Pait Group Blog

6 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Consultant

Posted by: Stephanie Donahue on October 9, 2014

When businesses decide that it’s time to invest in a new technology, they often have to decide whether or not to invest in a consultant to go along with it. This is a hard decision to make (and don’t get me started on how to pick the right consultant.) PAIT Group is a consulting firm, and we decided to compose a list of the top reasons that you should hire a consultant for your next business transformation.

  1. Consultants Bring Expertise

    A good consultant works in a specific area of technology, and only in that area. They typically learn the ins and outs of this specialty and become subject matter experts. If your project is something brand new to you, hiring a consultant means you don’t have to become an expert yourself! It also means you don’t have to hire a new employee, or retrain an existing one.

  2. Consultants Have Experience

    Consultants don’t become experts in their fields overnight. It takes several projects or years of effort to obtain the level of knowledge that most consultants have. In that time, most consultants have seen or heard everything, from best practices to pitfalls. If they haven’t heard of an issue or need, they will probably have some good ideas on how to address it.

  3. Consultants Help with Project Planning

    Chances are, your consultant has already done a project like yours. They know the necessary steps, the requirements, the time estimate, and common roadblocks. Use your consultant’s expertise and experience to help you plan the project, and you’ll have a lot fewer surprises when it’s complete!

  4. Consultants Provide Mentoring and Training

    Most consultants are happy to share their subject matter expertise with clients. Maybe you don’t need a consultant to plan your project, but it’s always a great idea to ask them for advice and tips along the way. Many consultants offer end user training as part of their services. Good user training increases user adoption and can speed up the project roll out process.

  5. Consultants can be Long Lasting Professional Partners

    Hiring a consultant doesn’t have to be a short term commitment. Depending on the type of project, you may find that you need continued help after completion. If you work with a consultant, especially as a mentor, you can build a trusting relationship with that expert. When you have issues or questions, you already know who to ask! If you have future projects in the same category, your consultant already knows your business concerns.

  6. Consultants Use A Fresh Set of Eyes

    Consultants don’t work within your organization, and therefore are not influenced by it. If you present them with a problem, their solution is based on the information you gave them and not personal bias. If there is internal debate on potential solutions, consultants can help mediate that discussion and provide neutral advice.

Hiring a consultant might seem expensive, especially at the beginning of the project. This is a common misconception. Hiring a consultant is an investment in the success of the project. If you trust your consultant, they will use their experience and expertise to plan your project appropriately. Consultants can help you avoid common project delays, like scope creep, unclear requirements, and environment issues. This is the difference between getting the project done right and getting the project done.

Have you hired a consultant for any of your big projects? How did it work for you? What about a project where you didn’t use a consultant? Was it successful, or do you wish you had hired someone? 

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Topics: Business Consulting, Business Intelligence, Microsoft Office 365

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