Business consultant

МИНОБРНАУКИ  РОССИИ

Государственное образовательное учреждение высшего  профессионального образования

«РОССИЙСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ  ГУМАНИТАРНЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ»

(РГГУ) 

ИНСТИТУТ  ЭКОНОМИКИ, УПРАВЛЕНИЯ И ПРАВА 

ФАКУЛЬТЕТ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Стародубцева  Александра Дмитриевна

CONSULTANT 
 

Реферат по  <английскому языку> студентки

4-го  курса очной формы обучения  
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Москва  2011 

     Contents:

1. Business consultant……………………………………………………..3
2. Different types of business consultants………………………………....4
3. When your business needs a consultant………………………………...5
4. How to Choose a Business Consultant When You Want Results……....6

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Business consultant. 

     A business consultant has many different roles including working as a speaker, trainer, and writer as well as providing risk analysis and responding to questions and concerns posed by the clients. A business consultant works very closely with the management team, board of directors or business owner to research current information as required and to prepare and present findings in a meaningful way. The business consultant may be brought in to deal with one specific topic or issue or may be hired to help upgrade or update all the policies and procedures within the organization.

     A business consultant may specialize in one type of industry such as environmental, manufacturing or finance. He or she usually has extensive personal experience in the field as well as having a background in business administration, business finance and personnel management. The consultant will determine risks associated with various business ventures, will make educated predictions about various policies and practices, and will provide specific information to the management team as required.

     Business consultants may also be required to provide written material to educate staff on new practices and procedures or may even participate directly in the training of new or existing staff. A business consultant should be comfortable with public speaking to small and large audiences, should be a fluent writer, and should have knowledge of various presentation technologies such as PowerPoint and Office programs. Most business consultants work with other professionals in the field to write their reports and rely on excellent networking within various professions to help obtain information for their clients.

Common work activities include:

- Meeting with clients to discover their requirements for the consulting project. This involves being able to listen closely to understand what the customer wants to get from the consultation.

- Interviewing other professionals in the field, completing research on current and best practices within a given business sector.

- Using various computer programs and presentation styles to make information accessible to the client.

- Presenting information through written format, public speaking, or even hands-on training to individuals.

- Invoicing, billing and collecting fees for consultations and services provided as a business consultant, writer, trainer or speaker.

- Developing good working relationships with professionals in the field to assist with locating information and correctly assessing current and future business trends.  

Different types of business consultants. 

     There are many different types of business consultants available today. In every aspect of a company, there is a consultant that help assist with issues that arise. A business consultant is considered an expert in a certain field.

     If the company you run has strong management as well as strong employees, but yet there still seems to be something missing, you may look at hiring a management business consultant. They can come in and work with both the management and employees to see where the miscommunication is coming from, resulting in team work.

     The company you own has great employees and excellent management but somehow lacks profit. This could be stemming from something such as the advertising your company has. You could benefit from the use of a marketing business consultant. They can make sure you are getting adequate attention. They will assess your company and look at trends around you and make any necessary changes to help you achieve profit.

     How can business consultants help when there is a crisis? Everyone goes through a crisis sometime in their life. This is the same for companies and organizations. A crisis business consultant can be brought in to help the company deal with the crisis at hand. Sometimes panic is the first thing that sets in during a crisis because people aren’t sure of what to do. A consultant specializing in that department can help keep the panic to a minimum.

     There are many more types of business consultants that can prove to be a great asset to a company. The main thing is to know your company’s strengths and weaknesses so that you can choose the correct consultant. There may be a case where one or more consultants are needed. You could possibly find a consultant that specializes in many different areas eliminating the need for more than one. The main thing to know is that running a business doesn’t have to be scary, and the use of business consultants no matter how many can be beneficial. 

When your business needs a consultant. 

Business consulting services are indeed costly, but it could be one of the biggest decisions you will make for your business. Hiring the “right” business consultant could save you money down the road.

Some things you should consider in before hiring a business consultant:

Short-term Problems – If you are having a difficult time with something that is short term such as creating some noise about your new product release or any other event a business consultant can control any bad press that may be directed at you or your company. Make sure you plan ahead to get the most out of your consultant and their impact of your need.

Long-term Projects – You might benefit from a consultant for some long term project where you will require special skills to get the work done. The good thing is you won’t need that person after it’s completed. This will definitely save your businesses some money in the long run.

Business Issues – What if you don’t even know what the situation or issue is? You of course won’t even know how to define it or know how to improve on it. A consultant will help you identify the core issues and help you correct the problem. The key is making sure that the consultant is solving the correct problem.

You Can’t Find Good Help – If you company exists in a high job turnover you will be challenged in attracting, training and retaining employees. A consultant can help you with different recruiting techniques, show you how to interview and evaluate a potential job candidate and even make hiring recommendations.

     More often then not business consultants will have the expertise that you do not possess and that you need. They may also give you some valuable community or business connections. You will gain access to their years of experience but also with the other companies and people that they have done business with.

Wherever your business problem may be, make sure that the consultant you hire is specialized in the specific area you area trying to solve. 

How to Choose a Business Consultant When You Want Results. 

     There could be many business consultants qualified for the job. But you can have a selection committee help you find the right person. To help you find the best business consultant you must:  
- Research the market place and look for consultants who have your industry expertise.  
- See are they willing to spend time with you, without turning on the fee clock.  
- Make a short list and ask them to deliver you a proposal.  
- If they send you a proposal without meeting you, then discard them – how can someone attempt to understand your situation without meeting you?  
- Check to see if they have a proven process that delivers measureable results  
- Once they have met with you, you should meet at least 2, look at the proposals and see how much they are promising you and does it seem to make sense.  
- Ensure that any business consultant you choose offers to assess your business by meeting with key management, key staff, customers, suppliers and business partners.  
- Look at the profile of the people being proposed, do they match your needs and skill set you are looking for?  
- Ask what happens if the proposed business consultants are not available, does the company have depth of personnel?  
If you follow these rules and are sure that the business management consultant you choose is going to work with you and put in place business metrics, so you can see your progress, then you will be on the right track.  
However, still a very important point is to make sure you always measure the results of both their and your work, so that you know exactly what value you are getting from them. Then, and only then, will you be in a position to evaluate what results your consultant have delivered.