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Candor3 Advise On Selecting A Consultant

Thursday 19 March 2015, 2:30PM

By Beckie Wright

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Candor3 make better use of resources to deliver quality outcomes and they aim to provide insight and support to all of their clients and to address their immediate needs and those of their community, without constraining future opportunities and, to this end, they have the following advice on selecting a consultant.

“Choosing a consultant may be one of the most important decisions that you make for your project, as a good consultant will add significant value and reduce project risk considerably. The value a consultant can add depends on their experience and ability to see the ‘big picture, their understanding of the market and how your business fits into this picture They will take time to understand your goals and will be able to logically analyse data and problems in a fast and efficient manner, turn it into knowledge and make specific recommendations that will guide you towards successful and profitable outcomes. They will be able to communicate effectively and convincingly and will respond promptly to instructions.

“Prior to engaging a consultant it is worth spending the time to interview a number of them and asking key questions of them to ensure that you will be obtaining the best possible advice to suit your needs. At this stage it is important to provide them with as much details of your proposed project as you are comfortable providing. The best consultants will have an excellent knowledge of the environment generally and will be able to access a significant amount of information in advance of a meeting. They will not require significant time to get organised but when you do meet they will obviously be well prepared and able to talk about specific challenges relating to your project rather than generalities. You should leave any meeting with more knowledge than prior and a degree of comfort that the consultant knows their game.

“It is a good idea to have a set of questions prepared to give structure to your interview, such as asking about their experience, track record and, in particular, your project. A company’s website is a good starting point to determine if they have the experience to deliver your project. However, a website is a marketing tool and should be used as a starting point and guide only. Questions you need to be asking are, has the company successfully competed similar projects in the past, and are they working on similar projects now.”

To make sure you choose your consultant wisely, please visit the Candor3 website at http://www.candor3.co.nz .