Navigating the Consultant Maze: Humor, Insight, and Real-World Advice

Consultant Jokes

Consultant jokes are almost as prevalent as jokes about lawyers. My favorites are: “What do you call someone who has been out of a job for at least six months?” Answer: A consultant! And this one: “Do you know what the definition of an expert is? Answer: Someone who is at least 300 miles away from home. Hilarious I know!

Humor aside a generally accepted description found on the internet of a business consultant is a professional who advises provides information insight and recommendations to help clients reach their goals and solve problems.

Full disclosure: I have been a business consultant for over forty years. I draw from my experiences as a former department store merchandise manager and the ongoing knowledge gained by speaking with retailers of all kinds daily.

Is a Consultant Right for Your Business?

Consultants can be found for just about every aspect of your business but the questions that need to be answered are “Is a consultant right for my business?” and “What qualities should I look for in a consultant?”

Qualities to Look for

President Theodore Roosevelt summed up the consultant/client relationship perfectly when he said “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”

• Consultants teach mentor and train.
• A good consultant brings expertise and experience to the organization.
• He or she should be able to quickly identify the problem be a good listener be caring and empathetic be able to outline potential solutions provide a structure to implement said solutions and establish a framework for accountability.
• He or she should always be prepared and be willing to challenge the status quo and not enable behavior patterns that are not in the client’s best interest.

Although personal friendships sometimes naturally evolve from long-term relationships the goal of the consultant is not to become your best friend. Consultants should be viewed as outside independent objective counselors.

Willing to check their egos at the door while providing unbiased and impartial opinions.

My Business Is Unique

I have heard this from would-be clients hundreds of times during my career. How unique is your business really? Regardless of the products you are selling at some point you must decide:

– How much to spend on inventory
– Where and when to buy it
– When to have it delivered
– How to market it
– Hire and train employees to sell it
– When to mark it down
– Control your operating expenses

And hopefully still come out with a profit. In very basic terms you bring goods in the back door mark them up and sell them through the front door. If done correctly you have a profit; if not you don’t. That is not unique. That is the very crux of the retail business.

I am reminded of a story of a colleague who was asked to analyze a set of merchandising data from a large well-respected merchant. The store executives were gathered along with my colleague. The owner opened the meeting with one statement that would determine the potential future relationship. That statement was “Tell me something about my business that I don’t know.”

My colleague was prepared and proceeded to use the opportunity to show this merchant exactly how much business was being missed by having inventory in the wrong stores and classifications how much margin was being lost through the store’s inadequate archaic planning process and how the cash flow could be substantially improved by improving the timing of deliveries. He demonstrated how by using a time-tested process the company could increase sales and decrease inventory at the same time. He left with a signed agreement to begin working together at once.

On a number of occasions I have approached prospects that I knew had solvable issues only to have my offer to

Is a Consultant Right for You?

Ritchie Sayner
Ritchie Sayner
President

Theodore Roosevelt summed up the consultant/

Client Relationship

“No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” Published in the March/April 2023 issue of Shoe Retailing Today Copyright © 2023 National Shoe Retailers Association Tucson AZ www.nsra.org. All rights reserved.

Many times these retailers ended up going out of business. When that happened I would often ask myself if I had done everything to the best of my ability to help them find alternative approaches to their business issues. I wanted to understand why any retailer would reject outside input that could quantifiably provide tangible and affordable solutions. Given the many analytical tools expertise and benchmarking comparisons available today reluctance to even consider alternative viewpoints while allowing a business to atrophy is irresponsible at best and reprehensible and arrogant at worst.

A Consultant Might Be Right for You If…

You are doing things as you always have and not maximizing your operation’s true upside potential.

Constantly being challenged by family and employees on current business practices.

Find yourself saying “we have always done it this way yet positive results are not forthcoming.”

Find yourself saying “we tried that years ago and it didn’t work.”

Want to learn and grow the business.

Transitioning ownership to someone that may not have the same background or experience that you have.

Are open and willing to trying new ideas.

Are stymied by the current retail environment to the point where you are having difficulty making good business decisions.

If you are open to seeking independent counsel from outside your organization that may see things differently from the existing management structure.

If you are surrounded by “yes people” and crave unvarnished input.

You are repeating behavior that is detrimental to the business.

Supplement Your Internal Staff

You wish to supplement your internal staff without incurring the costs (payroll and benefits) of another full-time executive. I’m not suggesting that a consultant is the right choice for every situation. What I am saying is that in the current retail environment you owe it to your company to at least consider the option of using outside expertise if there is the possibility of a better outcome.

About Ritchie Sayner

Ritchie Sayner is with Advanced Retail Strategies LLC an affiliate of Management One. Sayner’s book Retail Revelations: Strategies for Improving Sales Margins and Turnover (2nd Ed.) is available on Amazon. He can be reached at advancedretailstrategies.com.

Enhance Your Content with Storytelling

On your pages or videos sprinkled in with your normal posts it’s vital to have storytelling present on your profiles.

Add Value

Along with storytelling topics like tips and tricks or how-tos are a great way to add value to your short-form video content. Think about what it is your target audience may want or need in their life and how what you do (or what you know) can help them.
In your short-form videos showing hacks or action steps in real-time can allow users to put themselves in the shoes of a potential customer. By adding this value to your videos this educational and informative content can showcase your knowledge and what sets your business apart from the rest.
Users will want to follow your page if they feel like they are gaining insights from what you are posting and offering to the world.

Always Keep Learning

As we’ve seen over the last ten years social media can change drastically with the flip of a switch.
While short-form video content rules social media today specific trends or video styles are quickly coming and going.
The most important step to perfecting your short-form video strategy now is to keep practicing your filming and editing while also adapting to the terms of what makes videos successful. Make sure to…

Alter Your Video Practices and Strategies

As new tactics and trends emerge it’s important to adapt. Want to learn more about how you can add short-form videos to your social media content?
Contact Claire Hamilton Social Media Associate at claire@rytechllc.com.

Claire Hamilton is a Social Media Associate at RyTech LLC. To decide whether RyTech is the partner you’ve been looking for to implement and advise your business on the latest digital marketing strategies contact Steve Ryan at steve@rytechllc.com.

Proof of Insurance

If you are required to provide a certificate of insurance be sure you understand exactly what is being asked of you. I ask my clients to get the requirement in writing along with a sample certificate so I can review and advise. Sending the actual request and sample to your agent will also assist in making sure the certificate is completed correctly.

NSRA Member Program

Take advantage of the NSRA Member Program offered by Hobson Insurance. We specialize in the industry and can shop the market to find you the best price without sacrificing coverage.

Contact Kristy LeRay Longfellow Vice President and Certified Insurance Counselor at Hobson Insurance (www.businessquote.com) for further information: kristy@businessquote.com or 1-800-296-7985.

Short-Form Videos

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Proof of Insurance

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Summary of Consultant Jokes Article

The article humorously introduces the concept of consultants with jokes then transitions to a serious discussion about the role of business consultants in helping organizations achieve their goals. It highlights the qualities to look for in a consultant such as expertise empathy and the ability to challenge the status quo while emphasizing the importance of considering outside perspectives to improve business outcomes.

“No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Real-World Examples of Consultants in Action

Consultants play a crucial role in various industries by providing expert advice and strategic insights. Here are a few real-world examples illustrating the impact of consultants:

• A retail chain hired a consultant to analyze their inventory management. The consultant discovered that significant sales were being lost due to poor inventory allocation across stores. By implementing a new inventory strategy the chain improved sales by 15% and reduced excess stock by 20%.
• A technology startup engaged a business consultant to help with their market entry strategy. The consultant’s insights on customer segmentation and competitive positioning enabled the startup to successfully launch their product capturing a 10% market share within the first year.
• An established manufacturing company sought the expertise of a consultant to enhance their operational efficiency. The consultant identified process bottlenecks and recommended lean manufacturing techniques resulting in a 30% reduction in production time and a 25% increase in output.

Discover Proven Retail Strategies!

Explore expert insights and actionable advice in
Ritchie Sayner’s renowned book:
Retail Revelations – Strategies for Improving Sales Margins and Turnover 2nd Edition.

This must-read guide is perfect for retail professionals looking to
optimize their operations and boost profitability.

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