In Your Client’s Mind—Are you a “Vendor” or a “Trusted Advisor”?

Jodi Cicci

Concurrent Session: Su11, Sunday 3:15-4:45pm

As consultants, we can be engaged as a vendor – someone who is dispensable and almost viewed as a commodity. OR, we can be trusted to truly help our clients turn to us to understand their business, to discover their challenges in the organization, and to identify the human factors required for successful change In both, we assist our clients with advice, design and implementation of best practices or provide a solution to a challenging problem to improve their business. One role creates short term interactions; the other, long term, sustainable business relationships.

In this session, you will learn how to shift your relationship from a vendor to a successful trusted advisor. You’ll hear how to get into the mind of the client by understanding their business, how to identify trouble spots in the organization which may not yet be apparent to the client, and when to introduce change and handle it effectively. Jodi will share techniques to identify and handle the consulting situation; ask tactical questions to obtain strategic information; and identify options and make recommendations at just the right time.

About the Speaker

Jodi Cicci is President/CEO of TOP Step Consulting LLC where she works with professional services organizations to become operationally efficient by establishing standard business practices and deploying automation tools. Working with her clients, Jodi recognizes that business understanding and how the business runs is always first before technology. A core principle Jodi has put in place at TOP Step Consulting is to ensure customers have the knowledge and information necessary to be successful. Jodi was awarded the 2010 and 2011 Services Organization Best of the Best from SPI Research, as well as being a TSIA (Technology Services Industry Association) Alliance Partner.

Websites: www.topstepconsulting.com
Blog: www.topstepconsulting.com/blog