Don't Waste Your Time Hiring an E-Commerce Consultant

Here's a piece of information that might surprise you (it surprised me):  In many, if not most of my consulting engagements, the hiring process takes longer than the engagement itself.

Now, there's no right or wrong amount of time that it should take to hire an e-commerce consultant.  But when I'm approached by prospective clients, they typically indicate some sense of urgency in getting started with their work. A looming deadline, the close of a budget year, or more often, the critical need to get a problem solved or an opportunity tapped.  So then, it would only make sense that the selection and hiring process be reasonably efficient.

It's extremely important to be thorough and thoughtful when you hire an e-commerce consultant. They need to be the right fit for your company, your project and your budget.  And you need time to think about and define the specific objectives and deliverables of the engagement.  But it's also important that you not waste your own valuable time or the time of the stakeholders in your company with an arduous or drawn out selection process.  A bit of up front planning and preparation can cut costly bottlenecks and delays. 

I should confess that while I think the points below are good advice to anyone in the hiring seat, they are a bit self serving.  As an e-commerce consultant, I like to see the hiring process be smooth and efficient, regardless of whether or not I am ultimately awarded the engagement.  Time is valuable and time is money, for everyone involved.

Here are my top seven tips for a smooth hire:

1) Get internal alignment: Do all key stakeholders agree on the work that needs to be done? Do they all agree that a consultant is the solution?   Write up a few sentences on the project and the desired outcome.  Circulate it to the stakeholders.  Is there agreement?  If not, rinse and repeat until you get it right.  This will speed up the proposal and evaluation process later.

2) Identify the skills and background you need:  E-commerce consulting is a specialty, but there are specialties within the specialty.   Some e-commerce consultants focus on a specific discipline, like platform selection, online marketing, or UI evaluation. Others are more strategic/general management in nature.   Determine if you need a specialist or a broader generalist.  Doing so will speed up your research and identification of appropriate candidates.

3) Know when you need it: Do you expect your consultant to start immediately? Within the next month? 60 days?  When do you need/expect the work to be completed?  Your consultant may not be able to start immediately if she/he has other client obligations.  Also, keep in mind that it will take time to interview candidates, check references and get internal approvals for the hire.   Be sure you build appropriate time into your plan to account for the hiring cycle as well as the actual project work.

4) Set your budget:  Many companies don't do this, and it usually costs them time in the long run.   Even if it's a price range, have a budget in mind.  You'll save valuable time going back and forth over scope and pricing if you have a number in mind going in.  Your consultant should be able to tell you early in the process if their rates are within your budget.  This will help you avoid lengthy proposal gathering  & negotiation with candidates outside of the range.

5) Talk to legal: Find out what your company requires from a legal standpoint to make the hire.  Do you need your consultant to sign an NDA?  Do you require a contract?  If the answer is "yes" to either of those questions, have your legal team provide the documentation early in the hiring process, and find out how long you should allow for them to turn around any revisions or reviews.

6) Think ahead on references: If you plan to check references, determine how many you'll need and ask your candidate for them a few days before you plan to start making calls.  Remember, it may take a few days or more to track down the people you need to speak to.  Do everyone involved a favor and have a short list of questions prepared in advance.  Remember, these people are just like you: busy e-commerce leaders.  Be concise and appreciative.   Ok, I confess, this one is really self serving.  A consultant's references are hard earned.  A good consultant will want to alert her/his references that someone will be calling.  If you don't call or tie up their time with a poorly organized call, that reference might not be willing to repeat the favor.

7) Get your act together for the decision maker:  Be sure you're clear who's approving the decision to hire your e-commerce consultant and what they need to do their job.  The quick hit list of the things they need to have in hand when you seek approval probably looks something like this:

• The consultant's proposal, complete with costs and timeline
• The consultant's bio and background
• References
• Final legal documents for signature (NDA, contract, etc.)
• Your recommendation on why this person is right for the job

Give yourself a timeline for getting all of the above together and then communicate your timeline for seeking approval.  There's nothing more frustrating that getting a proposal in June for a project scheduled to start in July, only to have it still sitting on the approver's desk in August.   Your project is now behind schedule, and your consultant may have moved on and booked other work, delaying things further or causing you to go back to square one.

For more tips on getting the most out of your e-commerce consultant once you've made a decision, see my two previous posts:

Thinking About Hiring an E-Commerce Consultant?  The Readiness is All

5 Tips and 1 Little Secret About Hiring a Consultant

And remember, time is valuable and time is money, for everyone involved. In the time it took to hire them, your e-commerce consultant could have been helping you build your business.

   

Comments

[Harry Joiner]

This is a fantastic post. Very spot on. Thanks for this.