Tips for hiring a training consultant

The world of PostScript imaging has brought a great deal of change to many types of large and small imaging companies. With this change comes the need for getting employees trained on appropriate hardware, software and imaging strategies, such as a scanner or computer, QuarkXpresss, Adobe Photoshop, Acrobat, and preflighting or color management methods. While there are two or three alternatives for training, one way to ensure efficient production of images and pages is to have a technical consultant visit your business.

Assessing Benefits & Risks of Using a Consultant
Before hiring a technical consultant, a business should take a close look at itself by evaluating its management practices. Asking tough questions and getting honest appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of your business should be determined. While hiring a consultant might be a good idea for some businesses, it is not always the best answer to solve poor management practices within an organization. Sometimes hiring a consultant can make the situation worse.

If the decision to use a consultant makes sound business sense, then the economic benefits will out weigh the costs. Take the example of a newspaper. The production staff keeps missing deadlines because, despite the flawless work by the production staff, the stories regularly come in five or ten minutes before deadlines. One solution is to consider a better way to manage the reporters and photographers who need to submit routine stories in a timely manner. For this problem you do not need a technical consultant. On the other hand, you might need a consultant if you are missing deadlines because the production staff is spending too much time experimenting with new hardware or software when they are creating pages on deadline. In the second scenario, the benefits of using a consultant are that he or she will show each staff member how to use your equipment efficiently and how to create your particular products. In such situations, using a consultant can increase productivity and profit dramatically.

Tips to Cost Justify Using a Consultant
To determine if spending money on a consultant is worthwhile, examine the amount of time that is wasted by each employee and multiply that by his or her salary. Then add the cost of wasted materials. For example, during the course of a typical day, if two employees are spending approximately two hours struggling with hardware and software at a rate of $18 per hour, their excess time costs your business approximately $360 per week or $1,440 per month. Then calculate the cost of wasted materials. My past experience shows an average of $1000 per month for wasted materials. The costs in this scenario are close to what a consultant would charge for two days. If you determine that the costs are less than the costs of a consultant, perhaps there is no cost justification. Of course, this equation does not factor in the value of missed deadlines or lost revenue from clients such as advertisers. One of the main risks of using consultants is not choosing one with the correct skills to meet specific needs. For example, if you only need help producing scans and creating pages, you probably need a full-time employee, not a consultant. A bad decision can waste everyone's time and money. There is always the risk of an employee leaving after he or she is trained. However, there is only one thing worse than having an employee quit after sending him or her for training and that is to have an employee who is not trained.

Use Common Sense
If you have never used a consultant before, ask lots of questions before you sign a contract.

(1) Find out what past and current experience he or she has had as a consultant. For example, if you are having trouble getting pictures to reproduce accurately but this consultant works mostly with web design and typographic issues, then he or she might not be able to help you effectively.

(2) Ask about rates. Consulting rates are sometimes negotiable depending on how busy the consultant is. Generally rates start at $750 a day, but on average, $1,000 to $1,500 per day is typical, and they can go higher in some cases.

(3) Get current references. Two or three references are standard. Call one or two of the references and ask questions, such as, how well did the consultant do the job, did he or she work well with the employees and did the work meet your businesses expectations.

(4) Set goals at the start of the project and let the consultant know what you expect when he or she finishes the work. For example, if you expect your staff to become dramatically efficient overnight, then your expectations might not be realized. If you expect your personnel to reduce the amount of mistakes over the next few weeks and months so you will have a smooth running production line, then your expectations are probably more in-line with reality.

(5) Take time to find a consultant with the right personality for you operation. While a consultant will only be visiting your business for the short term, do not be wowed by a consultant's credentials and then overlook that the consultant does not respond well to your employees. Arrogant behavior by a consultant is offensive and counter-productive to learning. When making contact with the consultant or when checking his or her references, be sure to ask questions about how the consultant gets along with people.

Get a Contract
After you ask these questions of one consultant, comparison shop. Get various other consultants to bid on the same work. Once you decide which consultant you want, remember to always obtain a written agreement before you hire him or her. A written agreement is the best way to confirm and clarify to you and the consultant that both parties understand what is expected during the course of the work. Typically, an agreement should describe:

(1) The goals of the project.

(2) A time frame for the work to be performed.

(3) Who will be involved from your organization and from the consultants business.

(4) The hourly, daily, or monthly rate for the work.

(5) Any special information that describes unique circumstances that can impact the work.

(6) A fair and equitable arrangement for both you and the consultant.

In terms of a contract, if he or she cannot describe to you, in down to earth terms, the type of services you need, then you probably are not talking to a consultant with the skills necessary to solve your business problems.

The bottom line is that you are spending money to hire someone to provide the short term expertise necessary to solve problems you cannot solve with the people already working for you. The consultant should: have the skills to accomplish the work and be cost effective, flexible, and willing to work with your employees. When you find someone with those abilities, then you probably have the right consultant.