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Robert Taylor Shares How AI Can Improve Your Consulting Business and Help Your Clients Succeed

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Robert Taylor Shares How AI Can Improve Your Consulting Business and Help Your Clients Succeed

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Artificial intelligence or AI is still a mystery to many people in the business world. There are many exciting applications for AI in many fields, including retail, healthcare, inventory management, and digital products and services.

Robert Taylor, a former public adjuster turned consultant from Sanger, California, explains how AI applications can enhance your consulting business, helping to find solutions for a diverse client base.

Former Public Adjuster, Robert Taylor, Discusses Artificial Intelligence

AI consulting involves helping companies employ AI technologies to enhance their business. Not everyone understands the applications of AI, and there may be many misconceptions in the business world. It is the job of the AI consultant to lay out exactly what a company can expect when they incorporate AI technologies into their business.

Former public adjuster turned consultant, Robert Taylor believes that three factors lead to the slow adoption of artificial intelligence. The first is the lack of a strategy to employ AI. The second is a lack of understanding of how AI works and how it can help them. The third is a lack of trained professionals who can help them employ the technology to enhance their businesses.

As an AI consultant, this problem is yours to solve. AI consultants can come into a business, explain how AI can help them increase their efficiency and productivity, and train employees to use AI technologies.

As an AI consultant, your responsibility is to develop suggested use cases for your clients. They may not know how AI can help them, and you can show them how the data they already collected can be parsed and analyzed using AI engines. They may be able to receive special business insights that were impossible to receive in any other way.

The following are suggested uses for AI that may help you decide which courses of action to pursue with your clients:

When applied to inventory data, AI can be a huge help in managing raw materials, stock on hand, and deciding where to concentrate a company's inventory. AI can help companies decide how many raw materials to order, based on the typical patterns of how their business works and adapting to changing conditions.

AI is beginning to make a major impact in the healthcare field. AI can be used to analyze patients' medical records and find trends that may point to staffing changes and administrative workflow changes. AI can analyze patient imaging scans, pointing out potential problems that a clinician may miss when analyzing them "by hand." The technology can also help with patient monitoring and medical device automation.

Robert Taylor from Sanger, California, Explains Retail AI

Retail may not seem like a high-tech business on the surface, but AI management techniques are beginning to be felt across the industry. Many of the applications of AI in retail are similar to those in inventory management. Retail AI can also analyze customer shopping patterns, especially in the case of e-commerce customers where there is a great deal of data to be looked at.

So far, AI has been used most frequently by tech companies that already have some expertise in managing large and complex computing systems. AI helps with automating repetitive operations, natural language processing, OCR and document scanning, voice data, and image processing, among many other applications.

As a consultant, AI can help your business because it can assist you with analyzing your clients' data and making their operations more efficient. If you can come in with a robust AI solution to a company's problems, you can save them time, effort, and money. They will most likely need to hire experts in AI, but you can help make sure that they are up to speed in every aspect of using the technology.

You may be confused about where to obtain the expertise you need to work with AI programs and explore their capabilities. In this case, on-the-job training will need to be supplemented by some kind of classroom training, since the technology is so complex.

Fortunately, there are many professional courses available both online and offline.

If you work with companies that can use AI in their course of business, it pays to make sure that you know how to implement AI systems and help companies decide how to use this new method of data analysis. No matter which industry you are involved with, it is likely that artificial intelligence technologies can help your clients do more with their data.

As a consultant, you can encourage your clients to invest in AI systems. Former public adjuster, Robert Taylor believes that AI is the wave of the future and that companies that do not engage in AI are missing out on a major opportunity to leverage the data they already collect in their regular operations. As a consultant, you will be able to encourage the use of this novel technology.

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Robert Taylor Shares How AI Can Improve Your Consulting Business and Help Your Clients Succeed

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Artificial intelligence or AI is still a mystery to many people in the business world. There are many exciting applications for AI in many fields, including retail, healthcare, inventory management, and digital products and services. Robert Taylor, a former public adjuster turned consultant from Sanger, California, explains how AI applications can enhance your consulting business, helping to find solutions for a diverse client base.

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Robert Taylor, Former Public Adjuster, Shares the Eight Characteristics of a Successful Consultant in the Digital Age

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Robert Taylor, Former Public Adjuster, Shares the Eight Characteristics of a Successful Consultant in the Digital Age

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In order to be an excellent consultant in the digital age, there are many qualities that you should strive for. Being a consultant is a rewarding but sometimes difficult job, and you will need to be primed for the challenges that go along with your chosen profession.

Robert Taylor, a former public adjuster and experienced consultant from Sanger, California, shares the eight characteristics that all good consultants have in common, especially today when digital interactions are so prevalent.

Former Public Adjuster, Robert Taylor, Discusses Consulting in a Digital Age

Self-confidence is key when presenting an authoritative voice to clients and prospective clients. As a consultant, you will need to show that you are not uncertain when you respond to a client's questions. You will need to learn to speak with authority. When you are discussing sensitive matters with your client, be sure that you present yourself confidently and avoid being unclear in your response.

There is nothing worse than a consultant who is arrogant or boastful warns former public adjuster turned consultant, Robert Taylor. They can often rub clients the wrong way, leading to their early dismissal. You will want to build a reputation for yourself that encompasses caring and empathy as well as being an authority in your chosen field.

Your role as a consultant is not to be the star. You want to make sure that your client has all of the tools they need to turn their business around.

Especially when working in the digital field, you will need to have superior knowledge of your chosen business area. As the previous point emphasizes, do not act superior, but modestly be the best in your field.

Your client has hired you because they believe you have more expertise than internal employees. They may also have hired you because they do not have the time or resources to solve their problems. To this end, spend time burnishing your credentials and learning all you can about your field.

You will often need to receive training in digital matters before you can help your client. Becoming trained on various operating systems, hardware items, and methods of digital marketing and presentation will help you further your client's cause.

As a consultant, it is your responsibility to build a collaborative relationship with your peers and clients. You will need to learn how to balance competing interests and become a fully functioning member of a team. You will need to work not only with your client but also with other consultants who may have been brought in to solve related problems.

You will need to be conversant with all forms of communication, both oral and written. Being a good speaker is just as important as writing concise and clear emails and presentations. If you are a poor communicator, chances are that you will not make a good consultant.

Communication skills can always be improved, and you should not be discouraged if you need to bring your skills up-to-date.

Robert Taylor Explains the Benefit of Listening

Half of a consultant's job is listening to the client and finding out exactly what they need. You need to be a patient listener and know how to ask the right questions to produce the information you need to fix their problem. The best consultants are those that can encourage their clients to reveal the information that is keeping them from optimal levels of success.

Great consultants need to be adaptable. They need to be able to work in a wide variety of work environments, and they need to be able to get along with many different types of people. This is especially true in this digital age as some business practices have been heavily impacted by remote work stations. Some employees may be resentful of a consultant coming in to help, and they may feel worried about their jobs. It is your job to show these employees that you are not meant to replace them, but instead, to supplement their work and help make their jobs easier.

Excellent consultants have a high level of personal discipline. They do not procrastinate or shirk hard work, and they know how to accomplish great results in as short a period of time as possible with little friction. A great consultant is a problem solver: when your client brings you in to work on a problem, they should be able to expect that you will do so efficiently.

Taken together, all of these skills lead to gaining your client's trust. If your client feels that they cannot trust you, they will not hire you to solve their problems. If you can calm your client's worries and show them that you are worth your consulting fee, they will be more likely to hire you.

Especially when digital matters are at hand, it is imperative that you take on all of these eight characteristics. You need to be able to understand your client's problems, figure out how to remedy them in as short a time as possible, and set up your client for future success.

Former public adjuster turned consultant, Robert Taylor believes that excellent consultants have one of the most important jobs in the business world. Work on your skills, and you will find that you garner more assignments and boost your profitability.

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Robert Taylor, Former Public Adjuster, Shares the Eight Characteristics of a Successful Consultant...

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In order to be an excellent consultant in the digital age, there are many qualities that you should strive for. Being a consultant is a rewarding but sometimes difficult job, and you will need to be primed for the challenges that go along with your chosen profession.

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A Former Public Adjuster Turned Consultant, Robert Taylor, Explains the Difference Between Consultants and Contractors

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A Former Public Adjuster Turned Consultant, Robert Taylor, Explains the Difference Between Consultants and Contractors

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Robert Taylor From Sanger, California, Explains Contracting VS Consulting

Consultants and contractors are both essential to the functioning of the business world. While both jobs involve bringing a person who is not technically employed by the company, the pay structure and the type of work generally undertaken by these workers tends to be different.

Robert Taylor, a former public adjuster turned consultant, explains how consultants and contractors are different, exploring some cases when contractors and consultants may work together to accomplish a business's goals.

The consultant's role is to evaluate a client's needs and provide expert opinions and advice on doing their jobs better. The contractor's job is generally concerned with actually doing the work.

According to Robert Taylor, the consultant's and contractor's job descriptions have indeed become blurred over the years. This can happen when the consultant gives their professional opinion on how a problem should be handled and then sets out to fulfill their recommendations by performing the tasks they outlined. At that point, the consultant has become a contractor. The terms have also been conflated by industries that have incorporated them into job titles.

Consultants are generally self-employed business people who have special expertise or skills. The consultant provides an expert opinion or professional skill to the company paying for their services. The consultant trains others in performing tasks and making decisions.

Consultants may work independently, or they may come from large national firms. No matter where they come from, consultants often bill by the project rather than by the hour. Consultants are often responsible for changing the way a company does business.

The types of projects that a consultant might undertake are generally wide-ranging. The most common type of consulting project is the strategic project. Consultants develop strategies for production and supply chains, entering new markets, and projects that transform a company's strategy.

One of the most popular types of projects that consultants undertake is the performance improvement project. With this type of project, it is unnecessary to come up with new ideas or enter new markets. The project is simply intended to make existing processes more efficient. Consultants help their clients save money, generate more cash and higher profits, and reduce their need for assets.

Operations improvement is a major component of this type of project. The operations improvement project aims to reduce costs, reduce the inventory used by operations, and increase speed and quality. These projects can include instructing a company on lean manufacturing techniques.

Management projects are another popular way to use consultants. With a management project, a company's workflow and chain of command are evaluated to ensure they are sensible and efficient.

Mergers and acquisitions are another area where consultants can be helpful. If a company is spending $2 billion on another company, a few million for a qualified consultant's services are considered a necessary expense. M&A consultants help firms define which companies to buy and why they want to do so. The consultant will help the purchasing company identify any problems that may occur using due diligence.

This is only a sampling of the types of projects that an independent or corporate consultant may undertake. In any area where a company needs help, a consultant can help make the company's operations more efficient.

Former Public Adjuster Turned Consultant, Robert Taylor From Sanger, California, Discusses Contractors

Independent contractors are self-employed people who are contracted to perform work for another company as a non-employee. Independent contractors need to pay their Medicare and Social Security taxes and withhold their income taxes. Contractors are also not required to receive employment benefits like insurance and retirement accountants. Freelancers can be considered independent contractors.

Writers, software designers, IT personnel, and others who provide independent services are often classified as contractors. Contractors have risen in the past few years as part of the "gig economy."

While it may seem disadvantageous for a worker to become an independent contractor rather than a regular employee, independent contractors experience some benefits. Contractors can set their hours, pursue only projects they are interested in, and work from home more frequently than regular employees.

Contractors and consultants contribute to the business world in different ways, but they frequently work together to help businesses accomplish their goals. Consultants sometimes bring in contractors to help companies implement the companies' changes to their daily operations. Consultants may recommend hiring independent contractors instead of hiring more regular employees in a bid to save costs.

Both consultants and contractors can be important to the proper functioning of a company of any size. When internal workers cannot solve a business's pressing problems, it is possible to hire a consultant or contractor and make the company more efficient. Former public adjuster Robert Taylor recommends that all businesses look into the advantages of hiring contractors and consultants.

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A Former Public Adjuster Turned Consultant, Robert Taylor, Explains the Difference Between...

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Consultants and contractors are both essential to the functioning of the business world. While both jobs involve bringing a person who is not technically employed by the company, the pay structure and the type of work generally undertaken by these workers tends to be different.

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Robert Taylor Explains the Best Ways to Market Your Consulting Business

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Robert Taylor Explains the Best Ways to Market Your Consulting Business

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A recent study by Consulting Success found that 37 percent of consultants listed referrals as their most common means of generating business. Networking and events came in at 18 percent.

The study found that marketing investments correlate with a higher income. Many consultants relayed that they do not enjoy cold calling, but that cold calling was the best income generator for 7 percent of these companies.

Robert Taylor explains how consultants can reshape their marketing techniques for better results.

To properly market to your target audience, you must understand who you are looking for. You should draw up a targeted list of the characteristics you want to see in your clients.

Consultants are highly specialized. For example, a business consultant may want to help companies with under 200 employees enhance their profitability and attract new business. Another consultant may want to work with engineering firms with at least $1 million in annual revenue. No matter what market niche you are reaching for, you should be specific.

To define your brand's identity, you will need to determine your company's personality. This personality will depend on the audience you are speaking with, but it also requires intense self-knowledge. After you have defined your brand's identity, you can use that sense of personality to guide your marketing.

For example, a consultant with 40 years of experience may want to market themselves based on their experience and knowledge. They may want to use classic fonts and neutral colors in their advertising. The language they use should be serious and explain important topics.

A younger consultant may want to position themselves as an innovator who can guide you toward new ideas. They should use modern fonts, energetic colors, and action shots in their marketing. They should position themselves as helpful and non-judgmental.

Creating a good website for a consulting firm can be complicated. If you do not have the budget to have this outsourced, you can try it yourself. The four elements that your site must include are a homepage, an about page, a services page, and a contact page. Ensure that your website speaks directly to the reader, bringing home the point that your consulting firm can help them solve their problems and get ahead.

Every page on your site needs to have a call-to-action inviting visitors to reach out. Some of the tactics that can make customers click on the call to action include signing up for newsletters, providing free e-books, or special discounts.

Having a good-looking website isn't enough. Your website also needs to contain relevant and useful content for your prospective customers.

One great place to start is by imagining your customer's questions when turning to a search engine for help. If they can find one of the blog posts on your website through this search, so much the better. If they read and can use the advice, they will be more likely to hire you.

One of the most important aspects of content marketing is search engine optimization. SEO can help you create a website that is fully indexed online. It can help you find customers by optimizing your content to fit certain search questions they may want to ask. Finally, SEO can position your site near the top of web searches for your topic so that you will be seen as an authority in your field.

Former Public Adjuster, Robert Taylor, Explains Social Media Marketing

Many consultants may ignore social media, believing that their business contacts won't be there. All consultants should use LinkedIn, and most should consider Facebook. On Facebook, it is possible to catch your target demographic when they are searching for something else, advertising to their business needs.

Social media should be viewed as a type of networking where it's unnecessary to hit readers over the head with your message. You can post helpful blog posts, share information, and start conversations by asking questions. In this way, you will position yourself as an authority ready to help with any problems your clients' businesses may have.

Your website's call to action should always include collecting the visitors' email addresses. This email list can produce a useful newsletter that can be targeted to different customer segments. Customers, prospects, and special interest groups are the three segments you should start with.

Consultants who have not done much marketing will see that their business suffers. To find new customers in today's challenging business environment, it may be necessary to shake up your marketing techniques. Former public adjuster, Robert Taylor believes that all consulting firms have the potential to market themselves and experience growth in their business.

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Robert Taylor Explains the Best Ways to Market Your Consulting Business

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A recent study by Consulting Success found that 37 percent of consultants listed referrals as their most common means of generating business. Networking and events came in at 18 percent. The study found that marketing investments correlate with a higher income.

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Former Public Adjuster Robert Taylor on the Types of Consultancy Businesses

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Former Public Adjuster Robert Taylor on the Types of Consultancy Businesses

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Consultancy businesses are among the most popular freelance professions. Because these experts focus on particular niches within business, operations, and management, it is customary for consultants to specialize.

Robert Taylor, a seasoned business consultant from Sanger, California, notes that the consultancy industry is growing at a rapid pace. Those with enough experience, work ethic, and analytical skills can help their clients overcome challenges within their organization.

Robert Taylor from Sanger, California, on the Types of Consultancy Businesses

What is a Consultant?
While technically anyone may call themselves a consultant, successful consultants usually possess an impressive resume in business management. Most high-performing consultants have an MBA or have spent several years in an executive role within a particular industry before venturing out on their own.

Businesses hire consultants to help their organization troubleshoot problems or make a difficult transition. Executives and senior-level managers recognize that they may have tunnel vision from time to time and an experienced consultant can be an outside voice to provide clarity and direction.
Different Types of Consultancy Businesses
Consultants like Robert Taylor, former public adjuster, seek to address a specific set of problems within a particular organization. Here are the leading types of consultancy businesses today.
Strategy Consultants
Strategy consultants are arguably the most elite and exhaustive type of consultants in the market. Often retired CEOs, serial entrepreneurs, and/or adjunct university professors, these experts help companies identify their mission, goals, and values, and then help them align their operations with those mission and values.
Growth and Lead Generation Consultants
Also known as sales consultants, growth and lead generation consultants help businesses improve their customer acquisition process. These experts guide clients on audience targeting, prospect nurturing, and customer onboarding. They may also help companies streamline their marketing budget and extend customer lifetime value (CLV).
Security Consultants (Virtual CISOs)
Cybersecurity is growing more critical for medium to large businesses. Rather than maintain a full cybersecurity team in-house, more companies are outsourcing their cybersecurity efforts to agencies with better monitoring and intrusion detection and response tools, says Robert Taylor, former public adjuster.

Security consultants are commonly referred to as virtual CISOs, or vCISOs, and act as advisors on cybersecurity policies, procedures, and risk management. They may act in cooperation with a full cybersecurity team or as individual third-party experts.
Human Resources Consultants
Robert Taylor from Sanger, California, Explains Human Resources Consultants

Human resources consultants, or HR consultants, help HR departments enhance their hiring, employee retention, and talent management processes. Many of these consultants act as "cultural architects" to improve corporate culture and make the workplace more fulfilling for all employees. They may also assist with employee training, mentoring programs, and leadership development.
Financial Consultants
Financial consultants include a wide range of financially-related business operations. Some of these consultants are known as financial advisory consultants. Typically, they help companies lower costs and improve cash flow.

Subcategories of financial consultants include risk management consultants, trust and pension consultants, and investment consultants.
IT Consultants
Not to be confused with security consultants or vCISOs, IT consultants help businesses enhance their digital infrastructure. Often, these experts guide their clients through a process of digital transformation or improve the efficiency of their IT departments.
Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) Consultants
Particularly for international businesses, understanding regulations and compliance across multiple regions and countries can be challenging. Furthermore, notes former public adjuster Robert Taylor, overseeing workforces in various parts of the world requires decision-makers to understand all their options and risks before opening new markets or shifting labor.

GRC consultants assist these businesses, as well as public agencies that interact with organizations in other countries and regions. These consultants may also be referred to as regulatory compliance or economic consultants.
Operations Consultants
Operations consultants, or business process management consultants, specialize in supply chain management, automation, and analytics. Companies hire these consultants to lower costs and improve operational efficiency.

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Former Public Adjuster Robert Taylor on the Types of Consultancy Businesses

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Consultancy businesses are among the most popular freelance professions. Because these experts focus on particular niches within business, operations, and management, it is customary for consultants to specialize. Robert Taylor, a seasoned business consultant from Sanger, California, notes that the consultancy industry is growing at a rapid pace.

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Former Public Adjuster, Robert Taylor, Explains How To Work Effectively With Consultants

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Former Public Adjuster, Robert Taylor, Explains How To Work Effectively With Consultants

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Not every consultant hire is a success. And while poor results sometimes come from hiring mediocre consultants, many consultants note that clients aren't always prepared to receive their services.

Former public adjuster Robert Taylor of Sanger, California, is an active business consultant based on the West Coast. As a consultant, Robert often knows on the first day whether or not his clients will be a success.

Some clients are unprepared for his arrival and unable to answer simple questions about why the company hired a consultant in the first place. Other clients meet Mr. Taylor with an agenda, a team, and a clear set of objectives. The latter client, Robert notes, is nearly always going to be a major success.

Former Public Adjuster, Robert Taylor, On Working With A Consultant

Reasons Why You May Need a Consultant
There are many times in business when leaders need temporary help to overcome a unique set of challenges. In those circumstances, a company may augment their staff by hiring freelancers or consultants.

Consultants are subject-matter experts on specific roles or processes within an organization, notes Robert Taylor, former public adjuster. As such, companies hire them to help the business address root problems, perform audits, complete a difficult transition, train staff, and more.

Consultants are outsiders, not employees. Many decision-makers view this outsider status as an asset, since consultants will not feel bound to emotions and politics within the organization. The most common scenario for contracting consultants is to break the gridlock or eliminate bottlenecks within the company.
Establishing Goals
Most consultants want to know right away: what are you hoping to accomplish?

The more specific that leaders are about their desired end state, the easier it will be for consultants to help. An organization's mission and goals unify every department and business process. Without clarity on company goals, decision-makers will not be able to focus on what they do best or enjoy successful collaborations with the best consultants.

Experienced consultants like Robert Taylor, former public adjuster, understand how critical it is that leaders have specific goals. As such, a consultant's first step is always to discuss those goals and build a plan to achieve those goals.
Robert Taylor Explains How to Get the Most Out of Consultants Research the consultant ahead of time
Companies that choose their consultants carefully are better able to collaborate with them. Decision-makers should perform research and seek word-of-mouth recommendations from industry peers that they trust.
Have an agenda
Many consultants do more work than is necessary simply because clients are not prepared for their arrival. By contrast, clients that plan ahead and build a detailed agenda for the consultant will be able to keep costs low and still accomplish a great deal.
Establish expectations and the consultant's workload first
Using the company mission and goals as a foundation, leaders must be able to clearly explain the problems that they are having and what they need from the consultant, says Robert Taylor, former public adjuster. Consultants want to help, but in order to do so, they need to know what is expected of them and where to focus their efforts.
Assign a point of contact or team for the consultant
Former Public Adjuster, Robert Taylor, On Points Of Contact

As work is underway, the consultant will need help from people within the organization. That's why successful clients often assign a point of contact or supply a small team to work directly with the consultant. This approach clarifies reporting procedures and supplies the consultant with the proper communication channels, says Robert Taylor, former public adjuster.
Pay attention to scope creep
Scope creep occurs when decision-makers keep adding tasks to the consultant's agenda mid-project. Consultants are not cheap, and as a result, scope creep often results in invoices that are significantly higher than what clients expected. In general, careful planning and communication prevents scope creep and helps the consultant work more efficiently.

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Former Public Adjuster Robert Taylor Explains How to Work Effectively with Consultants

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Not every consultant hire is a success. And while poor results sometimes come from hiring mediocre consultants, many consultants note that clients aren't always prepared to receive their services. Former public adjuster Robert Taylor of Sanger, California, is an active business consultant based on the West Coast.

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Former Public Adjuster, Robert Taylor, Explains What Consultants Do And Don't Do

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Former Public Adjuster, Robert Taylor, Explains What Consultants Do And Don't Do

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Everyone has heard the term consultant, but few people understand what consultants actually do (and conversely, what they don't do). Robert Taylor is a former public adjuster turned consultant from Sanger, California. He provides his expertise on the subject of the responsibilities that consultants do and don't take on.
Do: Offer Strategic Advice
Former Public Adjuster Turned Consultant, Robert Taylor, on What Consultants Can and Can't Do

According to former public adjuster Robert Taylr, consultants are first and foremost known for offering strategic advice to businesses. Businesses who are struggling will often hire a consultant to tackle specific problems within the company. It is then the job of the consultant to problem-solve and come up with a strategy that will lead to success for the business. The problems that companies might hire a consultant for range. They can be very specific to the company, requiring a customized plan of action, or more often, they are problems that are common to the industry that the company is part of and a particular consultant has been hired because they are known to have worked with other companies in this industry before. One example of a common business problem that might require a consultant is merging or acquiring businesses. Merging your company with another or acquiring a new company is a huge deal, so a lot of businesses will choose to hire a consultant, or even team of consultants, to help them navigate it.
Do: Provide Full Management Services
Robert Taylor, former public adjuster, asserts that yet another duty of consultants is to provide full management services. That's right, many consultant agencies offer a range of services. These include offering strategic advice on a specific problem, as discussed, but can also involve managing an entire aspect of one's company, such as marketing. Marketing consultants are some of the most sought-after in the world of business and the idea of having an expert third party come in and manage your entire marketing strategy is especially attractive to small and medium sized businesses. In these cases, the "done for you" service will involve the consultant coming up with a marketing strategy, but rather than handing it off to the company to implement, they themselves or a team from the consultant's office will actually execute the marketing strategy. While not all consultants will offer a "done for you" service, it is especially common among consultants who are just starting out or trying to get their own business off the ground.
Do: Offer Both Training and Coaching
Robert Taylor from Sanger, California, on Training and Coaching

Training and coaching are two other services commonly offered by consultants and they go hand in hand. A business will hire a consultant for training when there is a problem with their leadership team or other personnel at the office. Consultants can be brought in to train anyone from the sales team to the executive team. Sometimes a business will recognize they are falling short, but don't have the time or energy to fix the problem themselves, while other times they might be able to tell something is off but can't quite put their finger on what or how to fix it. In either situation, hiring a consultant to offer training can help. Consultants will always be neutral and will have unique expertise that allows them to excel in training employees who work in specific fields. Once hired, there are many different ways that consultants may train your employees. Live, in-person, and online training are usually available, as are both one-on-one and group training. The coaching services offered by consultants are similar to training; however, there are a few key differences. According to former public adjuster Robert Taylor, training is usually for a shorter, specified length of time, whereas coaching is often an ongoing service. Hiring a coach longer-term is especially popular amongst small businesses who may not be able to afford hiring for every position they need. Instead, the CEO of such a business might choose to take on the additional role(s) themselves, with the help of a consultant who acts as a coach.
Don't: Provide Long-Term Services
Though this isn't a hard and fast rule, generally speaking, consultants don't provide long-term services. With the exception of ongoing coaching, the other services offered by consultants are often shorter and more targeted in nature. For example, rather than offering advice on the business as a whole or training the entire staff of a business, consultants are usually hired to tackle a specific problem in a given time frame or to work with a specific person or small group of people.

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Former Public Adjuster Robert Taylor Explains What Consultants Do and Don't Do

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Everyone has heard the term consultant, but few people understand what consultants actually do (and conversely, what they don't do). Robert Taylor is a former public adjuster turned consultant from Sanger, California. He provides his expertise on the subject of the responsibilities that consultants do and don't take on.

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Robert Taylor on Consulting Versus Advising 

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Robert Taylor on Consulting Versus Advising 

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When a business is struggling, they might consider hiring a third party to help. This is when you'll hear the term consultant and advisor thrown around. However, many people fail to distinguish between the two and there are major differences that need to be considered before one is hired over the other.

Robert Taylor is a former public adjuster and current consultant based in Sanger, California. He provides his insight into the topic of consulting versus advising, explaining the distinct roles and responsibilities of each position.

Robert Taylor, former public adjuster and current consultant, from Sanger, California, on Consulting versus Advising

Advisors Preemptively Address Problems
According to former public adjuster Robert Taylor, one of the main differences between consultants and advisors is that advisors preemptively address problems. Advisors are generally hired to identify problems before they arise and then help the business overcome these issues in the long term. Oppositely, consultants are hired to tackle a problem that has already arisen, usually one that is very specific, and it is the consultant's job to come up with a plan of action to overcome it. Despite these differences, it is the role of both consultants and advisors to provide strategic advice to the business.
Advisors Work Long Term
As mentioned, advisors are typically in it for the long haul. Robert Taylor, former public adjuster, claims that advisors tend to hold long-term positions in order to help businesses achieve their larger, overarching goals. On average, advisors will meet with the business less frequently than consultants in the short term, but more frequently than consultants in the long term, as advisors are more focused on the overall, long-term success of the company. Often advisors will be hired to advise a company for several years, whereas consultants will be hired for a number of months or even a number of weeks if the problem is smaller.
Advisors Help Business Achieve Big Picture Goals
Another key difference between advisors and consultants is that advisors are generally hired to help businesses achieve bigger, overarching goals. In contrast, consultants are hired to focus on a specific problem that a business is experiencing. Former public adjuster Robert Taylor asserts that advisors are especially useful to small businesses, which may need more help running their business as a whole. In this case, an advisor will be hired to help with a variety of challenges and offer a wide range of services, from increasing revenue to providing leadership mentoring and overseeing a long-term strategy. The role of an advisor is extremely important in newer businesses who could use the advice of an expert to get the company up and running and to gain a competitive edge in the industry they work in.
Consultants Fix Problems That Arise
Unlike advisors who identify potential problems before they happen, consultants are brought on to fix an existing problem that management is already aware of. Consultants are problem-solving experts, which means that their role tends to be more retroactive in nature.
Consultants Focus on Specific Problems
Robert Taylor from Sanger, California, on the Differences Between Consultants and Advisors

Consultants are typically hired to address very specific problems within a company. Unlike advisors who advise the company on a wide variety of business practices and are in it for the long term, consultants are generally experts in one specific field, such as marketing, and will be brought on for a short and specified length of time to tackle one particular problem. Former public adjuster Robert Taylor claims that consultants are most often hired by growing businesses who have a specific, often complex problem that they are having trouble solving internally. Thus, if a business is struggling with one particular issue, rather than struggling more generally, hiring a consultant over an advisor is usually the best course of action.
Consultants Go In-Depth
As advisors are more focused on the big picture, helping companies in the long term, they tend to provide a more surface-level assessment of a company, in terms of their performance and how they stack up against their competitors. Oppositely, consultants, who are more focused on specific problems, will do a deep dive into the business in order to solve the issue. They will look at all aspects of a business, including but not limited to cost structure, capability sourcing, business process redesign, and revenue capture. This information will help inform the strategic advice offered by the consultant and will also be relayed to the business so that they can better understand their position, shares former public adjuster Robert Taylor.

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Robert Taylor on Consulting Versus Advising

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When a business is struggling, they might consider hiring a third party to help. This is when you'll hear the term consultant and advisor thrown around. However, many people fail to distinguish between the two and there are major differences that need to be considered before one is hired over the other.

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Robert Taylor Explains Why Consulting Is More Than Just Giving Advice 

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Robert Taylor Explains Why Consulting Is More Than Just Giving Advice 

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There's more to consulting than pointing out the mistakes people make and giving them advice. It's more of a collaborative effort that aims at finding problems, diagnosing them, and providing practical solutions to the managers. But it doesn't stop there. A good consultant doesn't just give advice - they also help the management implement these proposed solutions and changes.

Robert K Taylor is a former public adjuster turned professional consultant from Sanger, California. He believes that to be a successful consultant, one has to provide a comprehensive solution that not only discovers issues but also shares information to facilitate the learning process and improve organizational efficiency.

Robert K Taylor from Sanger, California, Explains Why Consulting is More Than Just Giving Advice

Provide Information
When an organization is facing a problem such as low productivity, high turnover, or plummeting revenue, it seeks a consultant to help resolve that problem. According to former public adjuster Robert K Taylor, the first step the successful consultant has to do is find as much information as they can about the causes of the problem.

This is an involved process that takes time, resources, and expertise. The consultant might collect that information through market surveys, attitude studies, analyzing the organizational structure of the company, as well as performing cost studies. Once the consultant has all the information they need, it's time to present that information to the client. In some cases, many clients are happy with that information, although they don't know what to do with it. So, it's up for the consultant to suggest solutions to the problem at hand.
Solve Problems
It's fair to say that the consultant's job isn't an easy one. They're often asked to solve difficult problems that the CEO of the company can't sort out. That's what makes consultancy so challenging. But as former public adjuster Robert K Taylor, points out, if the problem was easy to solve, there would be no need for consultants in the first place.

As a consultant, your job doesn't end by outlining the problem or providing information. You are also tasked with coming up with solutions for that issue. That's not always as easy as it sounds. Often the problem presented to the consultant to solve is not the real problem at all. It's just a part of a bigger issue that goes deep into the organizational structure of the corporation. This requires more digging and research.
Offer Diagnosis
Robert K Taylor from Sanger, California, on Offering a Diagnosis

When the consultant finds that they're dealing with a big problem that encompasses more than one department in the company, that's when their diagnostic skills come into play, says Robert K Taylor. But there are times when even those skills are no match to the hurdles they encounter. For example, some managers might be less than forthcoming or hesitate to cooperate with the consultant in uncovering the cause of the issue. This is true if the manager believes that they have to do with that issue and would take the blame for it.

But that's just part of the consultant's job. They have to be relentless and unwavering in their resolve to get to the bottom of the real problem. That's the only way they can provide a clear and accurate diagnosis of the issue. A good consultant will try to enlist the members of the organization to be a part of analyzing and diagnosing the problem as well. This cooperation is crucial for the success of this process and ensures that the information the consultant submits to the top managers reflects the actual situation on the ground.
Recommend Actions
According to former public adjuster Robert K Taylor, once the consultant gathers all the information, gets to the root of the problem, and makes a full diagnosis, they present all of this data in a comprehensive report. But this is more than just a report that details the consultant's findings. It should also include what types of action the consultant recommends.

Finding out what the problem is and what causes it is only half the solution. A successful consultant also details a proposed course of action for the client to follow. It's important that these recommended actions are both doable and closely related to the original issue the consultant was hired to resolve. Sometimes the consultant will continue to work with the management to help implement those changes.

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Robert K Taylor Explains Why Consulting is More Than Just Giving Advice

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There's more to consulting than pointing out the mistakes people make and giving them advice. It's more of a collaborative effort that aims at finding problems, diagnosing them, and providing practical solutions to the managers. But it doesn't stop there. A good consultant doesn't just give advice - they also help the management implement these proposed solutions and changes.

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Robert Taylor, Former Public Adjuster, Explains How to Be a Successful Consultant

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Robert Taylor, Former Public Adjuster, Explains How to Be a Successful Consultant

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It's no secret that consultants are high performers. This is especially true of the experienced consultants who have been in the business for many years. If you ask any one of them about the secret to their success, you might get different answers. That's because there's more to being a successful consultant than meets the eye.

Robert K Taylor is a former public adjuster turned consultant from Sanger, California. From his experience as a professional consultant, he sums up the best qualifications that make a successful consultant such as attention to detail, specialization, having critical thinking, being resourceful, and asking the right questions.

Robert K Taylor, Former Public Adjuster from Sanger, California, Explains How to Be a Successful Consultant

Attention to Detail
In most cases, the problem the consultant is hired to find a solution to is a complex one. There are always so many variables and moving parts, so you have to be on your guard all the time, former public adjuster Robert K Taylor explains. You don't want to submit a report full of errors or base your recommendations on the wrong data.

It's one thing to be all about the big picture. But you also have to keep your eyes on the little details. A successful consultant needs to be a big picture as well as a detailed person at the same time. The solution could be hiding behind a tiny detail that you might overlook. So, you need to be meticulous and create a list of tasks to help you stay organized.
Specialization
Most consultants start their careers working for different industries without focusing on a specific niche. According to former public adjuster Robert K Taylor, this is a necessary step to help the consultant get as broad of an experience as they can. But sooner or later, he adds, y ou will have to find your niche. That is what makes you stand out from the pack. That special skill or specialization will make you the go-to consultant in your specific field.

The idea is to find something you're good at and get better at it. It could be a skill related to your field, such as financial modeling or analyzing charts. It also could be a general skill such as communication or creating rapport with the people you meet for the first time.
Critical Thinking
Robert K Taylor, Former Public Adjuster from Sanger, California, on Critical Thinking

The difference between an average consultant and a successful one is that the latter doesn't take anything for granted. As a consultant, former public adjuster Robert K Taylor elaborates, you don't take what's given to you at face value. You have to apply your critical mind to get to the bottom of the problem.

This critical thinking becomes crucial when you're talking to a manager in the company who might have something to hide. As you conduct more surveys and interview more people, you'll need to analyze their input and use your best judgment to process the data and find the facts. But it's not just what you come across in analyzing your tasks; even your original task or mission needs to be examined critically. This helps you explore any related issues to come up with a comprehensive solution and recommended actions.
Be Resourceful
You might have noticed that the scope of your work will sometimes take you to unfamiliar territories. That's just part of the job. You start with a simple task that examines the feasibility of a supply chain and how much the company would save if it invested in one. But as a brilliant consultant, you decide to apply your critical thinking to the task.

This would lead you to examine the financial situation of the company, the competition, and whether the company is facing a decline in sales. In short, your research will take you from one department to the next as you doggedly follow the leads looking for the cause of the issue.
Ask Questions
The way former public adjuster Robert K Taylor sees it, one cannot be an excellent consultant without having the ability to ask the right questions. Your task is to find solutions to a problem, and you will interview many people and conduct surveys to get a better understanding of the problem. This involves not being afraid to ask questions even if the questions are not comfortable to some people.

A successful consultant is someone who builds a broad experience in different fields before specializing in a specific industry. They use their critical thinking and resourcefulness to delve deeper into the task at hand and find the right solutions.

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Robert K Taylor, Former Public Adjuster, Explains How to Be a Successful Consultant

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It's no secret that consultants are high performers. This is especially true of the experienced consultants who have been in the business for many years. If you ask any one of them about the secret to their success, you might get different answers. That's because there's more to being a successful consultant than meets the eye.