How to choose a consulting company: questions for the contractor, engagement format and what the price covers
How to compare consulting companies by outcome rather than by presentation: five questions for the contractor, a starting format and signs of a proposal that will not stick
Choose a consulting company by what stays with you after the project: a documented process, standards, reports, a configured system. A presentation and its slide count say nothing about that. Two consultants can quote a similar price and deliver very different scope, so compare what is included, not the total.
Define the task first
Consulting is never "in general". Before writing to contractors, answer three questions:
- what exactly is not working: sales depend on individual managers, nobody uses the CRM, customers wait long for replies, reports are assembled by hand;
- which decision the result should support: rebuilding the department, choosing a CRM, launching an AI assistant, hiring a head of sales;
- who on your side makes decisions and gives time for conversations, because without that no project moves.
If there is no defined task, the first piece of work is a diagnostic. In the AKORDO catalogue this is the sales system diagnostic: $600-900, roughly 7 business days. The output is a customer journey map with loss points, an analysis of processes, CRM, calls and chats, and an action plan.
Five questions that filter out weak proposals
- What will we receive in hand? A good answer names artifacts: a process map, regulations, a sales playbook, a technical specification, configured pipelines, reports. The answer "recommendations" with no list means there will be nothing to check.
- What data do you base conclusions on? A strong approach relies on your call recordings, message threads, CRM records and conversations with managers. A weak one starts from a template that fits everyone.
- Who works with us? Ask for the names and experience of the people who will run the project, not the founders at the pitch. At AKORDO, sales work is led by Angelina Vasylenko, who has built or relaunched more than 30 commercial departments, and the technical directions are led by Vitalii Kopach.
- What sits outside the price? CRM licences, APIs, hosting and telephony are usually paid separately. That is normal if the contractor says so upfront.
- How do you verify the result? A good answer is about manageability: every deal shows a status and a next step, the team follows shared standards, and the report matches reality.
What should raise concern
- A promise of a financial result. Revenue depends on the product, prices, demand and production, so an honest company answers for the process, not for your profitability. AKORDO does not promise a guaranteed financial result.
- Training as the only tool. Without processes and control the team returns to old habits within weeks.
- A price without a scope. If the proposal is one line saying "consulting", it cannot be compared with another.
- No published examples. Check whether the contractor shows real cases and what they describe. The AKORDO site has a case on a commercial system in financial services and a case on retail sales transformation: they show the scope of work, not a promise of numbers.
How to compare proposals
Build a simple table and fill it in for each company:
| Parameter | What to record |
|---|---|
| Result | List of documents, settings, reports |
| Data for analysis | Calls, chats, CRM, interviews |
| Stages | Diagnostic, design, implementation, training |
| Term | Indicative or contractual |
| Separate costs | Licences, integrations, telephony |
| Support | Available after launch or not |
Terms in the AKORDO catalogue are indicative, not contractual, and the exact amount is set after a free consultation. Ask the same of any contractor: know what is a guideline and what is a commitment.
Starting format: a diagnostic instead of a large project
The least risky way into an engagement is a short paid diagnostic, after which you decide what to do next. You see how the contractor's team works, receive a plan, and can carry it out with us, with another company or on your own. Your team keeps working: consultants take recordings, CRM data and short conversations with managers, and the manager spends a few hours a week.
If the diagnostic shows that a whole direction is needed, separate services follow: sales department systematization, CRM implementation, AI assistants, automation and support. For what consulting is and which types exist, read What consulting is: types of consulting services and when a business needs them. On systematizing sales specifically: Business consulting for sales systematization.
To discuss your task and see where to start, book a free AKORDO consultation.