Consultancy Services

 Benefits

 In the current economic climate it is often difficult to financially justify personnel to carry out tasks which do not bring an immediate revenue to the business. Few organisations now have sufficient bare resource to allocate to such activities as developing marketing plans and sales training and quite often business plans are not updated regularly or used to their maximum effect.  The smaller owner/manager business leader is often in a very lonely position having no-one to debate his thoughts and ideas and act as a devils advocate, and the lack of small business advice often makes business development difficult to achieve.  By employing a suitably qualified consultant, services can be purchased as required and specific goals and targets identified before the work commences becomes thereafter much easier to derive a value from the service and quantify it’s outcomes.

Types of Consultancy Services

A vast array of consultancy services are available in today’s marketplace.  Whilst some are industry specific many specialise in providing a more general business advice service.  Typically the areas most organisations need assistance on either fall into the category of sales or finance and, more specifically, are related to marketing plans together with the appropriate sales training in order for the company to achieve it’s overall objective which is mostly to generate sales leads.  In this area, resource is often scarce and the sales force may be restricted to either the owner/manager or a small number of employees.  Having a structured approach to marketing plans will greatly enhance the effectiveness of the sales team whatever the size and as the market varies with the economic cycle various innovative and marketing techniques can be added into the mix. An advisor external to the business can often have a better perspective on the effectiveness of the sales and marketing process and bring new ideas and enthusiasm to those involved. 

In the area of finance, quite often organisations are lacking in management information and whilst most organisations will now be able to generate figures to satisfy regularity bodies and finance organisation to satisfy their needs, they are not always appropriate for driving the business forward and encouraging the workforce.  The economic cycle in which the UK is now entering will put additional financial strains on all organisations and to survive business efficiencies will play a key and major role.  A carefully chosen consultant can quickly analyse the business from an external perspective, act as devil’s advocate without having the constraints of being involved in the business such as the bank, auditor or solicitor.  In times of declining sales all too often it is difficult to avoid the trap of cutting important areas in cost and missing the less vital but costly items that have become accepted as day-to-day requirements. 

Problems in the SME

The SME environment contribute more to the growth GDP in the UK than any other single sector yet surprisingly the majority of SMEs employ less than 20 people.  Owners/mangers are usually time strapped and the implementation of new and innovative ideas restricted by the available resource.  The owner/manager’s role is lonely and suffers.  Generally the individual is so involved within the business it is difficult to look in from afar with a more strategic viewpoint.  Using a qualified consultant able to give the appropriate small business advice, ideas that would have little chance of growing from the embryonic stage are developed and implemented within the business in a relatively short period of time.  Once the new product or service has been implemented the consultant’s time and cost is no longer required until another opportunity exists.  By using consultants in this way and agreeing costs, targets and outcomes at the initial meetings the business can be assured of value for money.

Helpful Contacts

Small Business Advice Service

Web Address:  www.smallbusinessadvice.org.uk

Providing a free professional advice using an online enquiry service.

Practical advise for businesses with regional centres throughout the UK.

Telephone Contact: 0845 6009006 

Start-ups

Web Address: www.startups.co.uk

A comprehensive service covering a new business start, a franchise or buying a business.

Midas Solutions

Web Address: www.midas-solutions.co.uk

A northwest general business consultancy providing all business advice and marketing advice. Marketing Plans, Business Plans and Consultancy Services

Telephone Contact: 01253 895927 or click here.