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	How do you (SeH) find out want WE (the Customer) want?
	This is usually determined by brief questioning upon your original enquiry to us to check if we are able to help you. If we can, then general details of our organisation and approach are supplied for further consideration, along with budgetary cost guidelines if appropriate. However before further work, we generally like to visit, on a no obligation basis, at a mutually convenient date and time, to discuss things in more detail with you, and to see what is involved first hand. This also gives you the chance to meet us, and see if you can both understand and relate to us. It also enables us to more accurately quote you for the work involved. We often find from such reviews that you may not always know exactly what you do want. In such cases, we can help you to formalise your options or requirements in more detail.
	Is the person who visits us to be the Consultant, Analyst or Trainer involved?
	More often than not, the answer to this is yes. This is because we try to only send out personnel for initial meetings with the skills you are looking for. Should one of our staff however get to you, and then discover that another of our staff can better serve your particular requirements, then we will tell you at the time. Should you wish to meet that person before starting, that too can be arranged.
	How do WE (the Customer) know you will DO what we want?
	In all instances, once we've worked out what we think you need (and expect of us), we will outline our understanding of things in a formal 'terms of reference'. In this, we clearly state not only what your objectives are, but how we intend to tackle the job, what fees are involved, how much of our time is involved and time scales we envisage the work will take (where it is a project or short term exercise). This will also contain our terms and conditions. Until you agree this document, no work is undertaken.
	What are YOUR terms and conditions?
	These are fairly straightforward. We generally work either on a time-spent basis, and invoice only for work actioned or to a fixed price contract with agreed payment times. We then want you to settle your account within 14 days of related invoice dates. If these terms are not right for you, then other arrangements can be discussed. If you do not settle on time, we reserve the right to suspend our support until you do. Other than that, we simply want you to work with us to get the best end result.
	What are ‘deliverables’?
	These tend to be improvement proposals, formal reports, documentation, databases or intranets. In some instances, they may only be advice. This will all be supplied to you in either hard copy or electronic format to enable review. [Electronic formats will be password protected to prevent content change]. Should there be a need to supplement this with 'electronic' files of the originals that you can change at a later date, as in the case of documentation we produce for you, this will also be handed either on disc or emailed to you, upon related invoice settlement.
	How do your rates compare to others?
	You will find that we are usually very competitive. This is because we monitor our competitors fee rates and ensure that we stay middle of the road with regard to rates and fees. You will find with any organisation like us, that the more specialised requirement you have, the higher the fee involved usually is. Similarly, basic services are sold at a lower level. In all instances, we work to strict price guidelines. We are also happy to discuss with you discounts where the volume of work makes this a viable option. Other variations relate to how much of our time is spent working from our offices, or involves travelling, either to your offices or otherwise. In such instances, you could find that if you compare us to a competitor on your doorstep, and we are some distance from you, we are not competitive in real terms due to the travel costs we have to cater for. We also like to make the point that a one-man band, with no overheads will almost certainly be cheaper, but then we can usually provide a better more comprehensive service with the additional resources we have at our disposal + you will also find they offer no guarantees or have any applicable insurances.
	What experience or qualifications do you have to do the job?
	Because of the size of the organisation, we have a range of these, based on the individuals we employ. In all instances, we try to match the skills, qualifications and experience we have at our disposal to suit your requirements or particular industry. We often work in pairs to give you a wider range if necessary. To support this, once we've nominated staff internally, we can then give you a detailed Resume(s) of the person(s) involved if required. We also only employ persons with practical management skills and experience, because we believe that academic knowledge alone is not sufficient. With the profession we operate in, experience counts for the largest factor, along with success. Having operated since 1990, that should give you the confidence that we have both the abilities and track record to help you. If we didn't, we would not have stayed in business for so long or have such an enviable track record of success. This is reinforced by the fact in our profession, you are only as good as your last assignment and we live off of either referrals from satisfied clients or client retainer type work.
	What is Business Analysis?
	This is looking at what you do, collecting data on which to base factual decisions, and then advising you accordingly, with a bias on improvement in whatever aspect is involved. To action this takes several forms, from discussions with staff to review of records and/or financial data. Such activities can be organisation wide, or targeted. They provide an objective but experienced input to help you plan the way forward. From these, we also help with strategy and business planning. They are also often used to help to identify a problem that involved staff are too close to. With these, we usually start off with a vulnerability review to act as platform on which to work.
	What is an Assessment?
	This is judging you as an organisation or activity to a pre-determined standard, code of practice, or to specific pieces of legislation. Here you are being evaluated for compliance to defined requirements. Such reviews also identify improvement opportunities, which we advise for information purposes for you to address or respond to, as you feel appropriate, along with a report on compliance.
	What is an Audit?
	These are topic specific reviews. They can be activity or department specific. They are used to look in detail to both check compliance to your own arrangements, or to a 'standard' clause, but also to determine staff understanding and awareness of all required aspects. These are particularly used to look at the effectiveness of a process or activity, with a view to identifying its current status. Such exercises enable a manager to determine if their department is operating correctly, to pre-determined requirements.
	What is meant by ‘Consultancy’?
	Here we mean providing you with help, guidance and advice with a particular objective. All of our input is provided on a best endeavours basis. This means you do not have to act on our advice if you do not want to. However if you are looking for constructive guidance, it seems pointless to then ignore the wealth of experience we can bring to you. Within this, you will find we roll up our sleeves and physically help you to develop what is involved. It is this practical bias that makes us very different from some of our competitors. Talking alone is not enough, unless you know how to do a job yourself. It is this that helps you to develop both respect and trust in our services.