You can find success in consulting by developing certain qualities. They make you more effective. After years of consulting experience, I have distilled these qualities into a top ten list.1. ProfessionalismConsultants should always keep in mind that client relationship should remain at a professional level. It is sometimes easy for consultants to take on an employee attitude, which in many environments can backfire on the consultant and actually create a negative situation for the project.2. Time ManagementConsultants should look for ways to adjust their work style to accommodate the schedule, budget and overall requirements of the project. This is particularly true when faced with pressure to maintain high quality within finite time and budget constraints.3. JudgmentConsultants are required to have good judgment when confronted with a problem. We should not jump to conclusions. Consultants should take time to consider the facts and to get feedback from their peers and management before reaching a decision.4.Team PlayerConsultants must demonstrate that they are team players and are willing to learn from team members, genuinely valuing the input and expertise of others. It is important to establish a collaborative relationship with peers.5. Good Communication SkillsThe consultant should have excellent oral and written communication skills. Since we are often viewed as the subject matter expert (SME), we should be able to communicate our opinions effectively. In addition to English, it is beneficial to know the language widely used by the employees of the company. In some countries, the documentation may be in a local language. Ideally, the consultant can easily read this language without employing any translators.6. Expert KnowledgeClients typically approach an external consultant for two reasons: 1) the client expects the consultant to have more expertise than the organizations internal resources or 2) because clients do not have sufficient time to solve their own problems or implement their own projects. As consultants, our level of knowledge should be broad enough to know when to ask questions and/or where to research to find solutions. At all times, the consultant should remain current by reading journals, magazines, informative websites and through networking with fellow consultants. We should know how to apply theory into practice and also be skillful in using appropriate tools (software, professional journals, etc.) to function efficiently in the job.7. Good Listening SkillsDuring the consulting process, consultants will meet different people with unique characteristics. Some will be verbose, others reticent. Having excellent listening skills will encourage all to talk freely. This leads to more information sharing which, in the end, can make the consulting process more streamlined.8. Roles and ResponsibilitiesIt is important for consultants to understand the responsibilities of their role, as well as the practices and parameters of the job. You may notice that each client has a different take on what the role of a consultant entails. Clarifying your clients expectations and deliverables beforehand may possibly be the single most important task one undertakes. Remember that in a consulting role the client also has duties and responsibilities: they are bringing you in to recommend what they should implement. If they fail to implement within the agreed terms then you cant help them further and its time to walk away.Remember that each client has his or her own preconceived view of the consultants abilities and capabilitiesviews that will almost certainly differ from reality by varying degrees. Some clients expect the consultant to be a god and recommend solutions that will fix everything that is wrong with their organization; others expect one to be nothing much more than a glorified mechanic called in to fix the photocopiers. Clarifying what you can and cannot do, and what you are willing to do, are paramount concerns before commencing work.9. Involve Other ConsultantsSaying I dont know is often a very good answer to a question. An even better answer is I dont know, but I know people who do know. Consultants do not know everything, and should not be expected to know everything. Saying, I do not know will not damage your prestige. As an example, if your client has a problem related to legal issues, try to consult with a legal consultant to help your client find a solution to the problem.10. ReputationProtect your public reputation above everything elseyou will not get an easy chance to repair it if it is damaged. If necessary, walk away from situations or contracts that could potentially damage your reputation. Consulting is not simply contracting by another name; it involves duties of care and levels of accountability, responsibility and integrity that may well be greater than those of the client. If that proves to be the case and you find a clients operations and methods are not ethical, then it is time to walk away. Be selective about the clients for whom you work.

Physical evidence1)Adequately define their unique qualities in terms of capability statement, brochures, market position and credibility in their chosen field.

Unless this is carefully and consistently done, a consultant will not stand out from the crowd in a clients mind. Without anything unique to evaluate the consultant by, the client is then forced to use price as the principal basis for selection. Not only does this preclude the opportunity for negotiated agreements and a reduced opportunity for higher fees, but it cause assignments to be lost through competitive bidding.

2)Precisely define who their prospective clients are.

This a marketing fundamental, but many consultants Ive known dont develop enough detail about their prospective clients. While they may know their industry, they may not have not selected their top 30 target clients. They may not have identified the key decision makers (KDMs) and key decision influencers (KDIs) within those target client firms. When duck hunting as a teenager, I learned to not shoot at the flock, but instead at a specific bird. Its the same with consulting. Successful consultants select their top target clients and then learn everything about them.

6)Become an authority in their field.

Through failing to position oneself as an expert or an authority in the chosen field of expertise, a consultant misses many opportunities for assignments and increased fees. After all, a consultant is essentially a problem solving resource to a client. The more credibility that can be attached to a consultant, the more consistent the assignment flow. This demands creative thinking, the ability to gather publicity for oneself and doing outstanding work for clients who can give referrals to their friends and associates.

10)Pay attention to gut feelings when selecting clients.

I have found my intuition to be the best judge of a potentially successful or bad relationship with a client. Whenever in the past, I overrode my gut feeling about a client and went ahead with the project, I invariably ended up with problems completing the job or collecting my fees, and feeling bad about the client. And, they had bad feelings towards me. No one benefits from this kind of lose-lose situation.

I no longer take assignments unless I like the client. Not only does this makes the assignments more fun, but I get paid and everyone remains happy. Having this flexibility to select your clients is one of the great benefits of being a consultant.

16)Give special treatment to long term clients.

Itso easy to start to take long term clients for granted, thinking that they will always be there to give you assignments. NOT TRUE! Every client is special and should be treated that way, no matter how many assignments you have done for him/her. Ive seen clients give assignments to another consultant just because they were tired of being taken for granted. Simple things like not promptly returning a phone call can lay the seeds of dissatisfaction, and open the door to you losing the next assignment from a client.

Use the tips outlined above to avoid these 16 big mistakes and you will undoubtedly create more financial success and enjoyment in your consulting business.

Customer Service TechnologyThere are a few major areas in which technology now is able to help provide key advantages to businesses in engendering customer loyalty by improving customer service: Websites.Providing areas on your website where customers can answer their own questions or seek answers from others. E-mail.Using e-mail as a way to improve customer service and more quickly respond to certain needs or help requests. Communications.Unifying communications so that you know that the customer who left a voice mail also sent an e-mail with the same request a few days ago. Software.Better managing customer relationships with more sophisticated data-gathering tools, such as customer relationship management software.