News

American Fastener Journal, March/April 2004

You've been a distributor for a long time and there isn't much you don't know about your business. You certainly don't need any outside help to tell you how you could improve your business processes. Right?

Not necessarily.

If you use technology to help you run your business, you could probably use a hand maximizing the return on your investment. The vast majority of distributors use less than 30 percent of their technology solutions' capabilities. Chances are, you're missing opportunities to increase sales, improve customer service, and reduce operating costs, and don't even know it. Fortunately, most reputable software companies offer a variety of consulting options to fit your budget and needs to help you reach maximum use of your solution.

The Why Factor

Consultants can provide everything from training and technical assistance to advice on how to streamline your processes. Most often, distributors hire consultants to coach inexperienced employees or to train existing employees when implementing a new solution.

But even if you're not implementing something new, long-time users of your solution can still benefit from the perspective a consultant can bring. Perhaps you never implemented a portion of your solution that you always meant to. A consultant can show you not only how to use the module, but how it can streamline your processes. Consultants can also help you develop new procedures when unique business issues arise.

You can leverage consultants' expertise when you find yourself short-staffed, such as when your system administrator goes on vacation and you need the end-of-month reports run. Having a consultant come in for one day to complete the report and help out in a few other areas is much more cost effective than hiring a temp, who doesn't know your solution or your business, for a week.

How Consulting Works

Depending upon your needs, you can engage a consultant for a few hours, a few days, or even several months.

To maximize the return on investment, whenever you invite a consultant into your business, decide in advance what areas you want the consultant to assist you with and stick to the plan. There is nothing more frustrating than paying for a consultant to travel to your business and stay in a hotel for three days to help you with your business processes, only to find your employees took up all of his time with "While you are here…" questions.

Consider investing in Web-based consulting for issues that require only a few hours of consulting expertise. With Web-based consulting you work with a consultant over the Internet. The consultant accesses your solution remotely to view the problem or concern and demonstrate alternative processes. This method gives you the benefit of the consultant's expertise without the expense of paying for travel and accommodations. Many distributors prefer this method of consulting because it focuses exclusively on the issue at hand and then allows them to return to their daily tasks.

The Return On Investment (ROI)

When you invite a consultant to assist you with your business processes, you have the option of taking their advice or not. Essentially, this means that you control how much of a return on investment (ROI) you get out of your time with the consultant. Do nothing, and you might as well burn the money you spent. But implement their suggestions, either gradually or all at once, and you should find that the ROI to your business surpasses any other investment you could make in your company. If you are reluctant to invest in suggestions made by the consultant, consider how much you spent purchasing your system. For a fraction of the cost, you could increase your usage of the system, and if you could go from using only 30 percent of your enterprise software solution to nearly 100 percent, just think about how much more successful your business will be.

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