IPO or costs cutting, profit loss elimination or a strategy for a lucrative market in other words when thrive or survival is at stake businesses are ready to deal with consultants. But before hiring one, businesses should clearly understand what could and could not be delivered in the course of cooperation.

Edgar C. Britschgi, a successful business consultant, chairman of the Combo Management AG, international consulting company with the special focus on strategy advises to answer 5 questions before hiring consultants.

Do we know where we are heading?
Better understanding of what is needed or at least wished for the company usually helps both consultants and customers to accomplish the assignment and accept the results.

Should our own people be doing the job?
Most of the best-known consulting companies do not participate in implementation of changes they offer. Thus, it is necessary to understand if businesses have enough human resources to implement novelties.

Who is the driver and who will support the program?
Without understanding of internal powers and interests landscape consulting project may turn into burning of time, money and trust in the organization.

What do we expect to be the outcome of the project?
Without clear understanding of the consequences the consulting project is not worth starting.

The last time we brought consultants in, why was it a success or a failure?
If companies already had experience of working with consultants, thorough analysis of the outcomes and reasons for those outcomes will considerably improve the probability of success.

Recently, Edgar C. Britschgi taught his course in consulting to the DBA students at MIM.