logistics consultants l
Logistics consultant Richard Fernley, a director of OPS Logistics Consultancy, shatters a few misconceptions by defining the differences between a good consultant and a bad one.
Help is at hand S
o why do you need a Consultant? How many times do I hear that worn out phrase? “That’s all consultants do: borrow your watch, tell you the time and then charge you for doing it!”
Another great saying is “Consultants are just out of work managers!” Well I suppose in some cases you couldn’t get a more accurate definition, but the true consultant is just more than an unemployed manager or purveyor of the time.
I have trekked across the globe, sat on innumerable planes, trains and motorways, and in my career resolved so many logistics issues that I find the above definitions a little alien, to say the least.
It is also very noticeable when a business or organisation has never worked with a consultancy, as you immediately hit the same problems. Firstly, there is often an immediate feeling of intimidation by the company, which normally shows itself as aggression, with the result of managers trying to defend their position.
“I don’t need some consultant coming here trying to tell me how to do my job. What do they know?” The next stage is to try and get as much out of the consultant as possible, which normally transpires into a huge ‘to-do’ list which, unfortunately, is put together by the same management team to whom you are trying to bring some change!
How on earth can you possibly introduce any form of change management when the person(s) you are trying to change are defining your programme?
So let’s get back to how to use this consultant.
The initial meeting is so important. It 42 ShD May 2011
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justification paper for the board; and, secondly, a correctly-shaped building most suited to their operation, and not an off-the-peg building that could be modified.
is at this point that you can determine whether you can work with the person, to see whether they will fit in with your management team and won’t frighten the horses.
I think I have failed to secure more jobs by being too John Harvey Jones- ish, by telling the truth instead of just taking the money! But that’s a story for another time.
The following is a case study of a company I recently worked with, and I say that advisably, and it all started with a phone call.
“Richard, it’s Martyn. We would like to talk to you about a project and also about doing some provisional justification work.”
“I would be delighted, let me come over and put down some terms of reference.”
“Great idea.”
The company involved was a major distributor for the media industry, providing books, CDs and DVDs to the trade, with an ever-expanding direct- to-consumer sector.
The company had the opportunity to build from scratch, but they needed two fundamental things: firstly, a
I always ensure that the terms of reference are agreed at the first meeting, and then included in the confirmatory letter – a sort of contract. But I make sure there is a clause allowing any modification required in the TORs. The consultancy will normally unearth various facts, and at this point it could change the outcome and time and resource required. The first part of the warehouse planning clearly identified how many pallets needed storage and what the throughput would likely be. Then it was off to the architect. It is a two-way thing, getting the building to the right dimension for the business involved. Once this had been done, I could then work with the management team to put a justification paper together, again a two-way thing. The result was a spectacular distribution centre... well I would say that wouldn’t I? My role was more than just a logistics consultant, it was a part of the business team – and that’s how I believe consultants can make the most impression within a company. Good consultants are a valuable resource of knowledge and experience. They also have the ability to look at things from a different perspective, providing new dimensions, as often those close to the matter are blinded by familiarity. Final piece of advice: how do you tell a good consultant from a bad one? There are a couple of ways: Firstly, ask if they provide a money-back guarantee. If they don’t, then you need to ask yourself, do they have faith in their abilities? Secondly, ask for references or previous case studies. ●
www.opslc.com
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