Total quality management consulting firms are invaluable when your business needs specialized talent or industry knowledge that is not currently available on your staff. With their vast resources, total quality management experts offer fresh perspective, experience, knowledge and skills to provide successful solutions for your business.

TQM consulting firms provide important skills for businesses seeking to plan new initiatives, develop strategic planning, refresh current programming or transition staff responsibilities. Total quality management consultants increase productivity and efficiency by addressing essential issues, recognizing internal or external obstacles and providing specialized services to improve your business.

Before beginning your search for TQM consulting companies, it is important to define your consulting needs. Clearly identify the goal of your TQM consultancy service, project scope, services needed, time frame and budget. This information will help your organization select the best total quality management consultant to meet your specific needs.

When selecting total quality management specialists, research each consulting practice and evaluate the following:

1. What kind of experience do the total quality consultants offer my business?

2. What services do the TQM advisors provide to enhance my business?

3. How much should my business invest in total quality management consulting services?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Hire total quality management consulting companies that specialize in your industry

Select total quality management consultants who are seasoned professionals with extensive experience in your business or industry. Ask to see a list of past and present clients, and request references.

I recommend: PROMAX Consulting Services, Inc., specializes in quality system methodologies, and features an online client list representing a wide range of industries. Shaw Resources focuses on operational consulting for health care organizations. TQM Consultants provides quality management systems consulting for manufacturing and service industries.

Choose TQM Consultants with proven skills

Review the consulting work provided by each total quality management consulting firm. Evaluate the TQM consultancy firm's experience, qualifications and certifications, and request successful project examples of the specific skill sets you need.

I recommend: In addition to TQM services, Technology Research Corporation offers a comprehensive menu of business consulting services. Auxis, Inc., a management consulting firm, features online clients success stories. Wolf Management Consultants, Inc., provides TQM services focused on the dimensions of people and infrastructure.

Select total quality management consultants that meet your budget

Many TQM consultants operate on a retainer with a minimum time commitment. Several utilize an hourly fee structure for short-term projects. Your total quality management consultancy cost will depend upon the scope of your services.

I recommend: Request a consulting quote from Omnex , Inc., a consulting and software development firm specializing in management system solutions. Get a quote on web-based quality management systems at Intelex Technologies Inc.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure that it is written into your contract that the TQM consulting firm will not provide services to any competing business during the course of your professional relationship.
• •  It is tempting to save time by interviewing just one TQM consultancy firm. However, it is in your organization's best interest to contact and interview several total quality management consulting firms to discuss your potential project. Two or three choices will provide you with the best possible match in skills, services, price and rapport for both you and the TQM consultancy.