter of understanding or a printed program description, to a custom presentation. You can even specify a required format, but it’s usually best to let the consultant determine format…you’ll get a better indication of the consultant’s thinking, mental organization, and writing effectiveness.

WHATEVER THE FORM OF PROPOSAL, LOOK FOR THESE KEY POINTS:

1. Statement of general purpose

2. Mission or goal of the project

3. Results or output to be achieved

These should be objective and measurable statements, so that anyone looking at the proposal can readily see whether or not they have been accomplished.

• The process or procedure that will be followed.
• Client participation—the things you and your personnel will be responsible for or expected to do.
• Schedule or timing—when the project can start, how long it will take, when key events will be complete.
• Fees and terms—what fees and expenses will be paid, and the schedule of payment.

Other considerations that are important to you should also be included. For instance, if you’re expecting a specific person to handle the project, that should be stated. If you feel the need for a nondisclosure agreement, have it included. And if the proposal is customized to your organization, a situation summary may be desired to assure you of the consultant’s understanding of your business.