The Business Consultant's Process
Business consultants use their education, skills, and professional network to provide businesses with the help they need to overcome challenges, grow, and meet goals. They do this by analyzing companies from every angle through the lens of what the company wants to accomplish, providing a new, outside, unbiased perspective on the company. Then, using that information and compiling data about competitors, customers, and target markets, helps a company develop a plan to reach their goals and fix any problems along the way. The business consultant's process generally includes four main phases: Introduction, Assessment, Implementation, and Analysis.
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Step One - Introduction
In this phase, the business consultant learns everything they can about your company. Its history, its current status, and its goals. In this phase, the business consultant will tour facilities and listen to all the shareholders - owners, board members, managers, supervisors, employees - and go through any relevant documentation (mission statements, guidelines and handbooks, financial documents) to come to an in-depth understanding of your company, including the company mission, current operations, and any challenges that the company is facing, particularly those that stand in the way of the business reaching the stated goals.
Step Two - Evaluation
In this phase, the business consultant takes the information that they've collected and begins to identify where changes need to take place in order for the business to reach its goals. It's in this phase where the business consultant may develop surveys for ownership, management, employees, and customers in order to gain more insight into changes that can be made to make attaining goals possible or easier. Many times, owners and other stakeholders have a good idea of what changes need to take place, and the consultant will be able to draft strategies to address those concerns as well as pinpoint unforeseen problems or issues and find solutions that will address those problems or avoid them altogether. It is during evaluation that the consultant will also be able to discover new possible opportunities for the business. These may include ways to increase profits, boost efficiency, re-allocate resources to maximize impact, and grow the company.
This process relies on two key components: communication and feedback. It is important that team members communicate with the consultant and be able to accept the consultant's feedback. The constructive criticism the consultant will provide isn't personal; rather, a business consultant's job is to provide an objective view to foster positive changes. Feedback from company stakeholders should be expected, of course, but the most important things is to maintain an open mind as the consultant begins providing insight to help the company grow.
Step Three - Implementing The Strategy
The business consultant will compile everything they've learned about the company and all the changes they recommend into an actionable strategy document that will outline the changes and the steps needed for each change to take effect. Depending on the company's stated goals, this document will look different for each company, but it will include how to utilize resources and assets, eliminate liabilities, identify opportunities, and how to implement the advised changes.
Step Four - Analysis
Your business consultant should provide ongoing feedback on your company's process, including analyzing results and providing additional advice for continued efforts or to make changes to the strategy if needed.
Ready for your business to take it to the next level? Make an appointment for your initial consultation with our business consultants today and learn how working with a fresh perspective a business consultant provides can help your business grow.
CALL OR EMAIL FOR AN APPOINTMENT TODAY!
(208) 755-8335 (M-F, 10 AM - 5 PM, Pacific Time)
debbie@debbieaferguson.com
SMALL BUSINESS LEGAL PLANS
We also provide support beyond the launch of your business. Our Small Business Legal Plans offer unlimited legal advice for common business situations. Our Small Business Legal Plans allow you to call your provider attorney to get legal advice on an unlimited number of legal matters pertaining to your small business. Starting a small business means that you are going to have legal questions. Wouldn't it be great to just be able to pick your phone and call or send a message to an experienced, dedicated attorney and get answers to those questions?
Once your business is up and running, there will be times when you need to run something by an experienced legal professional, such as sales contracts, lease agreements, hiring employees, and more. With the small business legal plan, you will be able to submit legal business documents up to 15 pages each for your attorney to review, download and use document templates created by our lawyers and then have them reviewed by your attorney for feedback, and your attorney can write letters and make phone calls on your behalf.
As your business grows, your Small Business legal subscription plan will continue to support your small business. You get one hour of legal research on each matter included at no additional fee. This does not include Designated Consultations on certain areas of the law or out of state matters; these issues are covered by three Designated Consultations included with your plan each year, up to 30 minutes each. And, with our Small Business Plus and Small Business Pro plans, you're even covered for legal support during IRS audits or representation in a trial if your business is sued.
The Small Business Legal Subscription plan will more than pay for itself the first time you use it. And, since our plans start at just $49 per month, having access to a qualified, experienced, dedicated small business lawyer is a priceless benefit to your business that is within budget.