Do you know the figure of the consultant for companies? Do you want to know exactly what their role is? How do they work?
Ironically, companies do not sufficiently value planning at the historical moment when it is most necessary.
Today’s society lives in constant change and at a fast pace in which a business strategy is essential to achieve the objectives and the expected success.
In a context like this, STRATEGY ENSURES ORDER IN CHAOS.
Many companies are born and grow without planning, but this does not necessarily mean progress.
Perhaps the short term can be managed, but the long term will require an extra dose of attention, effort and organization.
Making a good business plan does not mean everything is tied and determined.
Good planning must allow flexibility in the face of changes and situations that arise and creativity to get ahead with adapted solutions.
For this reason, experts must carry out a plan to help companies give them the right ingredients for success.
What does a consultant contribute to business strategy?
Surely you have heard of business consulting, and you want to know exactly what the role of consultants is and how they work.
An external business consultant undoubtedly adds value to companies by putting long-term reflections and ideas about their business on the table.
The business plan consultant will have a greater vision of the errors and successes evident in most companies, even if they belong to different sectors.
This gives you insight into the wants and needs of a particular company.
On the other hand, companies are focused on their objectives and work.
Therefore, having this expanded vision by a consultant can be the difference between success and failure.
On the other hand, the consultant offers an objective, free and honest opinion.
Your income does not depend on a specific client, and this does not determine what you say or do.
A business strategy consultant thus has important functions:
• QUESTION:
A consultant asks questions even what seems to be written in stone to awaken a critical attitude and a deeper understanding of a particular topic to be addressed.
The vision of the business increases when we ask ourselves more and better questions.
• PROVIDE KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND TOOLS:
Contrary to what most believe, THE CONSULTANT DOES NOT MAKE THE COMPANY’S STRATEGY.
He only puts his knowledge, experience and tools at the organization’s service to develop his plan in the best possible way.
It is about being a counselor or guide, not an executor of plans.
• PUT THE BEST PRACTICES INTO PRACTICE:
Surely you have heard of benchmarking, a process that allows you to compare products, services and ways of working that are considered best practices in an area of interest.
Benchmarking aims to transfer knowledge to apply these successful practices and obtain excellent results.
As consultants work with several companies and projects in parallel, they constantly enrich their views, looking at all kinds of business practices and their results.
Some may think this is a supernatural gift, but it turns out to be more a matter of experience as to which way of doing things is often best for certain situations or organizations.
• APPLY ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY TOOLS:
Each company is a world, so a consultant must dominate from back to front the tools that allow a deep analysis and the application of different business strategies.
We are talking about the SWOT, the growth matrix, marketing and countless other resources.
You will not use them all in all cases, but you will be able to identify the most successful on a given occasion.
How does a business consultant work?
The work of a consultant does not have to be a black box for companies.
Here we tell you how a consultant works, everything he usually does and how he does it:
1. Carry out an analysis and study of your company:
The first thing a consultant does is a diagnosis to identify the factors and aspects that make up your organization or a certain area of it.
In the first case, it would be a comprehensive consultancy. Through conversations and meetings with managers and workers, the consultant observes and takes note of the relationships between the members of the company and the processes used to carry out its operation.
It also analyzes aspects of its operation, such as hours, habits, regulations and conditions of the workplace, among many other aspects.
2. Research the problems:
Once the problematic situations have been identified, the consultant investigates what causes them.
It could be factors that do not allow growth or are generating losses, as well as any other element that needs to be corrected.
In other cases, it may be more about adding value rather than there being something that needs to be corrected.
This analysis is generally supported by tools such as SWOT, which help identify the weaknesses, threats, strengths and opportunities that the company currently has compared to its competitors.
3. Propose a strategy to follow:
The consultant will propose a strategy for the problems or weaknesses found or about how to strengthen a specific area.
This implies designing real, achievable and quantifiable objectives.
Considering the information the analysis provides. It will offer proposals to enhance the strengths and opportunities and mitigate the weaknesses and threats.
THE COMPANY IS THE PROTAGONIST OF THIS IMPORTANT STEP.
She finally decided to carry out the business plan as indicated and discussed.
It is also up to her to follow through and commit to its startup.
4. Execution of the plan:
When the time comes to execute the outlined business planning for startups, the consultant becomes more of a counselor or guide who gives the company the push it needs to start the change.
The consultancy is characterized by accelerating the implementation of changes. Which can manifest faster and with less cost for the organization.
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