We are a boutique consultancy with a goal to achieve Mckinsey like stature on the one hand and Accenture like status on the other hand. Translation, we think we can deliver the deep thoughts that lead to meaningful strategy while simultaneously implementing both our customers’ projects and some of our own mission oriented BHAGs.
However, in a sector still very much in its infancy….how do you deliver the highest quality consultancy support, attract the highest calibre talent into your firm, and importantly attract a steady stream of social enterprises as customers? Sure, there is lots of work to be won by guiding the local authorities and quangos with social enterprise policy and programmes. And much more work to be done implementing on our mission (see: Harehills Incubator Project). But a core part of our mission is to raise the bar in social enterprise while simultaneously contributing to the sector success through its social enterprises.
Enter the lawyer. No, not the lawyer, but the the lawyer model. Err, solicitor. The solicitor often gets a bad rap for high prices and low value. But underneath the negative connotations (and partial truths) is a business model for support to the social enterprise sector. Chris (Hill), of the Camberwell Project, suggests that we explore a consultancy on demand model. This entails engaging customers for short periods of time (as little as 30 mins) with targeted support. No big contract. For example, you need to work through some numbers for the loan you are about to undertake with your bank, want to bounce a strategy off an objective 3rd party, need some support with your change management during a series of weekly meetings with staff? Use your on demand consultant.
Why not? The model is intriguing and if it works could open an entirely new operating model for consultancy in our sector. (I am not aware of others billing or providing service in this manner). Importantly, it also makes high quality expert advice available to the majority of social enterprises, moving consultancy engagements from several thousand pound contracts to £300 in January and £75 in February for two different ad hoc, but necessary action items in your enterprise. These two encounters may have driven £5000 worth of value, but you did not need a costly contracting process. Sure, we will need to set some pricing and support expectations up front, but these would be straightforward and involve little or no commitment to contract by the customer.
Conversely, this also represents a model that may work for several service oriented social enterprises. On demand service. A kind of Dell Computer model for the service sector. There are likely some constraints: resource availability and increased overhead as customer interactions increase. But, I suspect a more fluid and more valuable service will be realized by the customer as the relationship grows and the consultant gains more understanding of the customer. Perhaps your offer is a social enterprise catering service: offer this service as an on demand service for just a portion of meeting rooms in the council’s main building. Avoid the long contract negotiations and deliver a high value short term service. The local authority may go for this because it would keep its contracted long term vendor sharp. The social enterprise benefits by getting a higher margin for the service, a big client reference, and potentially exposure to lots of new customers. Hmmmm…..
Food for thought. More to follow as we explore the model on many fronts.
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