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■ ■ ■ Did the consultant require much oversight? Were the deliverables what you asked for and expected? Would you do the same project over with the same consultant? While degrees and certifications are valid sieves, look for consultants with practical experience in the specific area in which you need help. Just as you would be unlikely to hire an expert in parking accounting to perform a structural review of your deck, you should think twice before hiring a parking design firm to review your operations. the relationship, the term “client” can imply a superior relationship; that is, the consultant has something you want. Instead, look for your consultant to treat you as a “customer,” one to whom a duty of service is owed and provided. While a consultant should never be demeaned or treated as a mere servant, you should be a top priority for your consultant. Your consultant should be readily accessible and responsive. He/she should be open and forthcoming in admitting and addressing errors and you should anticipate an occasional minor misstep. However, if you and your consultant are trading quotes from the consulting agreement, or your consultant appears to be more interested in being paid than doing the work, the relationship is in trouble. “And a good, old-fashioned Spend Your Money Wisely Consultants often work on a “by the project” basis but also can be hired by the hour. Consider hiring by the project at a fi xed, not-to-exceed price if you are sure you can define the scope of the work and the deliverables; hire by the hour if you can’t. Or, set a fi xed price and agree that any additional hours are subject to your approval in advance. Stated hourly rates are often negotiable. Be aware some consultants might “lowball” a fi xed project price to get in the door. Once there, to drive revenue higher they resort to what is known in other industries outside of parking as “churning.” Churning can result from change orders by the client, which in turn creates more work—legitimate or not—for the consultant. If you want to stay within budget, limit your change orders. On the other hand, an effective consultant already on the job can be invaluable for other related tasks that might be outside the original scope. No new bidding, overhead, or time is required to add the new work onto the existing deal. If you hire a consultant by the hour, timekeeping should be reasonably accurate. One good test of this is to time a phone call with your consultant; your time should be close to what is billed. If the consultant had to prep for the call, that time should be separately noted or otherwise described. Should you require detailed timekeeping and work description, you can expect that this time for timekeeping, too, might be billed. Finally, do your part to demonstrate your appreciation for the relationship. Pay your consultants—many of whom are sole proprietors or are reliant on bonuses for hours billed—on time and per the terms agreed. Recommend your proven problem-solver to your peers. And a good, old-fashioned thank you never hurts, either. Charles R. “Charlie” Munn III, CAPP CPP is a former commercial , , parking executive and operations consultant. He is now a customer service management consultant and freelance writer. Contact him at cmunn3@aol.com. thank you never hurts.” Don’t let the size of your proposers be a factor either way; it’s competence of the actual consultants who are doing the actual work that matters. One concern with firms that offer a soup-to-nuts menu of consulting services: the “Loss Leader” strategy. A firm might offer to perform, for example, a feasibility study for a new garage on the cheap in hopes of landing a more lucrative design contract if the garage is built. You can remove any questions about motivations by telling your consultant upfront that each phase of a project must stand on its own. Some organizations have gone so far as to announce that the consultant selected for one phase will not be allowed to bid on subsequent phases. While this might be more expensive, true objectivity is priceless. Get to Know Your Consultant While some organizations have well-intentioned limits on relationships with vendors, once a consultant has been selected you should invest some time in your new team member. Sharing a meal, even if each party is paying his/ her own way, is a great—and sometimes free—way to pick your expert’s brain while he/she is on site. You will also obtain some sense of your choice’s integrity, character and thought processes in such unguarded moments. You should be a “customer,” rather than a “client,” of your consultant. While both are legitimate phrasings for National Parking Association PARKING March 2010

Parking - March 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Parking - March 2010