Why & How You Should Do a Business Process Review

While your customers may think your business process review is just something you’re selling, it’s the best first step in your consulting relationship.

Of course, if you don’t share everything you learn and offer advice for improvement, you were just selling it. If, however, you use the business process review as a place to start learning about your customer’s business, and you take the customer through the learning process with you, it is not unfair to charge them a price for the knowledge and results they gain.

What Your Clients are Truly Paying For

Because ultimately, that’s what your customer should be paying for – your knowledge and experience and the results that that knowledge and experience offer their business regarding improvement. They are paying for you as a consultant because you should have extensive training and education in technology, business best practices, and their company’s way of doing business.

But they have to meet you halfway with a business process review – it’s in everyone’s best interests.

How to Do the Business Process Review Right

The price your customer pays for the business process review should be predictable and fixed, not hourly. After all, they will invest a great deal of time teaching you about their business and reviewing your recommendations for improvement. After the business process review, you should have a reasonably clear understanding of the effort needed on your part and their part as well as the value of the changes you foresee making.

Finally, when your customers agree to a value-based consulting agreement, be sure to offer a guarantee of results. As long as you do your job and your customer is fully cooperative – no software or business consultant can change employee behavior – your customer should see quantifiable results in a predicted timeframe.