9.3Presenting action proposals to the client

When work on action proposals and the evaluation of alternatives has reached an advanced stage, the consultant has to consider the time and form for the presentation to the client. This will depend mainly on the type of project undertaken and the working relationships between the consultant and the client’s managerial and specialist staff.

In long and complex assignments, involving strategic issues and costly investment or other measures, the client’s staff is usually very much involved and keeps the senior management informed about progress. The consultant submits progress reports and seeks further guidance from the client at several points during the assignment, so the presentation of final proposals does not bring up anything completely new. Essentially, information that the client has had from previous reports and other contacts with the consultant is summarized, confirmed and presented for approval.

In other cases, the reporting which has preceded the presentation of proposals may have been limited. The scope of the assignment may not require reporting and discussions at each step; or, in assignments that will affect some vested interests (e.g. reorganizations), the client does not want to hold many meetings and have information circulated before the solutions have been defined and thoroughly examined by a restricted managerial group. Hence the need for a well-prepared presentation which, in the latter case, may convey completely new information to a number of people.

The presentation

Most consultants prefer to make an oral presentation backed up by written evidence and using audiovisual aids to support the case. The consultant may make