|
We have strong technical (engineering development) backgrounds and experience, AND extensive business experience.
Unlike most consutants, we prefer to work projects on a fixed-price basis.
We communicate clearly and frequently with our startup team engineering, management and investor clients.
Our industry expertise includes networking infrastructure (networks-security-storage); local/metro/carrier telecommunications equipment and services, wireless communications, mobile computing platforms, web 2.0 infrastructure technologies, and semiconductor systems on a chip (SOC).
Steve started his career in the chip design and communications business, worked in the computer networking field for many years, and is now deeply involved in the emerging field of mobile computing and related web 2.0/internet applications.
Visit our "services" pages for examples and illustrations of problems we've solved, including the types of deliverables. You can visit our "clients" page for a listing of some of the 100+ client companies we've assisted successfully in the past.
Here's how the IRS views it. Contract employees and employees work on site, under the direction of their employer. Contract employees are required to meet many criteria to establish a tax exemption (19, last time we checked) starting with self-insurance. Consulting firms are usually separate legal entities which enter into contract for an assignment in a business-to-business fashion. Once a contract is committed to, they determine the best place and the best methodology for working (data collection, analysis, problem solving, presentation development, meetings etc) in order to deliver the contracted results.
What we have learned in the course of conducting many consulting engagements is that very often, we can save our clients budget dollars, versus them doing the same work internally.
We use Sharepoint meetings, audio conferencing, Google Docs, and
Windows Live; and can use WebEx, GoToMeeting, DimDim and other
collaboration / conferencing tools for project meetings and
between-meeting communications.
Clients receive an account and login ID for their own customized project management and online meeting (Sharepoint) system which is
hosted on our dedicated server. We enter all planned project
objectives, tasks, and deliverables into the system where you are able
to monitor their status against key milestones. The system is customized for your project and team, then configured with add-on modules
facilitating posting of project documents, spreadsheets, Gannt
charts/schedules, Windows Live online meetings/whiteboarding, etc. All customer
data is under 256-bit DES encryption with SSL security.
We have found the use of the Sharepoint CMS compliments our in-person
work time and meetings, allowing projects to move forward at a higher
velocity while also remaining well organized and on target.
First, we would urge you to keep in mind what Avinash Kaushik, Google's Web Analytics mastermind, said in a talk
recently: "Business Acumen is highly under-rated today, in terms of
it's impact upon results".
Second, realize that many consultants are not truly functioning as consultants, in the positive sense of the term. Many consultants are simply short-term contract employees; and there is a major difference between that, and a skilled consultant. Not to say that contract employee mode is "bad"; or that consultants are in any way "better" than employees. But a true consultant brings something quite different into a team work situation.
A skilled consultant can save their clients time and money by working in more concentrated, out-of-the box fashion to acheive dramatic, positively disruptive results.
Here are some questions to ask potential consultants:
- What are your areas of technical expertise, and how do you keep current?
- Same question for areas of business expertise?
- How many clients have you helped, and how did you help some of them?
- What was the last three conferences you attended? Courses? Seminars?
- How do you practice consulting, versus contributing as an employee?
- What are your main beliefs with regard to consultants helping clients?
- Is your business organized and insured as a separate legal entity?
- Do you plan to be available to consult six months from now? 2 years?
- What are some of the skills you have that most employees don't have?
- What books have you read about developing consulting skills?
- Who were some of the most famous consultants, and what was unique?
- How many consultants have you hired/managed, as an employee yourself?
Perhaps that can be said of some larger consulting firms; but not always. With Bell Consulting Group, you'll get Steve on your project. He enjoys the challenges and constant problem-solving demands imposed by complex business plan developments, working with entrepreneurs, founders, and financial backers.
He initially became fascinated with consulting in the mid-1980's after observing that the good consultants could come into a difficult technical or business situation, and quickly make a disproportionate positive impact. He utilized consultants many times in his career before beginning to practice as a full time consultant himself in 1995.
Bell Consulting Group can draw talent onto a project from a large network of consultants when a project will benefit. In the 90's we had an office suite full of employees and took on many projects which would require subcontractors for major portions of the project work. However, today the majority of the work is completed by Steve Bell personally. He prefers immersion in client project work, maintaining control of all workflow and detailed decision-making and judgment calls.
Bell Consulting Group is a Corporation (established Dec 1994) and employs support resources for Administrative functions, IT, financial, and related issues; which keeps Steve focused on client projects.
Many of our projects are covered under mutual NDA. We treat all client discussions as confidential. We've been working with clients since 1995, and it's never become an issue.
We can engage in some projects using our reasonable, competitive daily rate. However, most clients prefer to work on a fixed-rate (project) basis. There are trade-offs for each method which we can illustrate for you.
When working on a fixed-price basis, the deliverables are clearly defined, cost and payment terms are agreed, then we are able to focus on the project work. Most consultants prefer to work on a billable hour basis. That makes the cost risk open-ended for the client. We are willing to assume that risk and get the job done.
Our wide ranging consulting and operational experience have taught us how to approach assignments in the most efficient manner possible. We are out to deliver the best possible results for our valued clients, as part of the process of building long-term recurring relationships.
We get right to the problem and develop solutions, working in close consultation with you and your team. Most of our clients find it is more effective to call upon us versus trying to do everything with employees. We only incur costs when we are focused on solving your problem. We have years of experience in how to solve problems in the most efficient manner.
Contact us by email or phone. We usually discuss projects by phone, then if appropriate, a WebEx or in-person meeting. For most projects we will generate a letter of engagement or a proposal - depending both upon the project's scope, and your requirements. We can supply a letter of engagement contract (simple, mutually agreeable term sheet) by email.
|
FAQ 
