Book Description
This groundbreaking reference is for middle managers in industry (in marketing, manufacturing, administrative and support, finance, and personal functions), not-for-profit organizations and government agencies, as well as quality improvement projects. Detailed examples show you how to relate benchmarking to your own circumstances. Reference guides help you get started.
Robert C. Camp guides you through all phases of the ten-step benchmarking process, from the planning stage to maturity. It also contains case study examples from Xerox's successful benchmark of L.L. Bean and over 50 tables and figures.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Book on Benchmarking.......2006-08-06
This is a well written book on the concept and practice of benchmarking. The book gives a comprehensive coverage of a wide range of topics on benchmarking including a clear explanation of what benchmarking is all about, how to use it and the benefits from employing it.
The author did a good job of coming up with a reference book that can be used by managers in all departments of an organisation. He clearly explained and illustrated the subject, making it interesting and easy to follow by anyone with a responsibility for the performance of a section or department. The book is well written with easy to follow explanations and worked examples. One can quickly learn about benchmarking through studying reference guides. The author provides valuable tips that help the reader to implement the concept to their own circumstances. The reader will find the book easy to follow due to the author's extensive knowledge and experience in the subject.
The book is recommended reading for managers in all departments of an organisation in a commercial enterprise or non-profit organisation.
Excellent how-to book on benchmarking - worth every minute.......1996-10-05
Camp does a marvelous job of providing the reader with the why's and wherefore's of the
benchmarking process. Very easy reading yet quite complete and informative on the
methodology and the use of benchmarking analyses.
Book Description
The Consultant's Manual If you're serious about starting your own consulting practice, there's something you should know … … No matter how knowledgeable you are in your field.… No matter how expert your advice or impressive your credentials.… If you don't bring an air of consummate professionalism to every phase of your practice—from proposal-writing and fee-setting, to drawing up contracts and issuing reports—you'll almost definitely lose out to the professional who does. But don't worry, because with Tom Greenbaum and The Consultant's Manual in your corner, you can make sure that never happens! Growing out of the author's Harvard consulting course, this book offers level-headed, expert advice on virtually every practical aspect of starting, building, and marketing your consulting practice. Centered around the theme of developing and working an exhaustive business plan for your firm, it leads you step-by-step through the research, planning, and problem-solving stages. Positioning your firm, giving it a name, targeting your market, establishing a sales culture, maintaining top-flight customer service, cash flow, billing, and fee setting … it's all in here, and much more.
Customer Reviews:
Les consultants du swing.......2004-01-15
L'expert-conseil se trouve couronne de succes lorsqu'il fait bien son boulot et, tres important, lorsqu'il ne bouge pas sur les honoraires a recevoir. Il ne faut jamais oublier que les clients sont des decisives chez eux, qu'ils cherchent toujours a minimiser les frais et maximiser le travail des autres. Alors il vaut mieux demander les honoraires les plus hauts possibles parce que la concurrence et la technologie, ca change tout vite. Il y a des instants ou l'expert-conseil devient lui-meme client payant, c'est-a-dire dans les imprimeries et les agences de publicite. Ces fois-ci il n'a qu'a se presenter comme chef de famille, un gagne-pain comme tout le monde qui a des frais et qui a donc besoin des jours de paye toutes les quinzaines. L'expert-conseil arrive a attirer les clients et, tres important, en reste paye, lorsqu'il passe a la radio et a la tele, parle aux reunions des gens de l'industrie et des affaires, enseigne des classes du soir, ou bien ecrit des articles et des livres.
No frills...and not the fun part for many!.......2001-12-03
It doesn't come with a free CD, accompanying website or an appendix of checklists. There's not even a photo of the author. It's not about how to consult (the part you're excited about!), it is, rather, about how to run your consulting business for a living (the part you're not particularly excited about, but is necessary). Based on Greenbaum's Harvard consulting course (which is what attracted me to the text, along with, honestly, its affordability), the subtitle "A Complete Guide to Building a Successful Consulting Practice," really sums it up. Just because you have a developed area of expertise does not mean you will be a successful consultant from your own financial perspective. You have to manage and grow your business.
A business plan is just as important for a service business as for a product-based enterprise; perhaps even more so. A carefully constructed image ("company identity") including promotional materials parallels development of an effective business plan. A personal selling strategy needs to be in place, including details of billing and contracting, before you begin, or at least get in too far. The chapter on "Planning Your Company's Finances" was of particular interest to me, since it is often taboo in casual conversation among colleagues.
I initially thought the author was extremely hard-sell, but to be successful long-term, confidence and forethought are essential. Competition is fierce in many fields, and you need to get and keep your slice of the target market pie. As I read further, reality set in, and this book is reality and experience-based.
Be honest, and go for win-win situations; you are in business to make money by providing honest, consistent, quality customer service. The last few chapters, particularly the chapter on ethics, provide nice segue to perhaps another book.
For the money, this is a good survival manual from the consultant's point of view for a beginner or a professional already in the field. It's an easy read meshing the marketing and business principles you'll need to supplement your given areas of expertise. For more complete (and pricey, but worth it if you're serious) information and advice, check out Elaine Beich "The Business of Consulting and Beyond" and/or Peter Block's "Flawless Consulting" sets of workbooks/case studies plus texts.
I Dreamed of Consulting.......2000-10-11
Making money as a consultant means meeting prospective clients who are decision makers within their businesses and standing by your fees, because you never know when competition and technology will get the better of you. Also, it means getting business prospects to think of you, not only as a customer of advertising and print shops, but as a breadwinner too who likes cashing regular paychecks. You can get paid to make business-boosting connections by appearing on radio and television, giving industry and trade talks, teaching courses, and writing articles and books.
So Thomas L. Greenbaum is particularly helpful on the financial side of becoming a consultant. His book, THE CONSULTANT'S MANUAL, makes consulting dreams come true, along with Geoffrey M. Bellman's THE CONSULTANT'S CALLING, Herman Holtz's THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CONSULTING CONTRACTS, Peter Meyer's GETTING STARTED IN COMPUTER CONSULTING, Janet Ruhl's THE COMPUTER CONSULTANT'S GUIDE, and Howard Shenson and Ted Nicholas' THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CONSULTING SUCCESS.
Book Description
Building the IT Practice is a clear and practical guide organized to help design, build, and manage lucrative consulting practices. Building on the advisory methodologies described in the author's previous book,
The IT Consultant, this book goes beond the personal practices and behaviors presented in that work to offer a roadmap to the creation of an IT Professional Services business. This book focuses on the basics of building a consulting business, dicussing such core issues as the creation of a unique marketing message, the design of a firm-wide delivery methodology, and the recruitment and retention of world-class sales and talent.
Customer Reviews:
Good book for starting Out.......2004-08-17
Rick writes a column for Microsoft and this book is good for someone starting with their own practice or for a review of best practices.
Book Description
Join the thousands of professionals who have already gotten Inside the Technical Consulting Business — and discover how to channel your technical know-how into an exciting career as an independent consultant. This Third Edition of Harvey Kaye's bestselling guide gives you the focused, no-nonsense help you need to start and run your own consulting practice in today's ultracompetitive environment. What's inside: Setting up your consulting business. The lowdown on finances, record-keeping, office space, taxes, and choosing the form of business organization that's right for you.
Insider's guide to proposals and contracts. Gives plenty of examples to use in your own consulting practice.
Marketing secrets your boss never told you. Tips on creating demand for your services and keeping your clients coming back for repeat business.
PLUS ALL-NEW MATERIAL ON:
- Creating your personal strategic marketing plan. A step-by-step guide to developing and maintaining your competitive edge.
- Learn from the pros. "Meet the Pros" interviews show how successful consultants handled some of the very problems you're likely to encounter.
- Building successful client relationships. The inside scoop on keeping clients happy while protecting your own professional interests.
- The technical challenges of consulting. A consultant's primer on problem-solving, coping with the information explosion, and organizing for maximum productivity.
Customer Reviews:
A Superficial Text of Limited Usefulness.......2002-08-21
If you are looking for one book on how to successfully consult as an engineer, this is not it. Readable in a weekend, the text is too superficial.
It breezes over the nuts and bolts of consulting. Important tax law, such as IRS 'right-of-control' criteria for independency and methods of calculating/paying estimated taxes, are barely covered. Contract writing/review - a vital aspect of the consultation process, is hardly mentioned (although proposals, non-legally binding documents, are well covered). In general, the coverage of the legal and liability aspects of consulting is cursory.
Kaye makes good points, but many would be obvious to any professional experienced enough to consult. What professional doesn't know how to dress for an interview or that bringing physical samples of work to the sales meeting is a good idea?
When detail is provided, Kaye often favors an approach without substantiation. For example, on the all important topic of billing rates, calculation of rates based upon desired annual income is covered in detail, while methods of researching the rate which the market will bear are scarcely covered. Yet in real markets, the billable rate will be influenced (if not based entirely) upon the market rate. In fact, comparison of the market rate and the desired rate may lead the individual to choose *not* to consult. Analysis appropriate in a text about launching a practice.
In conclusion, although Kaye's book has an affirming message and a fine bibliography, it holds few revelations or useful tools and will rarely be use for later reference.
For those trying to decide whether to consult or interested in the "nuts & bolts" of consulting, I recommend Nolo's excellent, "Working for Yourself, Law & Taxes for Independent Contractors . . ." by Fishman. I am unable to recommend any books on marketing for consultants.
Excellantly Written.......2002-08-13
This book is easy to read. It covers all the bases and gives you a good idea as to how much you are really worth as a consultant. It's a "must have" as a reference book for anyone going out on their own.
Excellent resource for the technical consultant!!!.......1999-10-28
ANYONE considering technical consulting as a full or part-time profession MUST READ THIS BOOK! It cover all aspects of consulting (including a personal reality checklist) in an easy-to-read manner and will be a permanent reference in my library.
Invaluable information, filled with countless wise tips!.......1999-04-26
As an e-commerce consultant I was pleasantly surprised to see that someone had written about exactly the kinds of experiences I've had with clients over the years. This is the first consulting book I've come across that covers all the issues in a straightforward way. It's full of great tips based on real life experience. Other consulting books tend to have a lot of fluff and padding, but this one gets right to the juicy issues in a concise manner. I makes for enjoyable reading, at times it is hard to put down. This is an essential book for anyone doing consulting or contract-based work.
Book Description
This book will be helpful to anyone starting down the exciting and challenging road of consulting. Learn from best practices in the 12 case studies that analyze the success of consulting organizations.
Customer Reviews:
For determined entrepreneurs aspiring to make their mark.......2002-11-10
The newest title in the outstanding ASTD "In Action" series, Building A Successful Consulting Practice is an impressive and informative collection of twelve case studies, each of which offers invaluable advice and keen insight to anyone interested in launching a consulting firm. Each of the studies focuses on lessons learned from that particular case example. Building A Successful Consulting Practice is an excellent supplementary resource for determined entrepreneurs aspiring to make their mark in the competitive world of professional consultation.
Book Description
Learn Mr. Lukaszewski's secrets for finding and keeping clients. Learn how to use his Golden Rule of Consulting.
Among the topics Lukaszewski discusses in this monograph are: the super sales kit, verbal secrets to successfully sell your services, structuring the successful selling presentation, how to get ready, qualifying prospects, marketing programs, and consultant checklists. He focuses especially on that precious 45 minutes or so when the consultant is actually making the presentation to the prospective client.
Customer Reviews:
I keep coming back to find ideas, lists, and inspriation.......2001-04-01
I read this book a while back, and I'm amazed at the number of times I return to it to find a list, get an idea, reinspire myself. The book offers a compilation of the author's insights on building a practice, and there are tons of good hints. One of my favorite sections is "structuring the sales presentation," which suggested timing, what questions to prepare to answer, and solid sales ideas. Lukaszewski's philosphy is clear - straightforward, no-nonsense marketing and selling, and that's how the book is written too. It quickly became a "go to" reference for my practice.
Average customer rating:
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Consulting Engineering Practice Manual
Acec
Manufacturer: Mcgraw-Hill (Tx)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Surveying & Photogrammetry
| Civil
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0070013527 |
Average customer rating:
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Finding and Signing Profitable Contracts: A Guide for Architects, Engineers and Contractors
David G. Cooper
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Project Planning & Management
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Surveying & Photogrammetry
| Civil
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Strategy & Competition
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Management
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Professional Practice
| John Wiley Architecture Store
| John Wiley & Sons
| By Publisher
| Books
ASIN: 0471558419 |
Book Description
How to Work Effectively with Consulting Engineers: Getting the Best Project at the Right Price for Your Public Constituents (ASCE Manual No. 45) is a comprehensive revision of the previous edition of the manual. Manual 45 addresses the procurement of engineering services for a quality project. This guide outlines the functions of the consulting engineer in serving a client, the types of services usually offered, the various methods of determining compensation for engineering services, and the general ranges of remuneration that competent consulting engineers receive for their services. A recommended procedure for interviewing and selecting a consulting engineer and guidance on contracts for engineering services is also provided. The manual is designed to serve the best interests of the client and the consulting engineer and to foster better understanding between them. The data presented for engineering charges, percentage fees, factors on payrolls, etc., are provided as general guides to be used or not used, at the sole discretion of each user, to assist in evaluating compensation negotiated between clients and consulting engineers. The data is based on the experience of many consulting engineers as obtained in a recent national survey. Contents include: The Practice of Civil Engineering; Classification of Engineering Services; Selecting the Engineer; Methods of Charging for Engineering Services; Total Project Costs; and Contracts for Engineering Services. Appendices include EJCDC documents and other qualification forms.
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Books Index
Books Home
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The Basics of Benchmarking
Business Process Benchmarking (The Asqc Total Quality Management)
Principles of Quality Costs: Principles, Implementation, and Use
Benchmarking for Best Practices: Winning Through Innovative Adaptation
Crisp: Benchmarking Basics: Looking for a Better Way (50-Minute Series)
