Business consultant in small and medium-sized businesses. Who is it and why is it needed?

“A good adviser is better than any wealth”

Socrates

Not so long ago, I proposed to the community an article “ 7 best tools for solving business problems from a business consultant of a generalist .” In the comments from the readers, there was a request to tell in more detail who the business consultant in small and medium business is, what tasks this person performs, what knowledge he should have, and when he is needed. And today I fulfill my promise, given then to the readers. So let's get started.

What is a business consultant?

I will not give dry definitions here, I think they are not interesting to anyone. A business consultant is the person who is invited from the outside to help him find a solution to some problems. It is also obvious that a “side view” very often helps to reveal something that you will never find when you are an employee of a company.

I want to talk with you exclusively about business consultants who work with small and medium businesses, because with enterprises with approximately 5 to 70 employees. This work differs in many ways from what the specialists do, who are attracted in such cases by large companies. And, just, it makes sense to deal with these nuances.
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So, what are the features of small and medium businesses?

1. Business in its structure is quite simple. Usually there is no need for sophisticated logistics or analytics. Management is carried out by a small number of people. Many other structures are also missing, without which it is impossible to imagine the management of a large company.
2. A small business does not have sufficient financial resources in order to attract to work a whole staff of different specialists.

These two reasons - the lack of need and cost savings - led to the fact that for small and medium-sized businesses the optimal solution is the services of a consultant generalist.

I remind you that a consultant-generalist (unlike a specialist consultant) is a person who is able to assess the business as a whole, outline general trends, see prospects and opportunities for improving the situation. Usually the situation is beyond the scope of a single process and / or function.

Of course, not everything is so simple. Understanding what is happening in business and finding the causes of a “disease” is only half the battle. The decision should be as specific as a prescription from a doctor. Therefore, along with a general understanding of business processes, a consultant must have many related knowledge and skills. So, today it is impossible to imagine managing a business without using software. Therefore, a business consultant should be guided in the IT sphere, have knowledge of what solutions exist, which can be implemented to order, be able to set a task for a programmer, etc.

Why do you need a business consultant?

When communicating with new customers, I constantly have to answer this question. Also, it is often asked by my former colleagues from the IT-sphere and employees of various companies.

It would seem true:

• The structure of a small business is quite simple.
• To see the work "as a whole" can and even should be able to leader.
• It is not difficult to find the “weak link”; often even the clerks understand which department is “slowing down” the work.
• For automation, you can directly contact the programmer.

All this, of course, is true. That is how a small company should work. But the reality is somewhat different from any business scheme, and usually differs for the worse. As a result, the company works for some time, current problems are solved as they arise more or less successfully. And then comes the crisis. And then the name of a business consultant.

What most often sees a business consultant?

• The “ bottleneck” of business is very often not what the client said.
  For example, you can be 100% sure that your company cannot increase turnover due to slow warehouse operations. You buy computers and some kind of automation software at the warehouse. Hire more movers and storekeepers to collect orders more quickly. In this case, the true problem lies in the ill-conceived work of the delivery department. It is enough to optimize transport routes, learn how to transfer documents to the warehouse in the correct order, and the capacity of this warehouse will grow without any other investment.
• To solve the problem, choose a difficult and erroneous way.
  As you know, learn from mistakes. But is it worth learning solely on their own? A business consultant is essentially a crisis manager. His name is when the company is faced with certain problems. The consultant analyzes the business, understands the assumptions that led to the current situation. He sees many different erroneous decisions, as well as their consequences in practice. And, of course, in their work will not repeat such errors. That is why the help of a business consultant very often removes the business from the “rake dance” that your competitors have already attended.
• When automating work, preference is given to far from the best tool.
  Most often, the business executive and programmer speak "different languages." As a result, the programmer works either without those tasks at all; compiles it on his own on the basis of what he himself guessed in a conversation with a client, or receives a TK, which in fact forces him to do not exactly what the client really needs. Moreover, any IT-specialist, without exception, is organic in choosing a solution with his specialty. For example, a 1C specialist will habitually modify a task of one of 1C configurations at a time when an Excel spreadsheet or a separate program for sending mail may be enough to solve the problem.

So, a business consultant is the same person who will be able to conduct a competent diagnosis of the problems encountered in your business. He is used to looking not only at obvious symptoms, but analyzes the entire business process. After which the business consultant will assign you the correct "treatment". He has practical experience, he has knowledge and understanding of the mistakes of your colleagues, there are various solutions that have been tested in practice.

The business consultant must be an IT consultant.

If a business consultant works with small and medium-sized businesses, he must also be an IT consultant. Modern business processes cannot be imagined without automation. Many enterprises need new products, methods, and as a result - programs. The introduction of a new process without software support is not realistic. And we must be able to choose the optimal solution, as well as explain to the client why such a software product is the best. In addition, it is very important to understand how it will interact with other programs and processes in the enterprise. For a small business, it is best if one person chooses the tactics and strategy of the business, as well as software support for new business processes.

In this case, the business consultant can not be tied to any one software product. Unlike the programmer, he has to choose the optimal solution every time, not “fixing a bit” on some familiar tools. The business consultant does not care if the work of new processes will be built using 1C, some specially developed applications or standard Microsoft Office tools. He knows well that he can extend the modern IT market, knows how to clearly set the task to the programmer, and always chooses the solution that is best suited for automating business processes in a particular case.

Work "turnkey" and other nuances

A very important moment for a small business. The consultant will help to realize all his ideas and suggestions:

• Prepares and helps to introduce any personnel changes, changes in the mode of operation, etc.
• Prepare and implement new software solutions. All the nuances - starting with the choice of the program and ending with the search for a specialist and implementation - the consultant takes over.
• In the process of solving a problem, if necessary, some nuances will work separately, including involving experts in the advisory profile.
• Will train the personnel in new methods of work.

Most often, a business consultant has been working with one enterprise for no more than 1.5 years. During this period all tasks are completely solved. And when new business solutions start working in a regular mode, employees of the company themselves can continue to work in the right direction without help and prompts, the work of a business consultant with a particular enterprise is completed. As my practice shows, until the next difficult task.

Separately, I would like to say one more function of a business consultant. This is the "lightning rod" function. Personally, I have not once come across such a situation. The head of the company, even without my help, knew that the company needed change. Moreover, I understood in many ways which ones. But he also understood that these changes would lead to personnel decisions that were unpleasant for some personnel. And the team is friendly, worked together. If you begin to introduce some innovations, you may be offended and leave, including those professionals who do not want to lose at all. What is the result? Reforms are postponed for fear of making things worse

What happens when a business consultant appears? He is a stranger, and it is he who is responsible for all unpopular decisions. Everything is simple and clear. The company has certain problems. The head hired a specialist, who then acts as he sees fit to solve the task. And all the negative from the team is sent to the consultant.

It would seem that all this is trifles. But it is these “little things” that help very often in a small company to keep both employees and normal relations in a team, and to carry out all changes as painlessly as possible. Consultant, this negative is not terrible. He worked - and left. Yes, and the money he is paid just for the introduction of change, so - the usual reaction, does not cause any emotions, and the head - one less problem, and an important problem.

How did I come to this?

The question of how I came to this profession, which is so rare in our country, is also asked to me quite often. Yes, and to understand the specifics of the work to tell about it is not superfluous. Maybe even one of you will wish to become my colleague. And here I hope that my path, my mistakes and best practices can be useful.

By the way, today in the Russian market business consultants for small and medium businesses are very necessary. This niche is still very poorly filled. And the work is incredibly interesting, and not only financially. Personally, I will always be happy to help any of you become my colleague, I’ll give you some good literature and I will answer your questions. Who needs - write, I will be glad. And at once I will recommend the book, which I consider to be a desktop one: “Management consulting. Introduction to the profession ”Edited by Milan Kubra .

So, I lived in Ufa, was engaged in business, was actually the deputy director of a fairly solid company. We sold auto parts, then it was profitable. It would seem that still need? I had a very decent income, there was a car with a personal driver, quiet work and "solid" 100 kg with some tendency to further increase in body weight. Here is a classic "boss".

I know that, unfortunately, for the majority of Russians, such a course of action is the ultimate dream. Many among us are "sharpened" exclusively for profit. As a result, even too many more or less successful salespeople appeared in our country, while there is a clear lack of artisans, professionals who know and love their work.

Personally, when I am told the word "craftsman", I remember German blacksmiths of the past centuries, who for generations honed their skills, forged armor, swords, and utensils. They were not good sellers. They were specialists who knew and loved their work. And for this they were very much appreciated.

What do I want to tell you? If you are a seller, if you think that profit is first of all, then you will most likely not be interested in reading. But if you, like me, think that it is much more interesting not just to sell, but to create some values ​​yourself, to be an expert, then we are on the way.

So, I am quite an active person, I had a little of my well-established comfortable existence, I wanted something interesting. I read about business consultants, watched interviews with representatives of Western businesses who in our country managed to open branches and become successful with the help of similar specialists, and understood that I can do that too. Moreover, I want to do this. In the end, I threw everything and moved to Moscow.

1C specialist or my training

Personally, I chose the path closest to me to study in practice the various business processes. He graduated from courses, received a certificate and became a 1C specialist. As you know, 1C programmers are constantly working with business processes, with accounting, warehouse, trade, with other types of accounting. Therefore, in the process of working with the 1C program, it is very easy to study the specifics of a particular company.

The first company where I settled was a company selling various pet products (animal feed, cages, toys, and other accessories). The company was actively developing, and even then it had an extensive network of stores. Somehow, in my presence, a pricing argument broke out. I already knew how everything works here, and therefore I ventured to make my offer - one of the options for uniform pricing for all stores. At first, the reaction of the leadership even offended me. I was told: “Are you a programmer? Mind your own business". But then I realized that they were right.

And then I made an important conclusion for myself: If you want a business consultant to be seen in you, you must be presented as a business consultant. Otherwise, you and your ideas will never be taken seriously. Business is run by people, and people are accustomed to thinking stereotypes.

Then I got a job as a project manager. Then he worked in several other positions. So I worked from 1C until 2008, before the crisis. By this time I already had some ideas and ideas, plus I had been working as a freelancer for various projects for about a year now.

So, 2008. A crisis. I come to one enterprise whose owner is going to implement 1C Production Management. At the same time, I see that he himself doubts his choice and even whether he needs to implement this program. And then I suggested to start to make a description of business processes. It turned out that the management could not understand what was happening in their company, and therefore with my proposal I was very helpful. It should be noted that if it were not for the crisis, they would hardly agree to trust and try to change their company so drastically. This project lasted for more than two years and gave me experience and even more convinced me that I was going the right way.

So I realized what to do to start a career business consultant . Many have business problems. It is necessary to come to people, to tell that I can, it is necessary to offer the services. They are really very popular.

Today I have about 35-45 finished projects in my assets. Each project is a new people, industry, new achievements, new ideas. I worked with a garment factory, worked with manufacturers of smoothies and juices, with the sale of cosmetics, with auto parts, with sales of warehouse equipment, with beauty salons, etc.

I have seen so many mistakes in business. After all, I, a business consultant, as well as a doctor, are most often called when the “disease” becomes apparent, and the “self-treatment” does not help. That is why I have seen a lot of various solutions, moreover, in practice. And I can immediately cut off the erroneous ideas and choose the best "medicine" for a particular situation.

I am constantly learning, and not only in practice. If in our country business consulting for small and medium businesses is very poorly developed, then in the West this specialty is very popular, there are a lot of textbooks, interesting articles are published, there are some techniques and even professional standards.

Each project is a challenging and exciting task. Despite all the knowledge and skills, I do not have and cannot have ready-made solutions "on my knees." Every time I have to learn all the nuances of business, starting from general trends and ending with the work schedule of employees, the system of rewards and punishments, the features of accessibility of the office, warehouse, production, etc. etc. And only after understanding all the nuances of the company's work, I have the opportunity to identify the real problem and propose solutions for it.

A business consultant is not a job for the lazy. I will not talk about how much time and effort it takes to sell my services. On the one hand, they are very popular, there is a real shortage of business consultants for small and medium-sized businesses. On the other hand, many businessmen do not understand what a business consultant can help them with; they have to spend a lot of effort on explaining what I am writing here and now. But these are trivialities compared to how much strength you will have to invest in the work process itself. We have to constantly learn. First, you need to study the nuances of a particular industry, and even a particular enterprise. Secondly, it is not enough to identify the problem, it is necessary to solve it. And this is to think over and implement a software solution, monitor the work of employees who, most likely, will sabotage your proposals for the first time, since the new is always perceived with difficulty. It is necessary to train personnel in new methods of work, constantly monitor the quality of this work and the effectiveness of the chosen solution, and much, much more.

A business consultant for small and medium businesses is very interesting!

Unfortunately, today in Russia, small and medium businesses are developing very poorly. One of the important reasons for this sad state of affairs is the lack of sufficient experience and knowledge of business processes among entrepreneurs. Business develops, in fact, by trial and error. While in the West, businessmen are actively using the services of business consultants, due to which they avoid many “pitfalls” in their work and make more efficient use of their capabilities.

I consider it very important that in our country the number of business consultants working with small and medium-sized businesses should also increase. And so that businessmen remember that they always have an assistant. A business consultant does not have any interests or preferences in your business, but is always ready to help in a crisis situation, develop a reliable and effective development strategy, or even simply give really good advice.

I hope that I managed to convey to you the main thing: why do you need a business consultant in small and medium business, what he does and what knowledge he should possess. And also how interesting this profession is, and how important it is for the success of Russian business that we become more, that we are approached more often, that together we learn to work even better!