28.2 The scope of client services

Some consultants are reluctant to be explicit and precise in describing the services that they are able to provide. Some think that such a description could be restrictive and that they may not be considered for work that does not exactly fit the service description. Others feel confident that their analytical and problem-solving expertise is so strong that they can handle virtually any problem. Yet service and product definition is a basic building-block of consulting strategy. It determines the firm’s identity and profile, tells clients what they can ask for and expect to get, determines the expertise that the firm must build up and maintain up to date, and has considerable impact on consulting style and methodology. Increasingly, clients want to know precisely what services they can expect from their consultants. They want to be sure that, if the consulting firm includes a particular service among its offerings (e.g. organizing sales networks or assessing staff competencies), this has been a deliberate and responsible strategic choice, which is consistent with the firm’s resources and experience.

The firm’s core competencies

A useful perspective in choosing products and services is that of the firm’s core competencies. Core competencies are defined by activity areas (these can be subjects, intervention methods, sectors, special skills or others) in which the firm has developed excellent knowledge and know-how, employs a sufficient number of well-trained professionals, keeps abreast of developments and can without any major difficulty undertake various assignments and serve a wide range of clients. The firm would normally confine its service offerings to its core competency areas, without trying to branch out into areas where it does not feel strong enough. If there is a need and demand for work outside the core competencies (e.g. in complex assignments), rather than improvising or doing second-rate work the firm would turn to subcontracting, sharing the work with an alliance partner or another convenient formula. A firm recognized as highly competent for certain sorts of services would not spoil its reputation by amateurish work in other areas.

The concept of core competencies cannot be static. Competencies change with changing experience and as a result of changes in the professional staff structure. They can be enhanced by staff development, or lost because of inertia, lack of dynamism and poor personnel policies.

Your special product

Some consultants have found it useful to develop, and offer to clients, special products, different from services or products available from other consultants. Such special products (which may be a training package, a problem-solving