Generally, the individual working for you gets not more than a third of the hourly fee you are paying. In order to make this relationship work, you have to have a pretty good idea of what skill sets you need. The firm will generally give you exactly what you ask for, so ask carefully. A good consulting firm will ask lots of questions about your business processes, the technology you're currently using, and what you're satisfied and dissatisfied with. You are much more likely to get a holistic, real-world solution to a complex problem than you would with a staffing service.
Consulting services are much more expensive than staffing services.
You may be required to pay a rate plus expenses, which would include travel if the consultants are out of the area. Things to Remember Make sure you see the project plan and have set realistic measures. If possible, make part of the compensation to the firm contingent on meeting the success criteria you both agree on. A reputable firm that honestly believes they can be successful will bet their pay on it. If your company relies of Information Technology, you will probably want to have some IT folks on your own staff.