Information consulting guide to good practice
Information Consulting presents a closer look at what makes information consultants successful and how they develop a productive relationship with their clients. While most of the books on this subject area are providing the experiences of information consulting veterans on 'how do you really d...
| Autor principal: | |
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| Otros Autores: | , |
| Formato: | Libro electrónico |
| Idioma: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Oxford :
Chandos Publishing
2011.
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| Edición: | 1st edition |
| Colección: | Chandos information professional series
Chandos Information Professional Series |
| Materias: | |
| Ver en Biblioteca Universitat Ramon Llull: | https://discovery.url.edu/permalink/34CSUC_URL/1im36ta/alma991009629306406719 |
Tabla de Contenidos:
- Cover; Information Consulting: Guide to good practice; Copyright; Contents; List of figure and tables; Foreword; About the authors; 1What is information consulting?; An information professional: to be or not to be1; The possible roles: the demands on which information consultants reflect; Consulting encompasses a wide range of roles and activities; Note; 2Advantages: why information consulting might appeal to you; Sense of control over one's time; Sense of reward from helping clients; Satisfaction from leveraging one's experience; Freedom from corporate politics; Freedom to 'pick and choose'
- No ceilings on your earningsChapter 2 checklist; 3Challenges: realities to consider; Uncertainty and anxiety; Uneven workloads; Need for flexibility and being available; 'Difficult' clients; Proposed location; Finances: are the necessary resources in place?; Can you tolerate a slow ramp-up? Should you work part time or subcontract?; The degree is only the beginning; Are you a consulting personality?; Qualities that may trip you up; Chapter 3 checklist; 4The starting point: make a business plan; General company description; Products and services, their features and benefits; Economics; Product
- ClientsThe outlook for the targeted business sector; Competition; Promotion; Pricing; Distribution channels; Sales forecast; Identifying costs, funding and fees; Start-up expenses; Credit policies; Chapter 4 checklist; 5The legal environment; Liability; Intellectual property and copyright; Ethics and quality; Code of Professional Conduct for the Information Consultant; Chapter 5 checklist; Notes; 6Building trust and marketing your services; Understanding makes reputation and detects niches; Your 'business attire': creating and maintaining image; Professional visibility
- Word-of-mouth: happy clients do marketing for youElectronic promotional brochure; Chapter 6 checklist; 7Client relations: the key to success; The request for proposal (RFP): to bid or not to bid?; Yes, I can help (informal inquiry); Preliminary discussions: what, exactly, are you selling this time?; A preliminary memorandum; Determining budget scope; The formal proposal; Contracts; Helping the client's decision; Signature in hand: now the work begins; The art of the client relationship; Delivering the deliverables: report, presentation, discussion; Handling invoice issues
- Wrap up ... and setting up for the futureNote; 8Advice from other information consultants; 'Just one more clarification': agreeing to deliverables vs delivering in advance; Keeping your integrity: what to do if you're told what to do; Maintaining poise and neutrality while getting people to open up; Encountering concerns outside the official project scope; The unforeseen circumstances; Who said that? Protecting the trust client staff place in you; Losing objectivity or being seen as taking sides
- Do you take the money and run when what the client requests disagrees with what you believe is needed?
