Client organizations often see a big difference between what they expect from a consulting firm and the results actually achieved, with this happening in about 60% of cases.
Almost 60% of customers believe that the consultants they hired did not fulfil their expectations or did not keep their promises.
Source: Cardea-Study «Consulting Market Trends»
What customers should be aware of
Evidence suggests that collaboration with an external consultant often reveals inefficiencies only as the project progresses. The shortcomings are not always attributable solely to the consultant; consequently, clients or project managers may sometimes obscure failing projects. This tendency arises from their shared responsibility for the project's success, as they were involved in both the selection and management of the consultant.
With a professional consulting governance established, customers are able to recognise the signs at an early stage that a consulting project is highly unlikely to deliver the desired results and act before the negative impacts become too large.
You should be aware of the following warning signs:

What can customers do?
(1) Be clear about your expectations and communicate them adequately
Before engaging a consultant, the client's expectations of working with the consultant need to be clearly defined. This will ensure that
the role of the consultant is clearly defined and the roles and responsibilities between the consultant and the internal team are clearly assigned.
clear objectives, delivery processes, deleiverables, milestones and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are defined and measurable
Rules for communication, coordination and feedback are established (e.g. regular status meetings to identify progress and problems at an early stage).
(2) Strengthen guidance of consultants and manage collaboration
As a client, you are responsible for managing the consultants you engage. You need to create the conditions in which the consultancy can best help you achieve your objectives. This includes that
qualified in-house project staff are available to take an active role in managing the consultants and to work with the consultancy firm to achieve the desired results
methods, tools and rules are defined and adhered to so that the status of projects is transparent at all times, challenges are identified early on and performance can be monitored
performance reviews are set up to systematically compare results against agreed targets so that performance can be documented and assessed for quality.
ongoing evaluation and coordination processes are used to check whether the original project plan, defined objectives, activites and priorities are still valid and, if necessary, to make adjustments, readjust the scope of services or state requirements more precisely.
(3) Establish and adhere to governance
The aim of establishing a consulting governance is to set out how consultancies should be managed and to define processes, standards and rules on how the collaboration should be formally organized. This makes sure that
clear contracts and agreements are in place and it can be checked whether the consultant will adhere to the agreed conditions and act flexibly in the event of escalation
there are internal compliance and control mechanisms in place to make sure the consulting work is delivered properly and objectively assessed. In case of poor performance, countermeasures can be taken like asking for improvements, reducing the price, or ending the work together.
if problems cannot be solved, escalation mechanisms are defined to clarify the situation with the consulting company or, if necessary, cooperation problems are taken to management level.
(4) Carry out a "culture check"
There are a few things to consider when choosing a consultant to make sure everything goes smoothly. A consultant must not only be a good fit for the company in terms of their expertise, but also culturally. While it's important to have the right skills and experience on board, it's not enough on its own. The way the consultant works, the approach they apply, how they share their knowledge, and their mindset need to match the client's organisation and culture. So, it's important to check in advance whether the right team is available on the part of the consulting company and whether they're fully committed.
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