A professionally-administered survey from Dynamics Markets released earlier this week determined that only one in three IT projects meets expectations.  So what advice for a consulting business is there to help with this phenomenon?

Dynamics Markets surveyed 800 middle and senior IT managers in large companies in eight different countries for Tata Consultancy Services.  Nearly 70 percent of those responding said their managers and their boards still offer financial support, even for unsuccessful IT projects.  Common problems with projects were going over time, greater-than-expected maintenance costs and reluctance of business users to adopt the new technology once installed.

Because leading VARs found statistics did not quite match their experiences, they decided to release the following 6 pieces of advice for a consulting business looking to meet expectations of clients and thrive.

1.     Plan Well:  While no one can plan for everything that happens, this advice for a computer consulting business is critical.  Many IT providers might submit low project estimates just to get a job without thinking about the business impact of a poorly-planned project.  IT providers need to add extra time into each phase of the project to make sure it stays on track, and that clients are happy.  

2.     Add the Right Requirement-Gathering Procedures:  Projects typically fail because of improper requirements gathering.  The advice for a consulting business is to focus on project management and the management of implementation and know the difference between the two.

3.    Focus on Relationships:  Often projects fail because there is a lack of connection between the business needs and the IT goals of the project.  The solutions must match the business, and the consultant and the client must be on the same page about what is needed.  The advice for a consulting business is to stress relationship strength and build trust with clients from the beginning.

4.    Manage Expectations:  This advice for a consulting business means that everyone involved in delivering the project (and receiving it) needs to know the plan for the project.  Project managers and consultants need to use good and realistic methods of measuring success at each stage of the project.  

5.    Communication is Key:  You need to communicate your plan from the beginning of a project.  Good advice for a consulting business is to think of you and your clients as a team and to focus on building relationships by communicating regularly.  Everyone needs to know what is happening at all times.  

6.    Spend Money and Spend it Wisely:  Small businesses need to invest in IT projects.  If the client does not have enough money to complete the project the right way, you need to put it on hold.  The best advice for a consulting business when it comes to getting clients to invest is to make sure they are capable before starting a project; don’t take on a project if you can’t do it the right way from the beginning.

Added By:  Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit