Your Better Business Partner Because We Know Business Better... We Also Know Something About Computers
	Consulting Services A few years ago I was meeting with a client and she said, "Bob, I not only need you to answer my questions but also tell me which questions I need to be asking". This request gave rise to points to ponder: How do we know that we don't know something? How do we develop confidence in our own level of expertise if we don't know what we don't know? How do we know that we know we have enough information to make a sound management decision? Bob Hyde. CEO What is a Consultant? We once heard the term defined as "a man who knows 150 ways to make love but doesn't know any women". This vivid analogy is not only humorous, but thought provoking. When you need information outside your own area of expertise, it is easy to find an 'expert' or 'consultant' on any subject. The difficulty lies in assessing the consultant's knowledge base. Our confidence in the expertise of some professionals has been validated and we have confidence in their advice: we depend on attorneys for matters of law, doctors having a knowledge of medicine to cure our physical illnesses, certified public accountants when we have received an invitation to a meeting with the IRS, architects to keep our roofs over our head and not under our feet, engineers to build the bridges we cross, cars we drive and planes we board. But how do you choose a consultant in a neo-science field such as computer technology? The use of computerese does not a computer technology consultant make (if it quacks like a duck, is it really a duck?). Just because someone can 'talk the talk' does not mean they can 'walk the walk'! We offer these guidelines for selecting a computer technology consultant: · Ask a lot of questions. What type credentials do you have? What is your educational background? How much practical experience do you have? To which professional organizations do you belong? How much experience do you have partnering with firms in my profession? How long have you been in business? Is your firm locally owned? Is your business based out of your place of residence? Do you carry an Errors-and-Omissions Insurance Policy? · Ask for references and check them out. · Pay close attention to the questions the computer technology consultant asks you. · Be aware of your visceral interpretation. · Review additional guidelines. hyde.com's computer technology consultants are certified professionals. ë Learn more about our system integration expertise