Tips for Selecting a Consulting Firm

Interview with Ellen R., Organizational Effectiveness – McKesson Medical-Surgical

What steps do you take before selecting a training consulting firm?

Well, our first step to take before selecting a training consulting firm is to determine whether we really need outside help or not. We also consider the plusses and minuses of using an internal resource instead.

Once we verify our need; we really work to define the details of the project, including the deliverables we want to produce, the resources we’ll need to complete the project and a timeline for getting the job done. And we use these project details to develop a budget that itemizes the number and type of training consultants needed. As a rule, we have the budget approved before considering externals resources and vendors.

How do you clearly identify your training and development needs before selecting a firm?

It comes down to having a clear idea of the project which we get from a preliminary needs assessment that identifies our resource requirements. Once we have a pretty good idea of our requirements, we see if we have internal SME’s who can do the design work.  In our case, we have internal training resources but no full-time Instructional Designers. We consider whether or not we can use other internal people without taking them away from their current work or projects.

Where do you look when selecting a training consulting firm - ASTD, Tradeshows, L&D networking sites?

In general, I go to ASTD to find training consulting firms and see if I can work through their website or referrals. I also do a lot of networking with other CPLP members through ASTD and through the CPLP LinkedIn group. And I ask colleagues and other ASTD members, “Who do you know that does this?” When I get the name of a training consulting firm, I research them on Google.. I also ask colleagues in other business units, our internal network, to see who they know of or what firms they have experience working with.

Robert, a Clarity Business Development Manager, marketed to me a year prior to my need coming up, but I had saved his email. After I got confirmation from an internal colleague about Clarity, I contacted him.

How many training consulting firms will you reach out to before selecting one?

I usually reach out to three or four training consulting firms. I might screen a few more, but usually I narrow it down to about three.

Once you select several training consulting firms, how do you evaluate the vendors? What questions do you ask?

I usually contact the training consulting firms and provide an overview of the project. I ask if they have similar experience to the type of project we are working on. I ask what the vendor’s process is, how they differentiate themselves from other vendors, and their key selling points. I pay attention to the questions they ask me, as well, and how they respond to my questions. And I ask for one or two references that I can contact.

What factors help you choose a particular training consulting firm from the pool? What do you consider when selecting a firm, (i.e. years of experience in the field, clients, references, ratings, credibility, communication, responsiveness, etc.)?

I think communication and responsiveness are very important. Also, I look for the training consulting firm’s willingness to help me - can they customize or adjust to suit my project needs? When selecting a firm, I also consider the fee structure and overall costs. I need to know I will get what I am paying for.

Another factor in choosing a training consulting firm is the quality of the people who I will work with. I want to have a voice in who I think that person will be. The expertise is important. I want someone who’s done it before and can bring skills to the party. I do not want to train them.

When would you consider using a Request for Proposal with a consulting firm? If you have done this in the past, how many vendors have you sent the RFP to for one project?

I would use a RFP for a project anticipated to be expensive, long-term and complex - a project that needs to be managed with all of the details. RFPs are helpful - you might get good ideas that you did not think of. The firms can provide addendums or put a different spin on some of the details in the RFP.

Do you look for a training consulting firm that you can build an on-going partnership with or just for an immediate project basis need? Do you look for vendors that specialize in L&D and can provide consultants for various training needs?

In my current situation, it was more of an immediate project need. My overall answer would depend on the circumstances.  If I were with a different employer and had more ongoing needs, than I would look for a long-term partnership.

What type of working relationship do you seek with a training consulting firm, a partnership or strictly a provider of a service? When selecting a training consulting firm, what is it you need other than consultants? Does the turnaround rate make an impact on your decision?

For the current project, we needed a training consulting firm to provide a service. I am open to advice from vendors and consultants, but we just needed someone to put their head down and get the work done.  As it turns out, the Instructional Designer has come up with good ideas that we did not consider before. We needed an extra body to focus strictly on this project, so we just needed a service and not a long-term partnership.

To some extent, the turnaround rate impacts my decisions on using a firm because of the project team and budget. For this project, I wanted to see some names in a week or two but the timing was not that critical. If a few weeks had elapsed with no names or resumes, then I would question the firm’s capability and their database of resources.

At what point do you initiate contract agreements with the chosen training consulting firm to ensure contracts are in place before the consultant is hired?

We cannot do anything official until we are sure a contract is signed and agreed upon. We initiate contracts with the firm of choice prior to formally launching our project work.  That way, we can come to an agreement on the contract and each party is willing to accept the verbiage and terms.  No surprises down the road.

Tell me about your past experience using consulting firms. What has worked well? What could be improved?

What has worked well in the past is that consulting firms have listened to my needs. The firms did not over sell or over promise. They kept it simple, shared cost concerns and did not try to “milk it” for add-on costs.

Bad experiences with consulting firms in the past include those that impose their point of view on the client.  I don’t like working with people who have a “one size fits all” approach.

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