How To Select A Telecommunications Consultant

HOW TO SELECT A
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
CONSULTANT
by Karen Thatcher, CEO, TelCon Associates
The specialized skills and objectivity of a

telecommunications consultant are resources that you can
use effectively in many situations.
How to Select a Telecommunications Consultant
Table of Contents
WHAT TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANTS CAN DO.......... 2
WHEN TO USE A TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT ......... 3
STEP 1 ARTICULATE YOUR CONCERNS ...................................... 4
STEP 2 NARROW THE FIELD .......................................................... 5
STEP 3 IDENTIFY CANDIDATES ..................................................... 6
STEP 4 SCREENING ......................................................................... 7
STEP 5 INTERVIEWING .................................................................... 9
STEP 6 OBTAINING A WRITTEN PROPOSAL .............................. 11
FEES TO BE PAID/FLAGS TO WATCH OUT FOR ........................ 12
BECOMING A TEAM ....................................................................... 13
ABOUT THE AUTHOR .................................................................... 14
TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 1 www.telconassociates.com

WHAT TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANTS CAN DO
The very nature of consulting implies specialization, and a wide variety of telecommunications
specialists IS available. Save time by limiting your search to consultants who regularly do the type of
work you want. Consider your need for consulting help from three different perspectives.
WHAT FORM OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS IS INVOLVED?

Voice—Data—Video—Radio—Facsimile—Microwave—Paging
—Broadcast—Program—Telegraph—Wireless—Voice
Messaging—Electronic Mail—Teleconferencing—Remote
Metering—Frame Relay—Virtual Private Networks—LANs—
WANs—Voice over Internet
WHAT TYPE OF WORK IS DESIRED?

• Audit and analysis of existing services and facilities.
• New system or services design, selection, installation.
• Network and traffic analysis and planning.
• Diagnostic-identification and/or solving of problems or needs.
• Ongoing review or management of operations, billings, etc.
• Operations or organization planning and development.
• Installation services; Software development/application.
• Training, seminars, etc.; Expert witness, advisor.
WHAT OPERATIONS EXPERIENCE IS NEEDED?
A number of questions need to ask before you begin:
1. Is your operation small, medium, or large?

2. Is there one location, several, or hundreds?
3. Are the locations in a local area—national—international?
4. Are telephone operations specialized in your type of business?
5. How sensitive is your operation to efficient telecommunications
6. . …what is the potential penalty for a malfunction?

WHEN TO USE A TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT
YOU NEED EXPERIENCED TEMPORARY HELP

You know what needs to be done, and your personnel either have the skills or could learn them. But…..
you can’t spare the people or time from other tasks.
YOU NEED SPECIALIZED SKILLS FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT OR

TASK
You know what needs to be accomplished, but you don’t have the knowledge or skills available to do it
the way you want it done.
YOU NEED SPECIALIZED SKILLS FOR REGULAR, PART-TIME

WORK
You want identified tasks to be performed on a recurring basis, but you don’t want to add full-time
specialized staff to your payroll.
YOU NEED OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE.

You sense there may be problems needing resolution, but you can’t seem to pull the pieces together
into a workable plan. Or maybe you believe you know what should be done, but management feels the
potential risk or investment warrants additional analysis and recommendations from an outside expert.
It is not a consultant’s role to make your decisions for you. However, a good consultant can efficiently
facilitate inputs, conduct analyses, display and evaluate information in a meaningful way, and reduce
related uncertainties so that you can make necessary decisions. Once decisions have been made, it
may be cost effective to use a consultant for selected implementation activities.

SIX STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN SELECTING A

TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT
Articulate Your Concerns
You may not be able to define the exact problem. (In fact, you may engage a
consultant to do just that!) But there are always tell-tale signs of problems. For
instance, general concerns may be expressed by you or your staff, as:
• “ Telephone costs are eating us up.”

• “Employees complain about the telephone system.”
• “Customers complain; we may be losing business!”
• “I think we should do something, but what?”
• “Management has asked for a complete telecom audit.”
After writing down all your concerns, eliminate the trivial and gather relevant facts about the rest. For
instance, your next list might look something like this:
• “Telephone costs have grown from 1.9% to 2.8% of sales.”

• “We pay the bills, but no one has the skills to find errors.”
• “The telephone company recommends more trunks.”
• “Service providers say they can improve our profitability.”
Now, armed with these more specific facts, you need to determine exactly what it is that you want a
consultant to do. Move from the general to the specific. General items might be:
1. Do you want information to clarify the problem so you can make a decision?
2. Are you considering outsourcing your telecom bills or adds, moves, and changes?
3. Do you feel you are wasting money by just paying the phone bills without looking at them carefully?
4. Would you like the consultant to examine your entire telecommunications operations and identify
areas needing attention?
More specific areas a consultant can help you with could be:
1. Do you want to squeeze unnecessary costs out of present services?

2. Do you want help in being more efficient at moves, adds, and changes?
3. Do you want someone to review service providers’ proposals to be sure nothing has been
overlooked?
4. Do you want an experienced consultant to train your staff how to conduct your own audit?
Lastly, consider cost. How much are you willing to pay for what you want? Even in consulting, the old
adage “you get what you pay for” rings true. It isn’t always the least expensive consultant that will do
the best job.


Narrow the Field

Hundreds of telecommunications consultants may be interested in your
assignment, but finding the best one for you could take a lot of time and effort… if
you try to look at every one. Preliminary screening, using readily-available
information about consulting firms, is a great way to narrow the field of potential candidates. Relevant
criteria may include:
T ELECOMMUNICATIONS S PECIALTY :
Does your concern involve voice communications? Data? Wireless? Teleconferencing? Frame Relay?
Internet?
P ROGRAM S PECIALTY :
Do you seek audit and analysis of services? New system/ service selection? Training? Diagnostic help?
If your problem is within a particular specialty, a specialist may solve it faster. On the other hand, the
more narrow the specialty of the consultant, the greater the risk that your problem will be forced to fit
the consultant’s ‘ standard’ solutions.
I NDUSTRY S PECIALTY :
Do you need someone with extensive experience in your industry? An organization already familiar with
your business area reduces the orientation time for the assignment, and the consultant is able to apply
known solutions. However, a consultant with experience in other areas may offer fresh— and possibly
better—approaches to your concerns.
S IZE OF C ONSULTING O RGANIZATION :

One-person firms may offer more flexibility and top-level attention. A consulting firm that boasts hundreds of
employees isn’t always a better choice than a firm with 15-20 emplyees. However, larger and longer-term
projects may warrant greater resources and back-up capabilities of a larger organization.
N OTABILITY :
A recognized firm may lend needed credibility to recommendations that must be approved by others.
Lesser-known firms may provide equivalent analysis and output at lower costs.
LOCATION:
A local firm should be more accessible and eliminate travel expense, but it may be less prepared (or refuse)
to handle outlying locations. An out-of-town firm may incur more expenses, but it may be more frugal with

both its time and yours. Another consideration is the geographic range of clients. Firms that work on a
national or international basis may be more familiar with a variety of service providers than would a local or
regional client-based consulting firm.

Identify Candidates
If you think that you may want to use a consultant someday, begin looking now!
Start a file, and routinely place in it every reference that includes the name of a
telecommunications consultant. Such names will come most often from three areas.
PUBLICATIONS
Articles and news stories are written by, refer to, and quote consultants. Consultants sometimes
advertise. When you receive seminar mailings on telecommunications topics and consultants are
speaking, clip and save these references.
SOLICITATIONS
Consultants may contact you. Save their names and any materials they provide.
REFERRALS
Friends and business acquaintances may be using telecommunications consultants. Users groups or
internet chat groups discussing telecommunications many times share this type of information. Make
note of such instances, along with details of assignments, client satisfaction, etc. When someday
becomes now, you can supplement your file by adding names from other sources:
YELLOW PAGES
Look under the headings Communications Consultants (or) Telecommunications Consultants, and
Management Consultants. But be alert… service providers also list themselves under these headings.
DIRECTORIES
Names and descriptions of telecommunications consultants can be obtained from directories published
by Consultants News, Gale Research Company and others. Also, conducting a search on the Internet
using the key words ‘telecommunications consultants’ will produce results. You may also obtain
consultant names by searching on the project you want to have completed, such as telecom audit” or
“telecom auditing companies”.
Other sources to obtain consultant names include user groups, your own trade association, telephone
suppliers, trade and professional magazines. These organizations can supply names with which they’re
familiar.

SIX STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN SELECTING

A TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT
Screening
Sort through the names you’ve identified, and qualify them with the criteria outlined
in Step 2. Immediately eliminate names that obviously don’t meet most criteria.
Add additional known relevant information, such as firm size, years in business,
specialties, etc.
IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THE LIST DOWN TO THE MOST SUITABLE TWO TO THREE
CANDIDATES, THESE METHODS ARE COMMONLY USED.
1. Talk to others who are familiar with the consultants on your list. These may be people who have
used them, or they may be people who have heard about the consultants’ work from others. Be aware
that such sources are subjective, so frame your questions as objectively as possible. For persons who
have previously used the consultant, the final key question should be, “Would you hire this consultant
again?”
2. Talk to the candidates themselves (by telephone). Have a list of questions ready, and be prepared to
reveal information about your organization and the assignment you have in mind. Depending on the
assignment, you may find that talking to different consultants is all you need to make a decision.
Finding a consultant that you feel comfortable with is the key to a pleasant working relationship. If, after
talking to your candidates, you are still not sure who to use for your project, you can take the next step.
3. Mail a questionnaire or Request For Proposal (RFP) to the prospective consultants on your list. The
mailing may be limited to gathering information about each consultant. Or, a complete RFP may
describe the assignment, provide extensive background information, and ask for a preliminary or
specific proposal. (Be aware that many good consultants will not respond to RFPs.)
Whichever method(s) you use, obtain basic information about each candidate, and further qualify with
questions such as:
• “ How long have you been in business?”
• “What are the backgrounds of you and your staff?”
• “Are you affiliated with any Service Providers?
• “What kinds of clients do you serve?”

• “What similar assignments have you had?”
• “What is your availability (schedule) for our assignment?”
• “What is your approach to fees?”
• “Do you personnally visit larger locations? From the information gathered, reduce your list to the
candidates you wish to meet personally…probably no more than one or two names. Invite them to meet
with you in your offices, or even consider meeting at the consultant’s place of business! Beware of
consultants who won’t agree to meet in person.


Interviewing
Any of the consultants you’ve decided to interview can almost certainly do what
you want done. But only one of them is best for you. The interviewing session(s)
will virtually complete your evaluation.
THREE THINGS SHOULD HAPPEN DURING A GOOD INTERVIEW
1. you will get additional information about the consultant

2. the consultant will obtain information needed to make a proposal,and
3. the two of you will get a feel for the chemistry of the situation…will you be able to work well with each
other.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONSULTANT
The representative will usually take the lead and tell you a lot about the firm, its capabilities and
accomplishments. Take notes, and check off items on a prepared list of topics and questions. Listen
carefully for what is not said, and probe for information that isn’t volunteered.
• How long has the firm been in business?

• Who are the principals, and what are their backgrounds?
• What kinds of work are done? main activity?
• What about staff—how many, background, type,
• tenure,etc?
• What is the firm’s approach to fees?
• Who are some relevant clients? any repeat business?
• What has been the nature of assignments?
• What results were achieved? (Specifics can be provided
• without divulging confidential information.) \
• How will the consulting firm approach your assignment?
• (Describe the process.)
• Who will be doing the specific work, and who will be
• available for back-up?
• What involvement will be required of you?

• What is the firm’s availability/schedule for your task?
INFORMATION ABOUT YOU:
A consultant needs to know a lot about your situation to make an intelligent proposal. So be prepared to
providenecessary, even confidential information. You should volunteer some of this, but a skilled
consultant will ask for needed data that isn’t immediately covered. Usual topics include:
Background of your organization— what it is, what it does, its sales volume, employment size,
and organization structure. Provide background on yourself (or the consultant’s primary contact)
including title, tenure, responsibility, authority.
Relevant concerns and problems— why you are seeking the assistance of a consultant.
Nature and timing of the assignment— at least preliminary ideas on what you think you want,
and when.
Available budget— you don’t have to commit to anything, but the consultant needs to assess
whether the budget will allow for the envisioned assignment, or if an alternative is required.
Telecommunications profile— provisioning at the locations to be involved, present expenses with

relevant detail, samples of actual bills, internal policies, etc.
CHEMISTRY
Ask yourself questions during the interview to assess how well you could work with this consultant.
• Do you like this person? If the representative won’t be significantly involved in the project, will you be
comfortable with the firm?
• Does the representative seem knowledgeable, organized, asking appropriate questions, and
interested in you?
• How have you felt while discussing confidential matters? However competent the consultant, unless
there’s a feeling of mutual trust and respect, unless you’re comfortable, the chances for a satisfying
relationship are very much diminished. After the interview, if it was satisfactory, have the consultant
prepare and/or present a written proposal or agreement. And you should check the consultant’s
references. (Keep in mind, it’s not ethical to ask for proposals from a candidate you’ve already
rejected.)


Obtaining a Written Proposal

Except for repeat or continuing engagements, always get some type of written
proposal, agreement or project description from the consultant. This is the only
practical way to minimize ambiguities and make sure that everyone involved in the
project understands what is expected.
Proposals come in many different forms…from a simple letter of understanding or a printed program
description, to a custom presentation. You can even specify a required format, but it’s usually best to let
the consultant determine format…you’ll get a better indication of the consultant’s thinking, mental
organization, and writing effectiveness.
WHATEVER THE FORM OF PROPOSAL, LOOK FOR THESE KEY POINTS:
1. Statement of general purpose
2. Mission or goal of the project
3. Results or output to be achieved. These should be objective and measurable statements, so that
anyone looking at the proposal can readily see whether or not they have been accomplished.
• The process or procedure that will be followed.
• Client participation—the things you and your personnel will be responsible for or expected to do.
• Schedule or timing—when the project can start, how long it will take, when key events will be
complete.
• Fees and terms—what fees and expenses will be paid, and the schedule of payment. Other
considerations that are important to you should also be included. For instance, if you’re expecting a
specific person to handle the project, that should be stated. If you feel the need for a nondisclosure
agreement, have it included. And if the proposal is customized to your organization, a situation
summary may be desired to assure you of the consultant’s understanding of your business.

FEES AND FLAGS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Fees to be Paid
The Institute of Management Consultants points out,
“The valuation of services and the procedures by which charges are made are matters
of individual preference…based upon agreement between the consultant and the
client.”
An ethical consultant will strive to apply a fee arrangement appropriate to the project and your desires.
Common arrangements are:
Project Fee— guaranteed total, may include expenses. Ideal for any activity that can be clearly
defined. Requires the most preparation on the part of both client and consultant.
Time Fee— hourly or per-diem, often plus expenses. Appropriate when activity is vaguely defined or
exploratory in nature. Requires close review, with predefined check points.
Contingency Fee— based on predefined results (percent of savings is typical). Appropriate if results
can be precisely measured. May be most economical because fee is limited by associated results. Can
be high, in event of windfalls. Requires the least preparation.
Flags to watch for

Be especially cautious if you encounter anything that seems ‘not right’ with a consultant. For instance:
• Refusal to give references.
• Requiring advance payments on contingency-fee projects.
• A contingency contract with ‘guaranteed’ results. A fee-based job works well with some sort of
guarantee.
• Direct or close supplier connections.
• A presentation that mostly offers solutions or sells the need for some change, rather than seeking to
learn about and deal with your present concerns. A very low price may be a warning of superficial work,
‘boilerplate’ solutions, or compensation from suppliers.

BECOMING A TEAM
You have a proposal you like, you’ve obtained great references, you’ve agreed to fees and a schedule
for the project…so sign an agreement and get started on the assignment! Then do one more thing to
assure a first-class consulting experience…resolve to work with your telecommunications
consultant as a team!
It may take some extra time, at first, but it’ll return important extras, such as:
• Your direct and/or indirect costs may be lower.
• The project will begin to pay off sooner.
• You’ll get more than just minimum requirements.
• There’ll be no surprises…you’ll always be aware of project status, and recommendations will be

reviewed with you before finalization.
To build a consulting team approach, here are some key steps.
1. Make sure your organization completes its assigned responsibilities in a timely manner.
2. Run interference. Be sure no one is impeding consultant activities. Open doors to people and
information.
3. Take the consultant into your confidence regarding relevant matters. Promptly communicate
happenings that may affect the project.
4. Maintain close communication. Agree with the consultant to touch base on some regular schedule.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Deregulation has provided the opportunity to substantially improve your telecommunications services
and/or costs, but there are pitfalls. It takes a lot of time and specialized knowledge to put all the pieces
together. Judicious use of consultants can help . . . if you select the right consultant for the right task.
There are plenty of consultants to select . . . more now than ever before. Many are good, some are not
so good . . . and some are good for others but not for you.
By using a systematic method of selection, the process of choosing a consultant may be less harried
and move more swiftly. This booklet may not provide all of the details needed to ensure a completely
satisfactory engagement with a consultant, but hopefully, it has provided many of them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karen Thatcher is President and Chief Executive Officer of TelCon Associates, Inc. She’s a graduate of the
University of Kansas, with a Bachelors and Masters of Arts Degree in Communications Studies. She worked in
the field of association management for 10 years, and consulted for two years, before beginning her career at
TelCon Associates in 1994. Thatcher co-authored the book Telecom Cost-cutting Reference Manual and has
written several articles. She has contributed to books in the telecom field, and has conducted numerous training
seminars throughout her career. Founded in 1973, TelCon Associates is a nationwide management consulting
firm specializing in telecommunications services. Assignments are all customer specific and cover telecom audits
in voice/data services and wireless services, telecom bill management, administration of adds/moves /changes,
contract and tariff review and negotiation, RFP development, and other telecom assignments. TelCon also works
with clients on a long-term basis, serving as a company’s complete telecommunications department or as a
consultant for large projects.
TelCon Associates professional and support staff are located in

Lenexa, Kansas (Kansas City area)
8730 Bourgade, Suite 200
Lenexa, KS 66219
1-888-383-3200
www.telconassociates.com

How To Select A Telecommunications Consultant

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How To Select A Telecommunications Consultant

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HOW TO SELECT A

by Karen Thatcher, CEO, TelCon Associates

The specialized skills and objectivity of a

TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 1 www.telconassociates.com

WHAT TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANTS CAN DO

WHAT FORM OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS IS INVOLVED?

WHAT TYPE OF WORK IS DESIRED?

WHAT OPERATIONS EXPERIENCE IS NEEDED?

A number of questions need to ask before you begin:

1. Is your operation small, medium, or large?

TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 2 www.telconassociates.com

WHEN TO USE A TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT

YOU NEED EXPERIENCED TEMPORARY HELP

YOU NEED SPECIALIZED SKILLS FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT OR

YOU NEED SPECIALIZED SKILLS FOR REGULAR, PART-TIME

YOU NEED OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE.

TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 3 www.telconassociates.com

SIX STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN SELECTING A

Articulate Your Concerns

• “ Telephone costs are eating us up.”

• “Telephone costs have grown from 1.9% to 2.8% of sales.”

1. Do you want to squeeze unnecessary costs out of present services?

TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 4 www.telconassociates.com

SIX STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN SELECTING A

Narrow the Field

S IZE OF C ONSULTING O RGANIZATION :

TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 5 www.telconassociates.com

SIX STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN SELECTING A

TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 6 www.telconassociates.com

SIX STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN SELECTING

• “ How long have you been in business?”

• “What are the backgrounds of you and your staff?”

• “Are you affiliated with any Service Providers?

• “What kinds of clients do you serve?”

TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 7 www.telconassociates.com

• “What similar assignments have you had?”

• “What is your availability (schedule) for our assignment?”

• “What is your approach to fees?”

TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 8 www.telconassociates.com

SIX STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN SELECTING A

THREE THINGS SHOULD HAPPEN DURING A GOOD INTERVIEW

1. you will get additional information about the consultant

INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONSULTANT

• How long has the firm been in business?

TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 9 www.telconassociates.com

• What is the firm’s availability/schedule for your task?

INFORMATION ABOUT YOU:

Telecommunications profile— provisioning at the locations to be involved, present expenses with

TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 10 www.telconassociates.com

SIX STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN SELECTING A

Obtaining a Written Proposal

WHATEVER THE FORM OF PROPOSAL, LOOK FOR THESE KEY POINTS:

1. Statement of general purpose

2. Mission or goal of the project

• The process or procedure that will be followed.

TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 11 www.telconassociates.com

FEES AND FLAGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Flags to watch for

• Refusal to give references.

• Requiring advance payments on contingency-fee projects.

• Direct or close supplier connections.

TelCon Associates, Inc. 1-888-383-3200 12 www.telconassociates.com

• Your direct and/or indirect costs may be lower.