The Biggest Danger in Hiring An IT Consultant – Job Creep

The most commonly mentioned problem associated with hiring an IT consultant are complaints about extra fees

. This is a valid concern and has resulted in projects poorly done or not completed and creates anger on both sides of the partnership. The problem is most often one of misunderstanding or perception and can be avoided with open communication prior to and throughout the project.

You may negotiate on fees with a consultant before contracting for the services or he may be willing to look at your needs and submit a customized bid. If the work to be done is variable and may change during the project it is good to add that possibility to the contract at the beginning. If there are travel expenses involved you might set a per diem limit and require receipts and reports or your contract may state that you are not responsible for any expenses of the job except the fee you will be paying.

The most common disagreement regarding fees is caused by "job creep" and the complaints come from both the business owner and the consultant. Ideally, the requirements of the work are defined in the contract. Once the contract is signed, that is the money to be paid and that is the definition of the consultant's obligation to you. Consulting jobs may require the expert to be on the business premises every day or may be projects where much of the work is done in the consultant's office or in the field.

IT consultants working at the business location complain they receive more work over and above what they agreed to. This is usually caused by a business owner not clearly specifying who the consultant is to report to. In a busy office it is not unusual for several department managers to approach the consultant and ask for something to be added to the project or for additional reports to be generated. This increases the scope of the job and is the same as asking the consultant to donate his time.

Business owners complain consultants try to charge more than agreed. It's the other side of the same problem. If it is necessary to add tasks to the project, negotiate the change by asking to amend the contract. Dont increase the job or let others in your business add to the project without expecting to pay for it. If the job is growing into a larger project than the expert contracted to provide he may well expect to add additional fees to cover the additional hours. A clear agreement in the beginning can save your project in the end.

Treat the IT consultant as the expert he is and create a working relationship as one professional to another. Youll get more for your money and avoid problems.

The Biggest Danger in Hiring An IT Consultant Job Creep

By: R. Barkman

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