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Joining The Business Consultancy Network – The Process

What is BCN?

BCN is a network of experienced, professional, independent consultants who offer quality assured business consultancy, advice and training. It is an evolving network which enables consultants to work together to maximise their businesses and for their professional development.

We have around 30 members, based in and around Cheshire and North Wales/North West England, covering a wide range of industry sectors, specialisms and interests. We work in teams or individually with clients offering consultancy, advice and training to organisations in the local area and beyond.

How does BCN work?

BCN is an ‘enabling’ organisation which will provide the tools and skills required to develop your consultancy business. We encourage and facilitate teams to work on issues of interest. At various times we have had ‘operating groups’ working on: Tendering for ‘framework’ agreements Developing work on communications within organisations Promoting BCN to ‘intermediaries’ (accountants, solicitors, BIS, etc.) and

coordinating the management of relationships with these organisations Developing business in a range of market sectors Promoting the training activities of BCN.

Membership of BCN provides the opportunities for team working, which are not normally available to self-employed consultants.

What's in it for me?

Members have access to: Space and time in network meetings to form and operate teams for product

development or to identify and develop market opportunities Marketing facilities such as our website, the directory of consultants, marketing

materials, training and advice

Joining the Business Consulting Network – The Process Page 1 of 20Last revised: May 2016

Opportunities to promote services to clients as an individual or in teams, e.g. through the website, exhibitions and media exposure

Opportunities for professional development, including organized events four times per annum and problem solving in network meetings or by arrangement with other members

Opportunities to meet like minded people in a professional environment.

What's in it for clients?

BCN consultants are able to offer the benefits of independent consultancy without some of the drawbacks associated with 'big name' consultancy. Our clients benefit from: A 'one stop shop' where they can select the skills and consultants best able to

meet their needs A quality assured service with consultants operating under a code of practice and

a quality management system, so that they can have full confidence when choosing a consultant

Bespoke solutions which are truly tailored to their requirements Personal service from a local consultant, where they can build a long-term

relationship with someone who is available when required A consultant with in-depth experience, not a learner, at competitive rates, so that

they know whom they will be dealing with, before they buy.

When are the meetings?

Network meetings are held on the second Friday of each month (except social meetings in August and December). We meet over lunch for informal networking and then spend from 1 pm – 4 pm together. The typical agenda comprises: Professional development, where we may have an external speaker, a talk by

one of our members on his/her specialist area, a debate or a training session Time to 'advertise' and network Space and time for the formation and operation of teams of consultants working

on developing products, market opportunities or problem solving Quality peer review of projects undertaken by members.

Our regular meeting venue is the Blue Cap Hotel in Sandiway. Directions are available by searching for the hotel’s website or alternatively see the map at the following link: The Blue Cap Sandiway


http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=blue+cap+sandiway&hl=en&sll=53.246369,-2.593257&sspn=0.105388,0.417137&vpsrc=0&hq=blue+cap&hnear=Sandiway,+Northwich,+Cheshire+West+and+Chester,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=16&iwloc=A

What is my commitment?

BCN is owned and run by all its members. We operate a flexible structure which encourages all members to contribute to the organisation and running of the network, as well as gaining the benefits of membership.

Members commit to: The BCN Consultant Code of Practice Meeting the requirements of the BCN Quality Policy Aiming to attend at least six meetings each year Provide an e-mail address to be used for regular communication Give a minimum of three days per year to the Network, in addition to meetings

attendance Pay an annual subscription (currently £100) by the due date (usually 1st April)

What are the entry requirements?

BCN consultants depend on each other to maintain their professional reputation, and so we believe we are the strictest assessors of each other’s potential. To join, you will normally have to be a practising consultant although new consultants with a professional approach will be considered. Entry to the Business Consultancy Network is by peer review to ensure that all our consultants are able to work to the highest quality standards, as expected by our clients. You will be required to work within the BCN Code of Practice (see Appendix A).

An existing member of BCN will sponsor your application. After an initial discussion about what you can contribute to and get from BCN, you may be invited to attend one of the BCN monthly meetings with no obligation. If, after the meeting, you are interested in applying to join the Network, you will be invited to complete the BCN Application Form, which comprises your Consultant Profile, Membership Commitment and Client References.

Note that you are allowed to attend one or two meetings without commitment in order to see how BCN works and to decide whether or not you wish to join. By the time you attend your third meeting you must have submitted a membership application as described above.

You will then be given feedback on your application and will be invited to attend a meeting with the Membership Panel to talk through your profile and your previous experience. It is incumbent on both the Applicant and the Membership Panel to deal with relevant correspondence promptly to allow the membership interview to take place within one month from the date of the submission of the application.


If your application is successful your profile will eventually be included in our Directory of Consultants, therefore it is important that both you and we are satisfied that the terms have been used consistently and that it is a fair description of you and your abilities. The Membership Panel will also explain to you the commitment we ask from our members and the subscription structure and they will answer any questions that you may have about joining BCN.

Shortly after that, you will be notified of the result. Should you be invited to join BCN, you may be asked to resubmit your profile with any changes agreed with the Membership Panel.

Once accepted, the new member will be sent an invoice, which should be paid, and a confirmation email sent to the Treasurer. The new member should then provide the Webmaster with a ‘head and shoulders’ photo. Note that membership does not become valid until the subscription is paid.

Once approved as a Member, you will receive the password to the BCN website with access to all current policies and the BCN Directory of Consultants. You will be entitled to use the BCN name and publicity materials to promote your business and you will have access to all BCN professional development and business promotion support activities.

In the event that your application is rejected, you have a one-time appeal to BCN. You will be given details of the appeals procedure.

In the event that there is a BCN meeting in the period between submitting your application and meeting with the Membership Panel you are welcome to attend.

Induction Process

Once admitted to membership it is recommended that you should contact all BCN members to introduce yourself, circulate your profile and ensure that you are added to the members’ address books. The Webmaster will add your approved profile onto the website.


Guidelines for the Consultant Profile

As a network of independent consultants, The Business Consultancy Network (BCN) promotes the services of its members to potential customers. The Consultant Profile is a key document for promoting individual members; it sets out the individual’s skills and experience in a format which is easy for the reader, including prospective clients, to use and compare. Clients also have a right to expect that consultants’ skill levels and experience be stated in a consistent way - this means a common format plus a form of indexing using common terms and definitions. These guidelines: Specify the format of the Consultant Profile Define standard terms to be used Describe the process for completing, adopting and maintaining Profiles

The Consultant Profile serves 3 purposes: To promote the skills and capabilities of member Consultants individually or

collectively as part of BCN’s marketing communications To provide a mechanism for prospective members to communicate information

and their skills and experience for assessment of their suitability to join the network

To provide a baseline for reviewing personal development within the network and updating skill levels and advisory roles

The prospective BCN member should complete the BCN Application form and submit it by email to the Membership Panel. The BCN Application form comprises: Consultant Profile Members Commitment Agreement Client Referees

The submission is reviewed by the Membership Panel, which will work with the applicant to ensure that the documentation is complete and is in the correct format.Subject to submission of a satisfactory application, the applicant will be invited to meet with representatives of the Panel who will offer membership if the necessary conditions have been met.As members progress within the network, their level(s) of competence and advisory role(s) should be updated on their Consultant Profiles to reflect increasing experience and skill levels.The approved Profile for paid-up full members is included in the Directory of Consultants on the website. The web site is updated from time to time with revised and new Profiles. Members who maintain a hard copy of the Directory of Consultants are advised to periodically check the website for updates.


Completing the BCN Application Form

The standard font to be used is Verdana 10 pt. The completed Consultant Profile must not exceed 2 pages.

The various sections of the profile should be presented in the same order as shown on the form. Note that each section is shown as being either ‘Mandatory’ or ‘Optional’. All mandatory sections (e.g. ‘Personal specialisms’) must be included on the profile, whereas optional sections (e.g. ‘Overseas experience’) can be included or excluded at the consultant’s discretion.

SummaryMandatory. The consultant is required to insert his/her business’ key message, (i.e. elevator pitch). The key message should be 17 words or less, and should occupy no more than two lines. It is recommended that the key message is emboldened and/or italicised to give it an appropriate degree of emphasis. Note that this is the same as the summary, which appears beside each consultant’s entry on the BCN website.

ProfileMandatory. The profile section is intended as a brief ‘pen picture’ of the consultant. It should give the client a feel for the consultant and his/her capabilities. It should be in narrative form, not more than 100 words, and may describe the attributes, experiences and activities of the consultant.

Personal SpecialismsMandatory. Personal specialisms (skills) are indexed to aid clients’ consultant selection so standardisation is needed. BCN uses 12 groups of specialisms, each consisting of a variable number of specialisms. The current list of specialisms is shown in Appendix B. The relevant specialism groups should be listed within the ‘Personal specialisms’ section with each group on a new line. It is recommended that the groups be listed in descending order of capability/focus so as to present the consultant’s principal business activities at the top of the list.Within each specialism group, the consultant should then list the individual specialisms being claimed. These should be entered on a single line immediately following and on the same line as the group heading, using commas to separate the items on the list. Again it is recommended that the individual specialisms should be roughly ranked with the highest capability at the beginning of the list.A prospective member who wishes to claim a personal specialism not included on the standard list should include that specialism on his/her Profile and then draw it to the attention of the Membership Panel. The Membership Panel will take a view on whether this new specialism should be accepted or an existing substitute used. In


cases where a new specialism is accepted, the Membership Panel will ensure that the master list in this document is updated accordingly.

Advisory Role(s)Mandatory. Information under this heading is designed to indicate the role(s) that the consultant is capable of performing during a client assignment. BCN uses roles, which are shown in Appendix C.

Industry ExperienceMandatory. Free text. Standard industry terms are not defined.

Organisation Size ExperienceMandatory. Free text. Standard terms are not defined, but any shorthand descriptors should be in common usage e.g. FTSE100, SME, family business. Where metrics are used they should be used consistently, the measure and the scale should be clearly stated, and the metric(s) chosen should be relevant e.g. turnover for accountancy, headcount for HR.

Qualifications and TrainingOptional. List qualifications as follows:

Degree (or equivalent) level and above Specialist qualifications that are nationally recognised, e.g. Certificate in

Education Accreditations awarded by national bodies such as chartered status, NVQ

assessor awards Significant training undertaken for which a certificate is heldFor each entry, show the institution awarding the qualification. Members may show qualifications being undertaken at present. Prospective members may be asked to show certificates.

Professional Memberships Optional. State name of institute, grade of membership, and any other pertinent information. Prospective members may be asked to show a current membership certificate.

Language AbilityOptional. List languages read and spoken with an indication of business fluency in each. Do not include English.

Overseas ExperienceOptional. Free text. Specify which country/region and nature of activities. Make it clear whether the overseas experience was as a consultant or as a manager in an organisation.


Career SummaryMandatory. Free text. Consultants should list at least their current position and immediate previous position with dates and key achievements. The achievements should reinforce the advisory role(s) chosen above. The purpose of the Profile as a whole is to communicate the capabilities and experience of the individual Consultant. This section should therefore include only that experience as a manager that is relevant.


APPENDIX A

BCN Consultant Code of Practice

Members of BCN will:

Only accept assignments for which they are suitably qualified Discharge their responsibilities with professional integrity and diligence Treat client data as confidential Keep their own knowledge and skills up-to-date Always act in the best interest of clients Provide a written proposal for client approval before work commences Set out clear objectives for the assignment Evaluate with the client at the conclusion of the assignment how effectively the

objectives have been met Identify areas which need further work or improvement Clearly state terms and conditions for each assignment Agree regular progress reviews where appropriate, and respect deadlines Exercise responsible management and efficient procedures throughout each

assignment Observe all legal requirements Work in partnership with clients without imposing solutions on them Manage the relationship so that disagreements are openly discussed and

resolved Continually improve the service to clients based on evaluation and reflection Maintain and nurture a culture of integrity, honesty and openness


APPENDIX B

List of personal specialisms

Specialism group Personal specialisms

BUSINESS STRATEGY & PLANNING

Acquisitions/Mergers Balanced Scorecard Benchmarking Business Change Management Business Reviews/Appraisals Corporate Culture Corporate Governance Corporate Survival/Recovery Cost/Benefit Analysis Customer Relationship Management E-business/Internet Strategy ERP Blueprinting Management Decision Making Organisation Structures Organisational Development Restructuring and Rationalisation Strategic Planning/Business Plans Supplier Relationship Management

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Ecological Surveys/Monitoring Energy Management BS 16000 Environmental Audits/Surveys Environmental Impact Policy Environmental Management Systems Environmental Strategy Land Use Policy/Planning Pollution Controls Resource Efficiency Resource Management Risk Assessment Standards/Legislation (ISO 14001)



Sustainable Strategies Waste Management

FINANCE & ACCOUNTING Accounting Compliance Budget Planning and Management Computerised Accounting Credit Control Feasibility Studies Financial and Business Analysis Financial Health Checks Financial Policies and Procedures Fund Raising/Financing Insurance Investment Appraisal Management Systems Tax Planning

HEALTH & SAFETY Construction Safety Construction, Design & Management

(CDM) Co-ordinator Role Crisis Management Emergency Planning Ergonomics Fire Risk Assessment Food Safety Food Safety Regulations Compliance H&S Management Systems Hazard & Operability Studies Health & Safety Audit/Assessment Health & Safety Policy and Planning Health & Safety Systems Development Health & Safety Training Hygiene and Cleaning Systems Internal System & Supplier Auditing Loss Control Microbiological & Environmental

Monitoring Noise Survey



Pest Control Systems Pressure Systems Product Recall Systems Regulatory Requirements Risk Assessment Safety Management Stress Audits Supplier Raw Material Specification &

Material Control Systems

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Career Counselling/Outplacement Communications Audits Dispute Resolution and Mediation Emotional Intelligence Employee Communications Employee Relations Employee Support Schemes Employee Opinion Surveys Employment Law Equal Opportunities Executive Coaching Flexible Benefits HR Strategy/Policies Investors in People Job Descriptions/Role Definition Job Evaluation Learning and Development Management Development Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Performance Appraisal Performance Management Personnel Information Systems Psychometric Assessment Recruitment and Selection Redundancy Management Reward/Remuneration Schemes Stress Management Talent Management



Team Development Training - Computer Based Training Needs Analysis Training Plans Training Programme Delivery

INFORMATION & COMPUTING SYSTEMS

Change Control Data Communications Database Design/Development Documentation Systems E-commerce Systems Electronic Data Capture Electronic Document Management Electronic/Digital Signature Systems ERP Blueprinting ERP Selection / Design Facilities Management/Outsourcing Information Management IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) IT/IS Strategy Knowledge Management Management Information Systems Networking/Internet/Intranets Project Management Release Management Security/Risk/Disaster Recovery Service Level Agreements Service Management Software Development System Selection & Implementation Systems Analysis and Design Technical Architecture Test and Measurement Video Conferencing Web Site Design and Management

MARKETING & SALES Advertising Contract Negotiation



Copywriting/Editing Corporate Brand Strategy Corporate Identity Customer Relationship Management

(CRM) Customer Service Direct Mail Distribution/Agents e-Marketing Event Organisation Export & International Marketing Franchising/Licensing Importing In and Out Licensing Internet Marketing Strategy Marketing Audit Marketing Communications Marketing Information Systems Marketing Research/Analysis Marketing Strategy/Planning PR/Lobbying Product Development Product/Service Pricing Publicity Sales & Marketing Training Sales Organisation/Management Sales Promotions & Campaigns Sponsorship Telesales/Telemarketing Tendering Website Strategy & Promotion

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT Automation Benchmarking CAD/CAM Continuous Good Manufacturing Practice

(cGMP) Energy Efficiency



Implementation of Change Inventory Management Just-in-Time (JIT) Lean Operations Manufacturing Strategy Performance Improvement Process Analysis & Design Production Layouts Production Methods/Techniques Production Planning & Control Project Planning/Management Resource Efficiency Risk Management Robotics Six Sigma Testing and Approvals Transport & Distribution Utilities Usage

QUALITY MANAGEMENT Audits/Assessments Business Excellence (EFQM) Business Process Improvement FMEA Good Clinical Practice Integrated Management Systems Legal Practice Management Standards Problem Solving Techniques Product Reliability (BS 5760) Quality Controls Quality Management Systems Self-Directing Team Management Service Standards Specialist QMS (QS9000, ISO/TS 16949) Statistical Process Control Systems & Standards (ISO 9001) Total Quality Management (TQM)

SPECIALIST DESIGN Advertising



Business Literature Design Drawing/CAD Ergonomics Exhibition Displays e-Zines Fashion & Textiles Graphic Design Packaging Design Prototyping Retail Layouts & Displays Technical Writing/Literature Website Design/Construction

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Demand Planning Distribution & Warehousing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) e-Procurement Systems Fleet Management Global Sourcing Inventory Management Just-in-Time (JIT) Kanban Material Requirements Planning (MRP) Materials Management Purchase & Supply Supplier Relationship Management Transport Management Transport Management Systems (TMS) Utilities Purchase and Supply Warehouse Management Systems

(WMS)

TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

Corporate Technology Management Design/Engineering Management Innovation Intellectual Property, Licensing, and

Collaboration Product Design and Development



Product Engineering and Industrialisation Product Lifecycle Management Product Safety, Reliability, and Quality Technology Forecasting and Planning Value Engineering


APPENDIX C

List and criteria for selection of advisory roles

Role Criteria Indicators

Coach Able to develop a collaborative alliance with an individual client seeking to develop performance in a particular skill. Competent at helping clients to establish developmental goals that are focused, challenging and achievable through action planning and evaluation. Assists clients to develop self-awareness, generate alternatives and make choices.

A good people-person, with a high level of self-awareness, who is particularly skilled at one-to-one situations and who quickly builds rapport and empathy. Resourceful, with a wide network of contacts, e.g. to potential mentors for the client.

Consultant Capable of understanding the business and its environment in areas of personal specialism in stated industry sectors. Ensures the client has ownership of the solution.

An accomplished individual with practical experience and understanding of his/ her field and strong diagnostic and analytical skills. Respected and trusted by clients and business associates.

Expert advisor

Capable of acting as an expert witness or undertaking specialist research.

Well-known figure in his/her field with outstanding qualifications. Likely to have a more academic background.



Facilitator Capable of providing non-directive leadership, especially to a group. Distinguishes clearly between the role of providing assistance and guidance as opposed to directing outcomes. Attends both to (a) Process needs, for example by clarifying roles, goals and ways of working, and (b) To content needs, for example by identifying themes, clarifying content, testing for consensus, summarising and organising ideas.

An emotionally intelligent person, with a high level of self-awareness. Able to be objective and impartial, for example when helping clients express and deal with interpersonal conflict. Has probably had some formal training in group process facilitation.

Interim manager

Competent across a range of personal specialisms. Capable of working to budgets and deadlines and motivating a team.

An adaptable individual with good people management, analytical and implementation skills with practical operational capability at a senior level.

Mentor Capable of acting as a role model to the individual client and to help them deal with the organisational as well as the professional daily and long-term challenges of their job and/or career. Competent at passing on both technical as well as interpersonal skills and knowledge. Acts as a sounding board or advisor.

Has reached a high level of competency and is well regarded in their own professional field. Demonstrates a concern for personal as well as professional or technical development. Facilitation and/or coaching skill is an advantage, but not essential.

NVQ assessor or NVQ verifier

Holds current D32 or D33 certificates (assessor) or D34 or D35 certificates (verifier) in relevant field



Project manager

Capable of planning, managing and delivering a project on time and within budget through a multi-disciplinary (perhaps specialist) team

An effective time and resource manager with experience within a relevant range of business skills.

Researcher Capable of defining needs, identifying appropriate sources, designing and undertaking research, analysing data and presenting results.

A thorough, objective and analytical individual with a sound knowledge of research sources and methods.

Trainer Capable of carrying out initial training needs analysis, designing and delivering training in accordance with the client’s needs.

An experienced individual with an ability to relate to and motivate others and transfer skills.


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Word Document - BCNbcn.org.uk/.../07/BCN-Joining-the-BCN-Network-the-proc… · Web viewFMEA . Good Clinical Practice . Integrated Management Systems . Legal Practice Management