31.6 Closing an assignment

It is useful to establish and announce clearly that the assignment has been terminated. This will avoid confusion in long and complex assignments involving several members of the consulting firm, a number of people in the client company, and a wide range of different activities and contacts.

The main considerations involved in closing an assignment were discussed in Chapter 11. In particular, the reader should refer to the discussions of assignment evaluation and of final reporting. But there are some further points to remember:

●In the days close to the completion date, the client should not be given the impression that the consulting firm is losing interest because the business is winding up and the payment will be forthcoming. This may happen if a new, interesting client is already lined up and the consultant is keen to start working on the new assignment.

●It is important not to leave any unfinished work, such as documentation that was promised but not produced, training that was started but not completed, or a new system that breaks down frequently. All commitments should be met by the date of termination, including seemingly unimportant ones (for example, the consultant should return all documents and equipment borrowed from the client, hand over all papers as agreed, and return the pass issued by the client organization).

●Billing will follow the established practice (section 30.8) and the specific conditions stipulated in the contract. When receiving the final bill, the client should not find an unexpected surprise or feel that there is any unfinished business. The client should have no reason to feel that the consultant is more concerned about being paid than about having done a perfect job.

Before leaving, the consultant may already be able to obtain some feedback on the client’s satisfaction. He or she should inform the client about the postassignment evaluation practised by the firm (e.g. through questionnaires or personal interviews) and ask the client tactfully if he or she would be prepared to recommend the consultant to business friends.

A successful completion of a consulting project may be a good opportunity for drinks, a dinner party or other social event, which can be hosted either by the consultant or by the client.