McHugh & Company

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I look for outside assistance from a management consultant?
What are the characteristics of an effective management consultant?
How do we work together?
What is your fee structure?
Do you provide references?

When should I look for outside assistance from a management consultant?

While we have worked on a variety of assignments, clients typically call us because they have one or more of the following general needs:

to add leadership and expertise
to provide an independent assessment by quickly understanding the state of affairs and provide objective recommendations
to unravel and fix matters requiring immediate attention
to free up management time or limited personnel resources

We have found that senior management and/or Boards of successful companies know in their gut when the time is right to look for outside assistance. You can see when (1) your company is “stuck” – the competition is outperforming you and customers are not as loyal or (2) the business is consistently underperforming or (3) the team is stressed out, or (4) you are surrounded with people who cannot be objective or honest with you about the current situation.

What are the characteristics of an effective management consultant?

Here is our list:

Personal chemistry between the consultant and the company stakeholders and management team
Professionalism
Integrity
Confidentiality
Experience
Intelligence
Creativity
Willingness to commit to deliverables and timelines
Demonstrated success
Value

How do we work together?

Please take a look at the “Free Prize” page of this website. Unless your need is immediate, we enjoy meeting once or twice (on a “no-cost” basis) to kick around ideas to clarify your real needs. Based upon these initial meetings and exchange of information, we can determine if the chemistry is right between McHugh & Company and your team. We will then draft a proposal that addresses the scope, approach, timing and fees of the potential assignment. After your review, comments and re-working the proposal, if necessary, all we need is your approval to get started!

What is your fee structure?

We bill by the hour, day or project depending upon the nature and length of the engagement. The most common approach is to estimate a range of man-days based upon the expected scope and deliverables of the project (see above “How do we work together”). In some situations we will ask for a retainer, a success fee or equity as part of the overall compensation. We do not take on projects with “equity-only” compensation or do “contingency-type” assignments.

Do you provide references?

Yes, but not immediately. Our references are willing to offer their time and thoughts on our behalf. We want to use their help to allow you to make an evaluation, but only after we have made progress on the content and scope of the proposed engagement. Having the needs and framework of our working relationship somewhat clarified will enable your dialog with the references to be more meaningful and productive for all.

For any other questions, just e-mail or call Jim McHugh at any time (jim@mchughco.com or 978-371-7113)

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Frequently Asked Questions When should I look for outside assistance from a management consultant? What are the characteristics of an effective management consultant? How do we work together? What is your fee structure? Do you provide references? When should I look for outside assistance from a management consultant? While we have worked on a variety of assignments, clients typically call us because they have one or more of the following general needs: to add leadership and expertise to provide an independent assessment by quickly understanding the state of affairs and provide objective recommendations to unravel and fix matters requiring immediate attention to free up management time or limited personnel resources We have found that senior management and/or Boards of successful companies know in their gut when the time is right to look for outside assistance. You can see when (1) your company is “stuck” – the competition is outperforming you and customers are not as loyal or (2) the business is consistently underperforming or (3) the team is stressed out, or (4) you are surrounded with people who cannot be objective or honest with you about the current situation. Back to top... What are the characteristics of an effective management consultant? Here is our list: Personal chemistry between the consultant and the company stakeholders and management team Professionalism Integrity Confidentiality Experience Intelligence Creativity Willingness to commit to deliverables and timelines Demonstrated success Value Back to top... How do we work together? Please take a look at the “Free Prize” page of this website. Unless your need is immediate, we enjoy meeting once or twice (on a “no-cost” basis) to kick around ideas to clarify your real needs. Based upon these initial meetings and exchange of information, we can determine if the chemistry is right between McHugh & Company and your team. We will then draft a proposal that addresses the scope, approach, timing and fees of the potential assignment. After your review, comments and re-working the proposal, if necessary, all we need is your approval to get started! Back to top... What is your fee structure? We bill by the hour, day or project depending upon the nature and length of the engagement. The most common approach is to estimate a range of man-days based upon the expected scope and deliverables of the project (see above “How do we work together”). In some situations we will ask for a retainer, a success fee or equity as part of the overall compensation. We do not take on projects with “equity-only” compensation or do “contingency-type” assignments. Back to top... Do you provide references? Yes, but not immediately. Our references are willing to offer their time and thoughts on our behalf. We want to use their help to allow you to make an evaluation, but only after we have made progress on the content and scope of the proposed engagement. Having the needs and framework of our working relationship somewhat clarified will enable your dialog with the references to be more meaningful and productive for all. Back to top... For any other questions, just e-mail or call Jim McHugh at any time (jim@mchughco.com or 978-371-7113)
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