I love a good deal. And really, who doesn’t?
Getting an item you want at a great price is cause for celebration.
I have learned over the years what items I can buy for cheap that are still great. Store-brand potato chips taste just as good as the name brand, and I still can’t eat just one.
I have also learned what things I should invest more money in to get a far superior product. Shoes are like that. If you buy a pair of shoes from a discount store, you can bet your feet will be killing you at the end of a long day.
This same concept applies to the business world. There are areas where you can save and areas where you should invest.
Many companies save a significant amount of money through initiatives like going paperless, buying supplies in bulk, and using freelancers.
But consulting is not one of those areas in which you should try to save.
When businesses have a problem but not the skillset in-house to solve it, they turn to outside help, often either a trainer or a consultant. I think many leaders see consultants and trainers as the same, but they are vastly different.
A trainer shares information or teaches specific skills. Trainers are perfect for teaching skills like how to use new software or how to prepare for project management certification.
Consultants dig much deeper into your business.
Consultants offer advice and expertise to organizations to help them improve their business performance in terms of operations, profitability, management, structure, and strategy.
At KF Strategies, training businesses on project management software is just one service we provide, and it’s not even the most important.
When working with a company, our first step is to analyze the gaps in their people, processes, and programs. Only after we help the company fix what’s not working do we train their team on software.
This gives clients their greatest return on investment and increases long-term retention.
Most companies come to us looking for in-depth training, but 99% of the time, they realize they need much more than that.
But how do you know the difference?
After all, no responsible business wants to invest their limited resources on unnecessary things.
That’s why we always recommend that companies interview consultants to determine if they simply need training or more comprehensive support.
An article in the Denver Business Journal advises companies to ask questions of consultants to ensure:
- They are a good personality fit.
- They have a high level of expertise.
- They have proven performance.
Ask consultants what they will do that a trainer could not. Ask them to outline their game plan for your company.
Then you can determine what services match your actual needs.
But remember, sometimes you get what you pay for.
For personalized, expert advice, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. You can schedule a complimentary 45-minute discovery call by contacting our team here today.
