How to Choose a Training

or Consulting Company

Committing your company’s hard earned dollars to a training

or consulting project is something to be taken very seriously.

Before you do, we suggest that you ensure that your

investment will pay the dividends that you deserve. What

follows are a list of questions and criteria that we believe are

important.

1. Know Your Outcomes

Before you start your search for a training company, know

what you want out of the partnership. Be as specific as you can

about the results you want to see produced. Let us give you

some examples of poorly spoken outcomes side by side with

well-spoken outcomes. The difference is startling.

Example A: We want to have you train our staff in

the area of client service skills.

 

Example B: We want you to train our receptionist,

paralegals and all attorney's in the area of "Above

and Beyond" client service. The measurable

outcomes we want to receive as a result of the

trainings are:

 

A. A 12% increase in revenues for the

period of April 1st to June 30th of this

year as compared to the average revenues

for the same months over the past three

years.

B. A rise in client referrals of at least 15%

in the same time period, as measured

against last years referrals. These referrals

will lead to an additional $30,000 or more

in revenue.

The distinctions of course, are obvious, but frequently

overlooked by companies wanting to purchase training

services. Just remember this rule of thumb – You are always

purchasing the results a training program will lead to,

never the training itself. You are purchasing results, not

activities. Any consulting/training company can deliver

programs. Not all of them have the skill or commitment to

produce the measurable result that will really make your

investment of time and money worthwhile.

If you do not know specifically what your outcomes are, make

sure that the companies you are interviewing are asking you the

questions that will uncover the outcomes/results you want. If

they talk only about the activities that will happen while

training your company, and not the results, turn tail and run!

2. Do they offer a guarantee on the services they render? Is

it specific?

There is an amount of risk in any business transaction. If you

are hiring a company that you have never worked with before,

why should you be the one taking the risk? Any training

company worth its salt will believe in it what it provides

enough to offer you a specific guarantee. Hold any company

you hire accountable for the results you hire them to produce.

If they resist, what does that tell you about their competence

and belief in their own skills?

3. Recommendations

Trust your experience of the trainer first. Are they honest? Do

they answer your questions in a straightforward manner? It is

also recommended to receive information from others that

have received training from the company you are inquiring

about. When talking to others, some questions you may think

about asking are:

A. What are the specific results you have achieved as

a result of working with ABC Training/Consulting

company?

 

B. Did you get the results that you wanted as a result

of working with them?

 

C. Were the results you received commensurate with

the investment you made in their services?

D. Would you hire them again, if you had a need for

their services?

4. Philosophy and Values

What does the company stand for? Why do they do what they

do? What are the core values of the company? Their values

needn’t match your company’s values exactly, yet should

complement each other. To build a working partnership that

will produce the results you are purchasing, there needs to be a

meeting of the minds in the area of core values