Frequently asked questions about us

Why should we hire a consulting firm?
Generally, there are three key reasons for hiring a consulting firm
1. When you don’t have the expertise needed
2. When you don’t have enough resources available internally
3. When you need an unbiased third-party to assist with sensitive decisions, such as internal reorganizations.

Why should we hire BW&A?
We think that some of the key reasons are: we have hands-on, industry experience; we feel strongly about always being professional and honest in our approach; we understand the importance of making every dollar count; we are incredibly enthusiastic about what we do and our clients find us easy to work with.

How do we know you will deliver what you say you will?
We guarantee our work: if we do not deliver what we committed to achieve, we fix it or we don’t get paid. We have always met our commitments.

What can you tell us about your fees?
We charge by the hour, day or week, with a half-day minimum fee, plus any pre-agreed out-of-pocket expenses. Fixed-fee arrangements are possible if the scope and expected result of the assignment can be easily and clearly defined, and the duration can be estimated with reasonable accuracy. We generally require a retainer in advance of our work, particularly for extended assignments.
We always agree our time estimates and costs with you in advance to avoid surprises.

What do we commit to when we hire BW&A?
You commit to the terms of our consulting agreement, but you may terminate the agreement at any time, subject to the pre-agreed terms of our contract. This usually requires that we be compensated for the work we have done up to that time.
Most importantly, you commit your support to the project, provide us with all information necessary for us to successfully complete the assignment and ensure that we have reasonable access to your staff when the assignment requires their involvement.

What does BW&A commit to when we hire them?
We commit to applying our best efforts at all times / keeping your information confidential / acting professionally and ethically / telling you when something changes that’s critical to the outcome of the assignment / delivering what we said we would do.

What if we are not in one of the industries you mention in your website?
Our experience and expertise can be applied to many different industries. We are always forthright about what we can, and what we cannot do. The first, free consultation process gives both of us an opportunity to assess our suitability to the task.

What can we expect at our first meeting?
The first meeting (which may be a person-to-person meeting, a conference call, or an on-line web-conference) is an opportunity for us to discuss your needs and issues, for us to determine if we can help you, and for you to assess our suitability for the project. This is without any obligation on your part, and without cost to you. We generally allow about one and a half hours for this initial discussion.

What happens after our first meeting?
If we are both in agreement after our initial discussions, we will draw up a consulting services agreement for your review and approval, and then move forward to the first steps, which are usually to create an assignment workplan, meet with your key personnel, and generally get organized for the assignment.

What kind of documentation and contracts do we have to sign?
We try to avoid overly complicated documents. We will ask you to approve a consulting services agreement, which usually doesn’t exceed a couple of pages. The agreement will cover the scope of the assignment, expected duration, our fees and any expenses that will be charged, terms of payment, required notice of termination of the agreement, and who will work on the assignment.
In addition to the consulting services agreement, there will be the customary, mutual Non-Disclosure Agreements.

We are small business – how can we afford to hire BW&A?
No business is too small to need a consultant. Most small businesses don’t have all the needed expertise internally; in fact, they usually don’t need it on a full-time basis. When they do need special expertise, consultants can provide this on an as-needed basis, which can be very cost-effective.
You will find our approach very reasonable and that we deliver “good value for the dollar”