Billing for Projects
Ever need a tree removed from your hard. You call a removal service, the consultant studies the job and gives you a number. That is the way a classic consultant works. In our field, we have any number of intangibles to consider so what I do is (a) provide a good number for me that is honest and fair and include a second, worst-case scenario number that is a project cap. No more beyond that and if it goes beyond it, it is my time and risk to assume. The client has a bottom line that he can bank on with certainty and I have a reason to do the job well and a cushion of financial comfort. It also assumes that I AM COMFORTABLE with the task at hand. If I am not (web pages for example) I call in a co-consultant to do that job on his time and service. I am not a middle-man. But I manage my co-consultants with fair advice.
I do not "make projects" EVER and was only accused of such, to which I responded with a decent amount of anger. Oh, we could do that alot if we felt like it.
Selling my best is also usually selling my worst, in this case the WORST disasters i have resolved. Oh, why did that happen on my watch? The client may not want to know that!!!!
Consultants HAVE to know and learn a great deal about an individual network, FAR more than a corporate team which is limited to a singluar environment. They have to know that environment as well as we have to know our multiple environments. Our job is FAR harder.
