The consulting service begins with a meeting to study the problem.
The task carried out by a consultant is called consulting . Consultants, meanwhile, are specialists in specific matters who provide professional advice to those who request it.
Consulting is what the consultant does or offers. The concept can also mention the consultant's company or the office where this work is carried out.
A professional service
It can be said that consulting is a professional service . Consultants have knowledge on a certain subject, which means they are in a position to advise and guide other individuals or companies, institutions , etc., on the subject in question.
A consultant specialized in marketing, to cite one case, assists in everything related to dealing with the client, strategies to promote sales, decisions to improve the corporate image and other issues. The owner of an SME that is dedicated to the production of artisanal cheeses, to cite one case, can request marketing consulting with the intention of planning how they could increase their market share.
For example: "I have been engaged in human resources consulting for more than a decade," "The local government announced the signing of a contract with a consulting company to analyze how to boost tourism in the region," "Journalists often resort to experts in political consulting with the aim of studying what is behind some announcements by the authorities .
In these examples we see that consulting services can be hired by individuals, companies or the government of a country itself. This is because professionals in this large area do not give their subjective opinion about the topics they are consulted on, but one based on years of study and, in the best of cases, experience in the specific field , with technical tools. that allow them to make accurate forecasts and suggest corrections to errors that prevent their clients from achieving their objectives.
Consulting stages
Consulting usually develops in different stages. These phases may include the development of a diagnosis , the examination of the problems detected, the development of an action plan, the application of proposals, the evaluation of the measures and the presentation of a report as a closing.
In the first contact with the client, which usually takes place through a meeting at the company or consulting office, the problem is identified. This means that the professional must take note of his client's situation, including the aspects in which he wants to improve. In this way you can go on to detail the way in which you will proceed to solve the problem , taking into account the budget available for the work.
The consultancy proposes to its client an action plan to solve the problem.
To conclude the diagnosis, the consultancy must thoroughly study the problem, paying attention to any relevant data . For example, you will need to thoroughly examine the documents your client provides you, using whatever statistical tools you consider useful, as well as interviewing anyone associated with the client who can offer a constructive point of view. This stage is essential, so it should not be rushed; Rather, it may be necessary to repeat some of your steps before moving forward.
The time has come to prepare the action plan , which must be explained to the client in detail, including the estimated deadline, the tasks to be carried out and the professionals who will participate. The consultancy then implements this plan, communicating with the client as frequently as they have agreed to keep them informed of progress. When the work comes to an end, the consultants must submit a detailed report and, if everything has gone as expected, both parties can decide whether to collaborate again in the future.