Business Consultancy Course (Level 3 Diploma)

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The Business Consultancy course is a great starting point for a career as a Management Consultant. The OLQA Level 3 Diploma will prepare you for this role. Click Here  to see the profile of a Management Consultant.

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How is the course structured?

This Quality Assured Level 3 Diploma in Business Consulting course is aimed at providing a foundation in business consulting skills. It will contain 10 carefully selected and created modules to cover all aspects of Business Consultancy from Stakeholder Management to making Client Presentations. The widely recognised accreditation of this course will look great on a CV and be particularly appealing to prospective employers.

Module 1
Introduction to Business Consulting
The first module will focus upon the development of business advisory or consulting skills. It will examine how the Administration function interfaces with external consultants and business service providers. It seeks to ramp up the business knowledge of consulting skills and provide an improved understanding of the importance of these skills, together with the service they provide. Consultants are normally used in the capacity of "Corporate Problem Solvers", provision of specialist services e.g. Strategy studies, business process reviews, HR consulting etc. and as a valuable aid to busy executives in the form of interim management services of a specialist nature.

Students will gain an appreciation of:
The business of consultancyConducting consultancy projectsCreating changeEffective report writingData collection and analysisRational persuasionMaking client presentationsTraining Sessions and Workshops

The course will also explore the international dimensions of Management Consulting, with particular emphasis on the work carried out by ICMCI the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes and how this regulates the profession for CMC members on a world-wide basis.

Management Consultants are expected to obtain a higher perspective of the business and thereby add value to the Corporate decision making process. They are often subject matter experts and contain a diversified range of business experience. The question of raising your head above the parapet also involves risk and this has to be managed in accordance with the benefits that are to be derived.

Module 2
The business of Consultancy and Advisory services
This part of the course will focus upon the consulting process. How the profession of consultancy is changing within the context of the new global economy. The reasons that consultants are employed and the type of engagements that they will be expected to perform. Added focus will be on the roles of the professional bodies providing governance to the Consultancy profession and how they are evolving and changing within the context of globalization.

The course will examine the major attributes required by the professional Management Consultant and includes:
Code of ConductConsulting descriptionsTypes of engagementsProfessionalism - meaning of trustProfessional membershipInternational Consulting rolesConsulting assignmentsEvolution of consultancyImpact of the information age

The course will look at sample work settings and provide suitable illustrations from the following business settings:
Manufacturing and Industrial OrganizationsBanks and Financial InstitutesGovernment and Public sector OrganizationsEducation SectorProfessional firmsMedical Sector

Module 3
Effective Stakeholder Management
This course will be focused on how to build key client business relationships, maintaining confidence and trust of clients, delivering quality services, managing client expectations and achieving value-added contribution raising client satisfaction indicators.

Objectives for stakeholder management
Building the client / consultant relationshipUnderstanding the clientBuilding trust and confidencePhases of the relationshipUse of interventionUnderstanding problemsThe meaning and importance of qualityValue-added contributionsMaintaining the business relationship

The course will contain a number of additional learning modules made up as follows:
Understanding client entry phasePurpose of the entry phaseStages of the entry phaseBrief and scope of assignmentsPlanning the projectPutting together a proposalPresenting a proposalGaining consent

The student will gain an appreciation of dynamics, how little cogs can drive big cogs. Leveraging ideas from colleagues and utilizing best practice guidelines provided by the profession

Module 4
Key Consultancy Skills
This section is all about techniques and skills that the qualified Management Consultant will employ on business engagements. The creation of business networks, leveraging on the strength of the IMC profession, developing respected professional consulting skills
Different approaches to consulting engagementsUse of proprietary methodsBuilding your own toolboxThe value of effective researchNo substitute for training in acquisition of skillsExamination of key techniques and skills required

Students will gain an appreciation of:
Conducting interviewsConducting Client meetingsPresentations to ExecutivesProblem SolvingDecision MakingReport WritingPreparing Summary ReportsTypes of research - conducting researchThe meaning of truth - honesty in reportingInstilling confidenceEffective listening skillsHow to add value

Module 5
Managing Project Assignments
Project Management is best defined as Planning, Organization and Control in a structured and managed environment. This unit focuses on managing third party and sub contract relationships, managing consultancy staff, record keeping, client progress reporting, seeking closure, maintaining client relationships

On successful completion of this course the student should gain an appreciation of:
The fundamentals of Project ManagementAn overview of the planning processUnderstanding sub contractor relationshipsDealing with third party relationshipsManaging client engagement teamsProject Controls - setting up a projectHow to manage risksHow to establish change control proceduresConfiguration ManagementAspects of due diligenceResource Management

Module 6
Planning Consultancy Assignments
This course will focus upon the Planning consultancy engagements, methods of costing assignments, how to manage the engagement. A logical extension of the previous unit but directly focused on the business planning of consultancy engagements

Students will gain an appreciation of:
Project Planning techniquesUse of ExcelUse of Microsoft ProjectEstimatingManaging resourcesImportance of critical path analysisFixed duration contractsIncremental deliveryMitigating client risk

Module 7
Data Collection and Analysis
Techniques for collection and assessment of information / data. How data is to be interpreted, sifting facts from opinion, creating objective and reliable information. The course will cover the following components:
Types of information and dataDetermination of what data to collectHow to determine the data capture methodAnalysis of dataPresentation of dataDissemination of dataSourcing dataResearching dataImportance of EvidenceData Integrity

The student will gain an appreciation of the complexity of information and data. How to deal with large volumes of data and information and filter this into a set of precise requirements in order to meet management objectives. The techniques for dissemination of information and providing reliable sources of information with data integrity. The techniques for presenting information including use of tables, statistics, graphs and business models

Module 8
Effective Report Writing Skills
Writing effective management reports, techniques for board room presentations. The course will cover the following components:
Is a report really needed?When to write reportsTypes of ReportsExecutive SummariesQuality in reportsPresentation of informationUse of diagrams and illustrationsWriting the reportDelivering the reportConcept of hard and soft copies

The student will gain an understanding and appreciation of writing consultancy style management reports. How to gain Executive "buy in" and management inclusion in the submission of final assignment reports. Particularly exploring aspects of quality and presentation

Module 9
Making Client Presentations
The art of making efficient client presentations, use of software, technique of delivery, different types of presentations and techniques to use. The course will cover the following components:
Constraints on presentationsPreparing for presentationsEnvironmentMedia for presentationsEffective speakingAudience participationJudging the moodDelivering the presentationLearning from mistakesDressing for the occasion

The student will gain an appreciation of how to prepare for and conduct business presentations. A look at the consultancy techniques that make this means of visual /oral communication so powerful.

Module 10
Rational Persuasion
The technique of gaining support for your arguments and winning through on business recommendations. The course will cover the following components:
The anatomy of rational persuasionPreparing for persuasionTechniques of persuasionConducting a meetingListening skillsBalanced argumentsInspiring confidencePlanning an outcome

The student will expect to gain an understanding and appreciation of how people will react in varying situations. How consultants have to explain decisions to clients, the rationale behind judgements and business recommendations. How to persuade a client to take a specific course of action in order to achieve a desired result.

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