7 Signs That You Should Have Hired A Consultant Months Ago
Running a small or medium-sized business is no walk in the park. Oftentimes, there are lots of responsibilities on the business owner’s shoulders. Multi-tasking often increases the chances of making mistakes, some of which can be costly.
But thanks to freelance platforms, business owners can hire consultants so easily these days - it takes just a few clicks and some phone calls, and you can pretty much access some of the most sought-out consultants in the market.
“Should I hire a consultant?” Chances are, you have probably thought about this at some point. So in this article, we’ll discuss the seven obvious signs which indicate that it’s probably time to email a freelance consulting platform and find a management consultant.
Sign #1: Your Employees’ Job Descriptions and Their Actual Job Don’t Match
Don’t worry, it’s pretty common, especially in SMEs. When things get busy, everyone does everything. But if your business lacks staff members, you might have to witness chaotic situations in the office. For instance, your business development manager, who’s supposed to be communicating with clients, might have to train the new interns on how to use your company’s software. And the operations manager might end up designing your company’s new website - instead of focusing on managing the project.
Even though your employees don’t mind a lack of role clarity, it might not be the most efficient way to operate a business. If your staff members are routinely doing tasks that they shouldn’t be doing, it’s surely time to visit a freelance platform and hire a consultant to figure out a solution.
Sign #2: Your Business Has a Lot of ‘Unfinished Business’
Is that content marketing plan laying somewhere deep in your Google Drive? What happened to the idea of switching to the new CRM software to streamline sales? Without proper guidance and motivation, projects get delayed, or worse, never even get started at all. When this happens, you should probably hire a consultant to lead the project. The best management consultants will bring life to all those delayed projects that you’ve been holding off for a while.
There could be a lot of reasons why you still have some ‘unfinished business’. Maybe you don’t have enough horsepower or maybe you’re hesitant about initiating some important processes in your business. Whatever the case is, procrastinating on doing the right thing might not be your best bet. Other businesses are probably already executing the plans that are still in your mind. So ditch the complacency and bring a consultant into your company to get the ball rolling.
Sign #3: Hiring More Full-Time Employees Is Impractical for Your Business
Let’s face it, hiring permanent full-time employees is a very big investment. You’ve got to draft employment agreements, go through dozens of CVs, conduct several interviews with a few candidates, make sure they’re a good fit for your company’s culture, call their referees, train them, pay a monthly salary, and the list goes on. In short, hiring permanent employees when you just ‘kind of’ need them is not a good idea.
However, you know that the work still needs to get done - even if it's temporary or infrequent. So what can you do now? It’s simple, visit a freelance platform that can connect you with the best management consultants in the business. Hiring a consultant is a much more practical option if the length of the project is uncertain or when you need expert advice from time to time. In fact, the process of hiring a consultant can be way less complicated as compared to hiring a full-time employee - given that you approach the right online consulting marketplace.
Sign #4: Your Business Needs In-Depth Problem Solving
Sometimes, businesses face problems that are impossible to solve without external expert advice. In this day and age, the best management consultants are only a few clicks away. If your business has come across a major issue that cannot be solved using internal resources, you can hire a consultant who has dealt with a similar issue multiple times before.
For example, if your competitors are kicking your ass (in business, not literally), a consultant can come on board with you, collect and analyze data, and figure out what the heck is going on. It’s more than just a SWOT analysis or risk assessment - a consultant will dig deeper than you can possibly imagine and find the best solution for you. That’s what consultants do. Unlike other professionals, consultants live and breathe problem-solving. They are also knowledgeable about the best practices and pitfalls - a much-needed awareness when solving complex business issues.
There's More Trouble Ahead
Sign #5: Your Company Has Reached Stagnancy (Despite Putting in a Lot of Work)
You cannot expect different results by doing the same thing again and again. If you feel like your business is anchored in a particular position and you’re finding it difficult to expand it, a management consultant can examine your situation and recommend a whole new way to do business. Such turnarounds can be extremely beneficial is your business has been stuck in the same position for years.
Let’s consider an example to understand this point. Suppose there’s a furniture distributor that has five hundred stores across Europe. However, only the ones in Denmark and Norway generate the most profit. In this case, after conducting a detailed analysis, a management consultant might recommend the business to downsize and shut down stores in countries where the profit is low and focus more on the Scandinavian region. The consultant might also recommend the company to open more stores in Scandinavia and create an e-commerce website for the online shoppers in the region.
Sign #6: You Need Expert Guidance to Take a Major Business Decision
Entering uncharted waters might seem scary, but not if you onboard someone who has already been there several times. When you hire a consultant who has already helped dozens of businesses make important, and sometimes, controversial decisions, you’ll feel comfortable taking actions that are difficult to execute internally.
Whether it’s restructuring your business or merging with a bigger company, a top consultant has seen it all several times and can help you navigate through the process smoothly. So don’t let temporary comfort stop you from taking important actions. You can work alongside a consultant and get it done.
Sign #7: Your Employees’ Productivity Is Not at Its Maximum Potential
The people who work for you are the most important assets of your business. They are the ones who work behind the scenes and push companies that start in a basement to the Fortune 500 list.
However, sometimes, you might feel like your employees could do much better. Maybe your employees would be more productive if they could work from home, or maybe a 4-day workweek could help them stay relaxed and energetic. It’s hard to figure these things out on your own. A consultant, who has helped dozens of companies increase their employees’ productivity, knows which methods work and which ones backfire. That’s why you should hire a consultant to review your organizational situation and recommend the best solution to boost productivity.
The ease with which some of the best consultants in the world can be hired today was non-existent a few years ago. How amazing it is that freelance platforms can help you choose a consultant from a pool of hundreds of top consultants? As a business owner, you should take full advantage of this change and build the best business you can possibly build.
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