Strings Attached

No matter what your need is, or what you think your need is, there is always strings attached. Consulting is an interesting business. There are many consultants out there ready to sell you their service or product. And I am no different.

Business owners too often "self-diagnose" there issue and hire the services of a consulting group to solve the problem. I suggest beware. Self-diagnosis can become expensive, and in the end, may not solve your true issue.

I used to work for a organization that provided its customers complimentary consulting services. Not a bad thing, except the client was too often offered a very biased recommendation based on the product the company was trying to sell. While their recommendations perhaps would provide for increased revenue for the client, it was always to the benefit of the organization's product offering. Therein lies the rub.

As a business owner, physicians must make the choice between "free" consulting vs. "fee for service" consulting. We all know that there really is no free lunch and strings are always attached.

I am particularly fond of consulting generalists. The consulting generalist is very much like the family doctor. While not the specialist, we know which specialist the client really needs and can help the client ask the right questions, focused on the real issue. I once had a physician who just could not wait to purchase and install a new practice management software system. After spending nearly $100K, he found the software did not really solve his issue. Had the doctor consulted a consulting generalist, he could have achieved a better result by spending a few thousand dollars on staff training on his old system.

Primoro, Inc., like other consulting generalists, is in business to make a living. Businesses hire outside consultants to help them see their business with fresh eyes. Paying for their services is almost always a wise decision. The old adage still holds true..."You get what you pay for."