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While it is unrealistic to paint all clients with the same brush or to imply that all clients "hate or dislike" dealing with consultants, there are certain common reasons why some clients may have poor experiences or misgivings about dealing with consultants, whether they be project managers, recruiters, or the like.
It should be noted that these factors may differ based on individual circumstances and specific consultant-client relations. Based on our experience and interactions ere are a few probable reasons why clients may have an unfavourable opinion of consultants:
In many cases, hiring external consultants may increase the project budget particularly for if hasn’t been forecasted. Clients with limited resources may prefer spending resources to other areas, such as employee well-being, internal promotions, or salaries, over investing in outside expertise. Consultant fees may be viewed as an unnecessary expense that may be avoided. Companies may establish a particular budget for professional fees at the outset in some situations, but most choices to outsource are made on a case-by-case basis.
Some clients would rather keep complete control over every aspect of the building project. Using outside advisors could be interpreted as giving up some control or power over decisions. They may believe their internal team is equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to complete the project without outside help. In some cases, there is a clear processes and procedures implemented by an organisation e.g., methodology to procurement and delegation of authority (DOA) thus the need for external support is minimal.
Clients may have faith in their own team's knowledge, skills and ability and believe they have what is needed internally to manage the project and companies’ requirements. In many cases a company may evaluate its current capability and attempt to build internal competence before going outside. However, some businesses could think there might be conflicts or inefficiencies since outside consultants might not completely understand the specific nuances of their project or industry.
Contracting, onboarding, and coordination take more time when using external consultants. If they have short project deadlines, some clients could view this process as time-consuming and choose to avoid it. They can decide to hasten project development and decision-making by utilizing only their internal resources.
Clients who have had negative experiences with external consultants in the past may be hesitant to engage them again. Issues such as poor communication, lack of alignment with project goals, or subpar deliverables can lead to a loss of trust in external consultants. As a result, clients may choose to rely solely on their internal team to avoid potential risks.
In certain construction projects, there may be sensitive information or proprietary knowledge involved. Clients may worry about the security and confidentiality of their project details if external consultants are brought in. They may prefer to keep all project information within their organization to maintain control and safeguard confidential data.
Clients may have concerns about the compatibility of external consultants with their organization's culture, processes, and working style. They might fear that consultants may disrupt established workflows or encounter difficulties integrating into the existing team dynamics.
It's important to note that while there may be valid reasons for clients' hesitation in using external consultants, such consultants can bring specialized knowledge, industry experience, fresh perspectives, and objective insights that can enhance project outcomes. Finding the right balance between leveraging internal capabilities and accessing external expertise can lead to improved project performance and successful delivery.
If you’re looking for a competent project manager, contractor, or consultant message shyam@thepmc.co
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