Benchmarking is key to organizational improvements and the support of ISO 9000. This process is based on the idea that a company can study how another company, from any industry, developed a superior solution to certain tasks or activities. The idea is to find a company that has devised a streamlined, effective and efficient way to accomplish an activity and then use those ideas as a starting point or model to devise your own solution. Smart consultants are always looking for and learning new ideas that can be adapted to fit their clients' needs. There's wisdom in experience only when the experience can be tailored to fit current needs or to avoid traps, errors or delays.
Capable consultants are able to parley their experiences to find new, unique solutions.
Personal chemistry One of the most important characteristics a consultant can have is the ability to work well with you and at every level within your organization. Good consultants can work with senior management as comfortably as with the most junior individual in your organization. You must be comfortable with him or her. Because your contact time with the consultant will be limited, you need to be sure that you can work cooperatively and efficiently together so that this time will be productive. It's worth investing in an airline ticket to have the consultant visit for a day before you make a hiring decision.