When is it Time to Change Consultants?

For many client and consultant relationships, the interaction is just that: a relationship. It starts off with neither one knowing the other very well, and pretty soon it advances to easy phone conversations, regular email correspondence, and an unspoken list of to-dos that one just knows the other needs. With the New Year approaching it’s time to analyze what’s working and what’s not, or maybe who. Here are a few signs it may be in the best interest of your business to get a new consultant.

Innovation is Lacking

Do you remember what it felt like to start a new job? Where you were incredibly excited and you went in with lots of ideas and had big plans for what you could achieve in the role? The same is true for a client and consultant relationship: together you can do big things. But if you get too comfortable with one another, pretty soon those things become less of a priority. Instead, it is just a matter of routine tasks that have been on the to-do list for several years. If your company is lacking innovation, needs a fresh set of eyes or a new perspective, bringing in a new business consultant may be just the answer.

Taking Things for Granted

At the most basic level, a client and consultant relationship is a business arrangement. That means that the client pays the consultant, and in return, expects to get the results that they have paid for. If you have a consultant who seems to start slacking off on the job or taking for granted what you are offering them, consider whether things need to be altered or re-assessed. That may involve hiring a new consultant, or it may involve examining the relationship with the current consultant and seeing how to more efficiently get the results you need.

Stagnating Improvements

When it comes to looking at the role and output of your consultant, think back to why you hired them in the first place. Was it to increase company revenue? Perhaps it was to help address employee and team member issues that were inhibiting employee productivity. Alternatively, did you hire someone to implement business software, such as SalesForce or WorkDay? Whatever the reason, ask yourself what results you got. If you achieved what you were hoping to with a consultant, you may find you don’t need them anymore. If you didn’t get what you wanted, it’s time to step back and find out why not, and then see if the consultant you have is still the right fit. Sometimes a change is necessary to maximize the results you are after, and seeing if you have made progress since you started is a great way to do that.

Nobody likes to end relationships that are going well or have to be the one to terminate a business arrangement. But in the end, you have to do what is best for your business, and chances are, after a bit of careful analysis, you will know what that is. If you think a new consultant is in order, don’t hesitate to sign up for our marketplace, Bench. There, you will have access to several consultants and be able to find the one who is the perfect fit for what you need to manifest success in the new year.