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Answer Upon - Consulting: A Different World
Most people in the auto sector realize that there is a shortage of auto technicians and mechanics in the United States of America and by 2007 they are expecting the total to be over 188,000 workers that they are short. There are many employment opportunities and career paths in the auto services industry. But if you are not one who wants to sit in a shop all day and turn a wrench perhaps you might consider the mobile auto services industry, as it to needs more labor.There are all kinds of jobs in the mobile auto services business; such as windshield repair and replacement; auto detailing; color matching; mobile oil changes; and mobile mechanics. The number of employment opportunities in this career path and in the mobile auto services is expected to expand by 300 percent by 2010.If you like automobiles and cars perhaps you might consider the employment opportunity or career paths in the mobile auto services sector. Even with General Motors, Delphi and Ford Motor Company Laying off nearly 100,000 people there is still no way to fi
They love you
You love them
Learn as much as you can.
Have as much impact as you can.
Be Careful...they may want to steal you away.
Best Handled...
- Dont get too comfortable even if they do love you. You are a consultant and temporary by nature. Do your best at ALL times.
Notes...
Enjoy the assignment...these can be rare.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
The company won't expect anything but your best effort. The client won't expect anything but your best effort. So put forth your best effort regardless of the situation. There is nothing wrong with running into snags now and then...it happens. Investigate, find a solution and move forward, you will be better for having made the effort. Call the company (if you are working through a consulting company) and see if there is another consultant they can refer you to who might have the answer.
I cannot stress enough how important documentation is to our profession. Being consultants we are hired to come in and solve a problem, not create new problems. Prepare easy to understand documentation and update it when necessary. It is not only professional, but will also make your job easier as well as the job of the person coming in after you. I have worked for several clients who were lost when their employees left because they did not leave appropriate doucmentation. I once had a client who had a former employee offer to come back and write up documentation of their job for $10,000!
I volunteered to do the work free of charge. I
As a trucking company owner you are very aware that transportation companies are quite demanding when it comes to cash flow. They need regular cash to be able to meet all the ongoing expenses. As long as cash is coming in at a nice rate, your trucking company operates like a well-oiled machine. But if there is a hiccup in the cash flow, the well oiled machine starts creaking. And if there is a major cash flow problem, gears start flying all over the place and the so-called well oiled machine comes to a grinding stop.What is the biggest source of cash flow problems for small and mid sized trucking companies? Slow paying clients. Clients that take up to 60 days to pay their freight bills. Although large trucking companies can certainly handle waiting – small trucking companies with few power units usually cannot afford the wait. As an owner, you need the money and you need it now.Is the solution to turn away slow paying clients? Absolutely not. That would be business suicide. The solution is to eliminate the wait by financing your fre
CONSULTING: MYTH AND REALITY
Myth
Consultants are outsiders.
Reality
Consultants are only outsiders if they make themselves so. You don't have to be an outsider, go out to lunch with your co-workers...talk to them, and befriend them. Just know where to draw the line.
Myth
Consultants don't have to answer to anyone and can do whatever they want.
Reality
Consultants have, not only the client to answer to, but also the company they represent.
Myth
Consultants can come and go as they please.
Reality
Consultant can come and go as they please, until the client gets sick of it and boots them out the door.
Consultants are expected to work their hours, like everyone else, granted you have more freedom...just don't abuse it.
Myth
Consultants make lots of money for doing nothing.
Reality
More is expected of consultants. Consultants are usually asked to come in and get a job done, fast and efficiently, using the clients standards even though they may not be made readily apparent to the consultant.
Consultants have a shorter learning curve. Ask questions, because the client will take time to train an employee but that same regard will not be extended to a consultant.
Myth
Consultants only do what they are assigned to do and no more.
Reality
As a consultant, you are given assignments to complete by the client.
Consultants do what they are assigned to do. If you find yourself short on assignments from you client ask for more, it will make you more valuable in the clients eyes.
Myth
Consultants should know everything there is to know about their specialty.
Reality
Who are we Stephen Hawking?
Consultants know what they know, just as anyone does. Anyone who thinks that they don't need the aid of a manual or a technical document of some type is only cheating himself or herself and setting themselves up for failure.
In short...READ A BOOK...IT WON'T KILL YOU.
THE CONSULTANT COMMANDMENTS
- JUST DO IT (Nobody likes a "why"ny consultant)
- The client's way is the client's way...don't show a negative attitude about why things are done a certain way (see commandment 1 and 5)
- The client's time is valuable to them, don't waste it.
- Show up! Don't leave your client hanging by not letting him/her know if you are going to be coming to work until the last minute...it is not courteous and will lessen you value to them in the future.
- Don't detest...suggest. If you think that the clients system is not where it could be...don't complain about it, recommend another way and discuss it with them...never know...you may build the contract that way.
- Don't make promises you can't keep. A wise person once said "It is far better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt" ---truer words were never spoken. It is far better to put off making a decision until you have had a chance to investigate it than to make a suggestion that is not feasible or even possible. It will make you look foolish.
- Document everything. As a service to your client and as a service to yourself. What was asked for (in detail)? Who asked for it? For what purpose?
- Ask questions. If you are not sure about something, ask questions until you are sure of what is being asked of you. Clients can be unscrupulous whether intentionally or not consultants are easy scapegoats. Cover yourself. (See commandment 7)
- Keep the office informed as to what is going on at your client site. The office can't help you out of a bad spot if they don't know about it. Make the company aware as soon as possible.
- Always try to do your best work for the client. It is better to leave a client in a better position than when you came in than a worse position after you leave.
Managerial Styles
Each manager will have their own way of dealing with consultants. Here are a few traits that I have run into.
Managerial Type
Type: Middle of the Road/Road Kill
- Always have to balance a positive with a negative
- Usually new to management
- Don't know what to expect from consultants (usually assuming too much)
- Don't give clear instructions because of a lack of experience in doing so
Best handled by...
- Don't argue, just document everything they give you and be able to show that what they gave you is what you gave them (documentation).
- Don't take their criticism too harshly.
Notes...
Called Road Kill because that is usually what they end up being. They lose employees because they focus as much on the negative as the positive, often giving the negative more weight in the mind of the employee. This ends up costing them employees who feel under appreciated and in turn makes them look like a manager no one wants to work for.
Type: Sacrificial Lamb
- Friendly with a consultant on a one-on-one basis
- Not so friendly or different attitude when among colleagues
- Blame everything they can on the consultant and will not take responsibility for anything
- WILL take credit for work you do
Best Handled...
- DOCUMENT!
- DOCUMENT!
- DOCUMENT!
- Document Your work
- Document Any issues that are brought up regarding your work
These types of managers can be hard to handle. Warn the office (if you work through a consulting company) if you suspect you have a manager like this and document ALL issues, no matter how small. Don't confront the manager one-on-one, but be prepared to defend yourself with your documentation.
Notes...
They treat you like the lamb. You are expendable.
Type: Barney
They love you
You love them
Learn as much as you can.
Have as much impact as you can.
Be Careful...they may want to steal you away.
Best Handled...
- Dont get too comfortable even if they do love you. You are a consultant and temporary by nature. Do your best at ALL times.
Notes...
Enjoy the assignment...these can be rare.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
The company won't expect anything but your best effort. The client won't expect anything but your best effort. So put forth your best effort regardless of the situation. There is nothing wrong with running into snags now and then...it happens. Investigate, find a solution and move forward, you will be better for having made the effort. Call the company (if you are working through a consulting company) and see if there is another consultant they can refer you to who might have the answer.
I cannot stress enough how important documentation is to our profession. Being consultants we are hired to come in and solve a problem, not create new problems. Prepare easy to understand documentation and update it when necessary. It is not only professional, but will also make your job easier as well as the job of the person coming in after you. I have worked for several clients who were lost when their employees left because they did not leave appropriate doucmentation. I once had a client who had a former employee offer to come back and write up documentation of their job for $10,000!
I volunteered to do the work free of charge. I
A long time ago I heard the story about a man whose daughter told him there were ripe apples on the tree in their yard. He went out with an axe and a bucket, picked the five apples that were ripe and put them in the bucket. Then he chopped down the tree, laden with green apples. He couldn’t wait for them to ripen. We need to continually brand ourselves so that when prospective customers “ripen”, you’re their natural choice – top of mind. We want to position ourselves in their mind by creating a category and then owning it.We know that advertising works very much better when you’re well branded. You get a much better ROI for marketing and advertising when people recognize you. How do you know how well you’re branded? I look at my site on Alexa.com, I Google Robin J. Elliott and DollarMakers and I see how many times the phone rings. But the best test is your bottom line, right? Branding is essential for business success. But isn’t it very expensive? And with the cost of advertising and the mass of information out there, isn’t it difficult to
Myth
Consultants only do what they are assigned to do and no more.
Reality
As a consultant, you are given assignments to complete by the client.
Consultants do what they are assigned to do. If you find yourself short on assignments from you client ask for more, it will make you more valuable in the clients eyes.
Myth
Consultants should know everything there is to know about their specialty.
Reality
Who are we Stephen Hawking?
Consultants know what they know, just as anyone does. Anyone who thinks that they don't need the aid of a manual or a technical document of some type is only cheating himself or herself and setting themselves up for failure.
In short...READ A BOOK...IT WON'T KILL YOU.
THE CONSULTANT COMMANDMENTS
- JUST DO IT (Nobody likes a "why"ny consultant)
- The client's way is the client's way...don't show a negative attitude about why things are done a certain way (see commandment 1 and 5)
- The client's time is valuable to them, don't waste it.
- Show up! Don't leave your client hanging by not letting him/her know if you are going to be coming to work until the last minute...it is not courteous and will lessen you value to them in the future.
- Don't detest...suggest. If you think that the clients system is not where it could be...don't complain about it, recommend another way and discuss it with them...never know...you may build the contract that way.
- Don't make promises you can't keep. A wise person once said "It is far better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt" ---truer words were never spoken. It is far better to put off making a decision until you have had a chance to investigate it than to make a suggestion that is not feasible or even possible. It will make you look foolish.
- Document everything. As a service to your client and as a service to yourself. What was asked for (in detail)? Who asked for it? For what purpose?
- Ask questions. If you are not sure about something, ask questions until you are sure of what is being asked of you. Clients can be unscrupulous whether intentionally or not consultants are easy scapegoats. Cover yourself. (See commandment 7)
- Keep the office informed as to what is going on at your client site. The office can't help you out of a bad spot if they don't know about it. Make the company aware as soon as possible.
- Always try to do your best work for the client. It is better to leave a client in a better position than when you came in than a worse position after you leave.
Managerial Styles
Each manager will have their own way of dealing with consultants. Here are a few traits that I have run into.
Managerial Type
Type: Middle of the Road/Road Kill
- Always have to balance a positive with a negative
- Usually new to management
- Don't know what to expect from consultants (usually assuming too much)
- Don't give clear instructions because of a lack of experience in doing so
Best handled by...
- Don't argue, just document everything they give you and be able to show that what they gave you is what you gave them (documentation).
- Don't take their criticism too harshly.
Notes...
Called Road Kill because that is usually what they end up being. They lose employees because they focus as much on the negative as the positive, often giving the negative more weight in the mind of the employee. This ends up costing them employees who feel under appreciated and in turn makes them look like a manager no one wants to work for.
Type: Sacrificial Lamb
- Friendly with a consultant on a one-on-one basis
- Not so friendly or different attitude when among colleagues
- Blame everything they can on the consultant and will not take responsibility for anything
- WILL take credit for work you do
Best Handled...
- DOCUMENT!
- DOCUMENT!
- DOCUMENT!
- Document Your work
- Document Any issues that are brought up regarding your work
These types of managers can be hard to handle. Warn the office (if you work through a consulting company) if you suspect you have a manager like this and document ALL issues, no matter how small. Don't confront the manager one-on-one, but be prepared to defend yourself with your documentation.
Notes...
They treat you like the lamb. You are expendable.
Type: Barney
They love you
You love them
Learn as much as you can.
Have as much impact as you can.
Be Careful...they may want to steal you away.
Best Handled...
- Dont get too comfortable even if they do love you. You are a consultant and temporary by nature. Do your best at ALL times.
Notes...
Enjoy the assignment...these can be rare.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
The company won't expect anything but your best effort. The client won't expect anything but your best effort. So put forth your best effort regardless of the situation. There is nothing wrong with running into snags now and then...it happens. Investigate, find a solution and move forward, you will be better for having made the effort. Call the company (if you are working through a consulting company) and see if there is another consultant they can refer you to who might have the answer.
I cannot stress enough how important documentation is to our profession. Being consultants we are hired to come in and solve a problem, not create new problems. Prepare easy to understand documentation and update it when necessary. It is not only professional, but will also make your job easier as well as the job of the person coming in after you. I have worked for several clients who were lost when their employees left because they did not leave appropriate doucmentation. I once had a client who had a former employee offer to come back and write up documentation of their job for $10,000!
I volunteered to do the work free of charge. I
The votes have been counted and the results are in. Ballot boxes are a priceless tool in the management of your retail store. Store promotions, contests, giveaways, and customer research are just a few examples of the ways a ballot box can come in handy in promoting your store and improving customer service. The ballot box is one of the most useful (and overlooked) tools for retail stores to build a connection with their customer base.A ballot box is such a versatile tool because it can be used in a wide variety of contexts within your store. It is the type of product that you typically don’t think of until the first time you need it. Then you begin to see all of the practical applications.I recommend retailers use creativity in determining how their business could benefit from a ballot box, but here are some suggestions to get you thinking:Promotional Contests: Everyone loves a contest. Your customers love it because they stand to win something. You love it because it draws customers into your store. Consider this
Managerial Styles
Each manager will have their own way of dealing with consultants. Here are a few traits that I have run into.
Managerial Type
Type: Middle of the Road/Road Kill
- Always have to balance a positive with a negative
- Usually new to management
- Don't know what to expect from consultants (usually assuming too much)
- Don't give clear instructions because of a lack of experience in doing so
Best handled by...
- Don't argue, just document everything they give you and be able to show that what they gave you is what you gave them (documentation).
- Don't take their criticism too harshly.
Notes...
Called Road Kill because that is usually what they end up being. They lose employees because they focus as much on the negative as the positive, often giving the negative more weight in the mind of the employee. This ends up costing them employees who feel under appreciated and in turn makes them look like a manager no one wants to work for.
Type: Sacrificial Lamb
- Friendly with a consultant on a one-on-one basis
- Not so friendly or different attitude when among colleagues
- Blame everything they can on the consultant and will not take responsibility for anything
- WILL take credit for work you do
Best Handled...
- DOCUMENT!
- DOCUMENT!
- DOCUMENT!
- Document Your work
- Document Any issues that are brought up regarding your work
These types of managers can be hard to handle. Warn the office (if you work through a consulting company) if you suspect you have a manager like this and document ALL issues, no matter how small. Don't confront the manager one-on-one, but be prepared to defend yourself with your documentation.
Notes...
They treat you like the lamb. You are expendable.
Type: Barney
They love you
You love them
Learn as much as you can.
Have as much impact as you can.
Be Careful...they may want to steal you away.
Best Handled...
- Dont get too comfortable even if they do love you. You are a consultant and temporary by nature. Do your best at ALL times.
Notes...
Enjoy the assignment...these can be rare.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
The company won't expect anything but your best effort. The client won't expect anything but your best effort. So put forth your best effort regardless of the situation. There is nothing wrong with running into snags now and then...it happens. Investigate, find a solution and move forward, you will be better for having made the effort. Call the company (if you are working through a consulting company) and see if there is another consultant they can refer you to who might have the answer.
I cannot stress enough how important documentation is to our profession. Being consultants we are hired to come in and solve a problem, not create new problems. Prepare easy to understand documentation and update it when necessary. It is not only professional, but will also make your job easier as well as the job of the person coming in after you. I have worked for several clients who were lost when their employees left because they did not leave appropriate doucmentation. I once had a client who had a former employee offer to come back and write up documentation of their job for $10,000!
I volunteered to do the work free of charge. I
Organizations have to be especially savvy in making wise financial decisions. Budgets are typically contracting rather than expanding, and donor dollars are harder to come by these days. Special events can be especially tricky as you need to deliver high impact on a very limited budget. Anything that offers multi-purpose utility is far preferable than single-use materials and equipment.Actually, multi-purpose has become a way of life. Toothpaste cleans, whitens, and freshens breath; ottomans provide a comfy place to elevate your feet along with built in storage. The smart consumer looks for the most cost-efficient way to meet their needs and multi-purpose accomplishes that goal.When it comes to organizational event planning, portable floors are an excellent and affordable multi-purpose solution. Portable floors can be used for dancing, sporting events, trade shows, flea markets, weddings – the possibilities are endless!There is often no tighter budget than within a school district, where both space and money are often a
Best handled by...
- Don't argue, just document everything they give you and be able to show that what they gave you is what you gave them (documentation).
- Don't take their criticism too harshly.
Notes...
Called Road Kill because that is usually what they end up being. They lose employees because they focus as much on the negative as the positive, often giving the negative more weight in the mind of the employee. This ends up costing them employees who feel under appreciated and in turn makes them look like a manager no one wants to work for.
Type: Sacrificial Lamb
- Friendly with a consultant on a one-on-one basis
- Not so friendly or different attitude when among colleagues
- Blame everything they can on the consultant and will not take responsibility for anything
- WILL take credit for work you do
Best Handled...
- DOCUMENT!
- DOCUMENT!
- DOCUMENT!
- Document Your work
- Document Any issues that are brought up regarding your work
These types of managers can be hard to handle. Warn the office (if you work through a consulting company) if you suspect you have a manager like this and document ALL issues, no matter how small. Don't confront the manager one-on-one, but be prepared to defend yourself with your documentation.
Notes...
They treat you like the lamb. You are expendable.
Type: Barney
They love you
You love them
Learn as much as you can.
Have as much impact as you can.
Be Careful...they may want to steal you away.
Best Handled...
- Dont get too comfortable even if they do love you. You are a consultant and temporary by nature. Do your best at ALL times.
Notes...
Enjoy the assignment...these can be rare.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
The company won't expect anything but your best effort. The client won't expect anything but your best effort. So put forth your best effort regardless of the situation. There is nothing wrong with running into snags now and then...it happens. Investigate, find a solution and move forward, you will be better for having made the effort. Call the company (if you are working through a consulting company) and see if there is another consultant they can refer you to who might have the answer.
I cannot stress enough how important documentation is to our profession. Being consultants we are hired to come in and solve a problem, not create new problems. Prepare easy to understand documentation and update it when necessary. It is not only professional, but will also make your job easier as well as the job of the person coming in after you. I have worked for several clients who were lost when their employees left because they did not leave appropriate doucmentation. I once had a client who had a former employee offer to come back and write up documentation of their job for $10,000!
I volunteered to do the work free of charge. I
One of the most exciting efficiencies in business is the Global Brand. A global brand allows tremendous economies of scale, especially in marketing communications investments. However, these economies of scale can only be achieved, if brand impact is not sacrificed in the process.Doesn’t this seem to be a contradiction in terms? How can Brand, which is typically optimized for a specific market and a specific offering be implemented across widely different countries and work equally hard for all of the markets and for all of the offerings?After all, countries are different. They have different histories and cultures. So a brand that is designed for one country may is typically not suitable for another. Is it at all possible to overcome this problem? How do we build a global brand without making it unsuitable for some markets?Yes. It is possible. It requires a great deal more discipline, both for developing the brand positioning architecture that is suitable for all countries, and for developing the brand design element
They love you
You love them
Learn as much as you can.
Have as much impact as you can.
Be Careful...they may want to steal you away.
Best Handled...
- Dont get too comfortable even if they do love you. You are a consultant and temporary by nature. Do your best at ALL times.
Notes...
Enjoy the assignment...these can be rare.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
The company won't expect anything but your best effort. The client won't expect anything but your best effort. So put forth your best effort regardless of the situation. There is nothing wrong with running into snags now and then...it happens. Investigate, find a solution and move forward, you will be better for having made the effort. Call the company (if you are working through a consulting company) and see if there is another consultant they can refer you to who might have the answer.
I cannot stress enough how important documentation is to our profession. Being consultants we are hired to come in and solve a problem, not create new problems. Prepare easy to understand documentation and update it when necessary. It is not only professional, but will also make your job easier as well as the job of the person coming in after you. I have worked for several clients who were lost when their employees left because they did not leave appropriate doucmentation. I once had a client who had a former employee offer to come back and write up documentation of their job for $10,000!
I volunteered to do the work free of charge. I felt the former employee was totally unprofessional. This person basically wanted money to do a job they should have done in the first place. I was not only able to save the company the $10,000, I did such a good job with the documentation that the full time employee that came in after me didn't require any face-to-face training with me and complemented me on the work. That felt good.
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