The trusted firm : how consulting firms build successful client relationships

Author(s)

    • Czerniawska, Fiona

Bibliographic Information

The trusted firm : how consulting firms build successful client relationships

Fiona Czerniawska

John Wiley & Sons, c2007

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Note

Includes index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

The consulting industry has been on a roller-coaster ride since the heady days of the 1990s. After a recession triggered by the dotcom crash, it's now growing rapidly again--but in a market that has changed beyond all recognition. Fees are down, buying is centralized and many clients are ex-consultants who know all the tricks of the trade. It's a hostile environment in which great personal qualities are no longer enough--consultants need trusted firms behind them, helping them deliver results. This unique journey through the new consulting terrain looks at how leading consulting firms worldwide create a platform for success: what values they need; who they recruit and what recruitment processes work best; how they keep their finger on the pulse of the market; how they match the right people to particular jobs. "This book is essential for both client and consultant to understand the pitfalls to avoid and the conditions neccessary for successin todays' complex, multi faceted project environment." -- Peter Hill, Chief Executive, Management Consultancies Association "The Trusted Firm presents a compelling blueprint for the consulting firm of the future. From concepts to tactics, this book shows firm leaders why and how to rethink their businesses to earn client trust the ultimate market differentiator." --Michael W. McLaughlin, Editor, Management Consulting News and author of Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants "Fiona, astute observer, commentator of the management field, provides insight and clarity to the chaos of rapid changes in our clients' evolving demands and how our firms can most effectively respond to them. A must-read for understanding data on contemporary client demands; a valuable contribution to our field. Czerniawska explicates the dynamics of the three-pronged relationship between the client, the consultant and the firm. She explains why each aspect of this tri-partite relationship is equally significant in the successful engagement." --Elizabeth Ann Kovacs, President & CEO, Association of Management Consulting Firms

Table of Contents

Preface. Acknowledgements. About the author. Part I INTRODUCTION. 1 The changing client-consultant relationship. 2 Promises, promises: excellent relationships from a client perspective. 3 The invisible firm. 4 The trouble with the status quo. 5 The client-consultant-consulting firm relationship. Part II PEOPLE. 6 Personal chemistry and relationship skills. 7 Recruitment, retention and remuneration. Part III PROCESS (1): MARKETING AND SELLING. 8 Brand versus specialization: the race to the top? 9 Handling the sales process. 10 Thought leadership: as much culture as intellect. Part IV PROCESS (2): DELIVERY. 11 Managing consulting projects. 12 Three types of teamwork. 13 When is a methodology not a methodology? 14 Innovation - beyond the borrowed watch? 15 The two-way mirror: listening and talking to clients. 16 Partners and parents. Part V VALUES. 17 Values. 18 Living the values, valuing the lives. 19 Conclusions. Index.

by "Nielsen BookData"

Details

  • NCID
    BB00189666
  • ISBN
    • 9780470027172
  • LCCN
    2006020355
  • Country Code
    uk
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    Chichester, England
  • Pages/Volumes
    x, 247 p.
  • Size
    24 cm
  • Classification
  • Subject Headings
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