More and more companies are using consultants, especially for their tech needs and digital projects. Expertise and flexibility and are the key words that characterize the consultant. But with today's technology, they bring even more advantages. Which ones?
The consultant is chosen according to his expertise for a given mission. He also has repeated experience in his field, enriched by practices within different companies. But does it make such a big difference?
Imagine you are in a dense jungle and you have to fight your way through the vegetation to reach the next village. You have two options: you can hire a professional guide who knows the terrain and how to avoid traps and pitfalls, or you can choose to walk on your own. You'll probably make it, but it will take a lot longer and you might get lost along the way. Well, it's the same with the consultant: he will help you reach your destination quickly and safely!
"Some projects in IT- the implementation of an information system for instance -can be of colossal complexity, says Laurent Byé, founder of Kalytech Consulting. These projects sometimes take 3 or 4 years to complete. When we select a consultant, we choose a profile with the specific expertise and up-to-date skills. This requires training and experience in the field, with similar cases. The employees do not necessarily have that expertise.
When you outsource a mission instead of hiring you benefit from more flexibility, without the administrative red tape and long-term financial commitments (especially in a country like Belgium where hiring is heavily taxed).
The consultant relieves the staff when the workload is too heavy, when there is a vacatur, or if the project becomes too specialized...
He is like an electrical fuse that protects against power surges and prevents damage to electronic equipment. It can also prevent errors or possible problems related to a decision.
“Today," explains Laurent Byé, "the onboarding process is even faster thanks to communication and information transmission tools. Technology makes the consultants operational even more quickly. It has never been so easy to work with consultants including in remote”.
As a freelance he comes with a “free” external viewpoint, detached from the company's recurrent problems. He is less inclined to think "we have always done it this way". Therefor he is very likely to bring innovative and creative solutions.
Consultants are often brought in to solve problems that internal teams have been unable to solve, and they are expected to provide fresh insights and new perspectives. To do this, consultants must be able to approach problems in a unique way and develop innovative solutions that others may not have considered.
The consultant generally works on a specific mission that he has to deliver over a set period of time. He is usually less solicited in meetings than if he were an employee, he does not participate in team-buildings or training. He is entirely dedicated to his project and can concentrate on the objective to be achieved. He has his eyes on the finish line.
As per his experience in consultancy, Laurent Byé believes that on yearly basis a Consultant is working 5 to 10% more days compared to an employee which means 10 to 20 days… Not minor at project scale.
The consultants provide flexible solutions that allow specific projects to be developed in the company efficiently. These talents complement the recruited teams and provide specific solutions at a specific time with up-to-date expertise.
