Setting expectations with a sustainability client
By Alexa W.
How do we as consultants encourage our clients to think about what information or tools they might be missing in order to succeed? And how can we help them work with limited resources, as social impact organizations often have?
I was looking forward to meeting our client in person and getting to know them on both a professional and personal level. But we were not able meet in person, and we were not able to go to Brazil due to COVID-19. However, we did get to meet with our client over video – to see not just our main point of contact but also to of his colleagues. Even this short interaction, where we could see each other and get feedback on the details of our project, was immensely helpful.
First, one lesson I learned was how important it is to clarify our analysis of the “current state” and differentiate it from our analysis of the future, or aspirational, state. In some aspects our preliminary presentation combined the two; you can’t understand where you’re going unless you understand the present. If we could do it again – and with more time for the project – I would have tried to drill down further with the client on scope. As consultants, we can only be useful if we help the client focus either on how things are currently are, or how they might be in the future (but not both). And if we focus on a future, what timeframe are we discussing? All of these parameters lead to different assumptions and strategies – such as pricing, growth rate, capital costs, operational decisions, etc. These are all crucial considerations for any organization, but I think especially for startups that are still finding their footing.
It is also important to clarify the end audience for our deliverables. Our project focused on “telling a story” for potential donors, but during our initial presentation the client also mentioned wanting to share with the organization’s CEO as a secondary audience. And our deliverables might also be shared with the members (end users) of the client’s programs – and as a fundraising tool as well! Again, I think a challenge we faced was focus – as much as we’d like our project to be everything to everyone, and as much as we want to say yes to the client, we likely had opportunity to speak up in this regard. As our first class session recommended creating a Statement of Work, I’m wishing we created one with too much detail rather than less.
Finally, I was impressed with our group’s ability to provide the client with data and research they responded positively to – whether it be financial data or market trends. For-profit and nonprofit organizations alike are dependent on data to make decisions, especially when they might be resource or time constrained. As a marketer by trade, I was happy to take a deep dive in consumer research and learn more about the market for sustainable products in Brazil, and learn how sales and distribution might work for our organization. I initially thought there would be parallels with the U.S. consumer market, but quickly realized there are additional nuances in Brazil that would be key to know for our client’s product.
How do we as consultants encourage our clients to think about what information or tools they might be missing in order to succeed? And how can we help them work with limited resources, as social impact organizations often have? We were certainly challenged this semester to make the most of our brief time, as well as our virtual meetings due to the unexpected circumstances. I am optimistic that we were able to strike a balance: giving them the support and frameworks they need to continue operating and potentially expand, while showing potential gaps or opportunities that would need formal processes for data collection/reporting for long-term success. We were able to think outside the box on strategy, leverage the resources and frameworks we have through our MBA program, and gain specialized expertise from classmates outside our group – all of which is to say we learned a great deal despite not having traveled to Brazil in March.