Consultation Fees

What Will The Fees Be?

It is always difficult discussing fees with a client because most clients have no experience with consultants and so don’t know how to really appreciate the value a consultant can bring. As a result, they often compare the fees to what they are familiar with (such as equipment or vehicles) and wonder why the fees are so high! In reality, a client should ask themselves, “What will it cost my business if I don’t solve my problems?” In 99 cases out of 100, the costs of the problems far outweighs the fees paid to a consultant.

That being said, here is how I assess you for the help I bring you:

$2,000 per day

All travel expenses (coach air fare; hotel; meals; rental car, etc.)

A typical consultation will consist of the following work on my part:

Pre-consultation preparation (analysis of your data workbook)         ½ day

First on-site visit                                                                        up to 3 days

Write the report/action plan                                                                1 day

3 quarterly follow-up visits*                                                               3 days

Total time:                                                                             up to 7 ½ days

Total fees:                                                                          up to $15,000.00

(Plus travel)

*  In some cases, the follow-up visits can be done on the telephone at virtually no cost.

You will be requested to pay a retainer of 20% (up to $3,000.00) up front.  (The retainer is deducted from subsequent billings.)

The agreement I will ask you to sign is a firm cost agreement. If I misestimate the number of days it will take for me to do my homework, you will still pay only the amount we agreed to.  I do not charge if it takes me more time than I thought.  If we discover that a 3^rd day on the first visit is not needed, you will be invoiced a day less than the agreement (less any fees I incur for last minute changes in air fare, etc.).

In some cases, your distributor may be in a position to assist you with the fees (with what most distributors call “co-op” funds).  You may want to check with your account manager to see if such a program is available to you or not, and if so, how you secure your distributor’s participation. However, in all cases, the agreement to work together is between you and me, not the distributor.

If the distributor agrees to fund the project with you, they may ask for a copy of the report.  Unless you strongly object, I would send a copy to them under a cover letter stressing the absolute need for confidence and privacy in the matters contained in the plan.

You may also elect, if you wish, to have your account manager present for part or all of the site visits.  That will be your call to make.

Finally, in some cases, enough clients in an area book my services at the same time so that I am able to make several visits and follow-up checks at one trip.  When that is the case, I split the airfare and rental car fees up among all the clients (you would still bear the charges for the meals and hotel in your own area, though).

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