The Bee Hive

One of the joys of being in the world of operations management is dealing with consultants. There are two major categories: the software consultant and the operations/strategy consultant. They are different animals and must be handled with care and wisdom, but you can survive the experience and even prosper. 

The Software Consultant

Software consultants are usually employed by major software companies - their job is to help you implement their software. Broadly speaking, there are two types of this first category of consultant: the module mechanic and the more seasoned operations or business type.

The Module mechanics are usually freshly out of school and have been trained intensively in how a particular module - SAP finance or BOM - works. They will be responsible for configuring the module based on their own requirements; they're smart about the software and confident in what it can do. They invariably let you know that all you need to do to be successful is use the system in a vanilla fashion. They will also work many hours to make things happen for you. Most of them, however, have little or no actual floor or operational experience. They may have done several implementations but have not been a real user. Pick their brains about how they system works - they willo take great pride in showing you all sorts of module capabilities. Learn the system from them, but understand they know little about the real world and making things happen.

This same category of software consultant boasts another, more seasoned, variety of consultant: the operations or business process type. These folks are usually older and generally comes from an operations background. In most cases, they have been managers or supervisors who have actually implemented the system at their companies. Their job is to look at the business side as a whole, and while they try to ensure your business objectives are being met, different companies have different approaches.

Some companies will spend time and effort understanding your business, meeting with you to help you understand what the system can and cannot do, and figuring out how much customization may be required. People who can wisely walk you through this analysis are worth their weight in gold. But be careful! Some companies have been known to reward consultants for selling custom work or just implementing a vanilla package as quickly as possible. Spend time getting to know the people assigned to you so you know where they are coming from.

The Operations/Strategy Consultant

The second major category of consultant focuses on improving business and operations processes. They don;t work for a specific software company, so their solutions to your particular problem are not built aroound a particular software. This category also falls under two general types: seasoned professionals and up-and-coming MBAs. The former have been where you have been and have switched to consulting. Good ones will have a solid history of actual experience and consulting and will be APICS certified. Their strength will be their floor smarts, their real-world training, and their comprehension that real change doesn;t happen at the drop of a hat.

Then there are the young twenty-and-thirty-year-olds who were hired out of an MBA program. Many will have a couple of years experience, and some may have APICS certification. They're smart, aggressive, and confident. They will ask a lot of questions and excel at presenting and running meetings. But they will not have a good grasp on how difficult it is to manage change nor will they understand what it takes to run an organization. Their great value is challenging the status quo and getting you to think differently.

So, how do you decide upon a consultant? First, research the company. What is the company style? What are its perceived strengths and weaknesses? At your next dinner meeting or conference, see if anyone has worked with that particular company. Finally, review individual resumes - sit down with prospective consultants to find out their background and their views. Have them take you to lunch so you can get to know them - they will have the expense accounts to cover it.

When working with them, be a sponge. Watch how they operate, ask questions, and get their opinions. Don't be afraid to challenge or question them. Do your homework - you will get their respect. Show them you are a professional and want to improve things. Remember, they report to senior management. Getting yourself mentioned positively as a smart, thoughtful professional can't hurt.

Finally, use the consultant as a communication bridge to senior management to tell it what it doesn;t want to hear. Senior management will often listen to a consultant and act on that information when they refuse to listen to their own people. It's a fact, so use it!