by Terry Bomberger, Richard Oliva

In these days of a tight economy, companies are looking for new ways to save money. While this means more business for consultants, the important thing for the company is to get the most out of its time with a consultant. It's easy to waste time when the time is mismanaged. So here are a number of simple steps companies and consultants can take to make sure they are getting the most out of their time together and to make sure the project they are working on goes smoothly.

Treat Consultants Like Employees

In order for the relationship to work, the company should treat the consultant more like an employee and less like an outsider. One of our long-term clients has always done that, and the result has been a fantastic relationship. We are always invited to team-building exercises and almost always to departmental meetings. This adds to the context of what is going on around the consultant on many levels. However, there is a fine line between a consultant and an employee, especially when it comes to the IRS. Our advice is for the consultant and company to develop an employee-like relationship that doesn't cross the line.

Ensure Constants Access to the Right People

Most of our clients don't want us talking directly to their customers, but what they may not realize is that doing so can help save time and money in many instances. Remember "telephone game" in elementary school in which one person whispered a message to another in a circle? By the time the original message had filtered through several people, it was completely changed. This often happens in the business world. By allowing a consultant to talk directly to your customers, the filter is removed and the consultant has direct access to information.

This also holds true for giving consultants access to decision makers. By restricting such access, the consultant may be left waiting while corporate politics are played out. It will benefit a company to have the consultant answer to someone who has the authority to make decisioins.

Is the Consultant a Teacher?

Consultants are often approached by employees for advice on technology issues not related to the project. While that may be fine in some cases, it can also be a waste of the consultant's time. The company must decide how much time should be devoted to such exchanges. Often a consultant will help get a project started and then mentor the staff during training. Along the way there are bound to be employees who see the consultant as the "guru" who can give free advice. The question is, does the company want that happening or not? Address this issue before the project starts.

Know What You Want from the Consultant

An easy way to waste time and money is to call in consultants and start them working on solving a problem, only to call them back in later saying the goals of the project have changed. If this happens once, it can be written off as a mistake. But if it happens more than once, it becomes an efficiency problem. It's important for the company to have a clear plan for the future before it bothers calling for a changeover.

Make Time for the Consultant

Consultants cannot do a great job working in a vacuum, and companies must make time to meet face-to-face with them. Consultant assignments often occur offsite - in some cases a short drive from headquarters, and in other times a long flight. A quick face-to-face meeting can clear up pressing problems and avert potential ones. Consultants require company input; optimization of the relationship will depend on how much time the company can devote to the project and the consultant.

Be Open to New Ideas

One reason why people hire consultants is our ability to fix the problems no one else can fix. Consequently, the consultant may have ideas that go against the traditional way of thinking. Some clients encourage us to offer dissent - they realize that part of our job is to offer new ways to tackle problems. But others fight change and end up wasting time and money by not letting consultants do their job. Companies need to be open to the outside-the-box thinking they have hired us to do.

Terry Bomberger is a Principal Solutions Developer and Richard Oliva is a Senior Solutions Developer for Pinnacle Decision Systems in Middletown, Connecticut. The firm provides application development, technology consulting, and solutions integration services to help improve the agility of mid-to Fortune 500-sized companies.