Here are many of the questions we get asked regularly. Of course, if you have further questions please contact us by phone, fax, or e-mail and we will be delighted to answer them for you.


Q. Why do Businesses use Consultants? 

A. Businesses use consultants for a huge range of activities and advice. Some of the most common include:
n act as troubleshooter
n coaching, mentoring and general business advice
n act as a 'sounding board' for owners and managers
n help develop business plans and business strategy
n help management develop or implement new systems
n provide an 'independent' professional view from outside the organization
n implement change - in any form
n assist in financial planning, including fund-raising and strategy planning
n assist in developing marketing and sales strategies
n help with recruitment of senior staff
n specialist advice such as health & safety, COSHH, ISO9000-2000, etc.

We can provide advice and practical help on a broad range of business areas.

Q. Aren't consultants expensive?

A. A good consultant should not be expensive to your business overall. The cost of engaging a consultant is relative to the benefits derived from it, and a good consultant will be able to add value to your business.

We firmly believe that money invested in our type of business advice is a true investment, which will pay for itself many times over.

At Parcus Associates we always look to demonstrate the excellent value for money and return on your investment in the work that we do–through either better efficiency, direct cost savings, increased profits, or some other measure depending on the project.

Q. How do you charge for your services?

A. Every assignment is different, so we have to assess our client's needs carefully depending on the type of work, the length of project, the amount of supporting resource that can be used from your business etc..

Longer term projects, and some individual assignments can be delivered under the IIB's popular Business Support Program. This keeps the costs down using a reduced rate compared to normal consultancy rates and can be spread on a fixed monthly retainer basis.

We can also tailor a charging structure to your needs, based:
n by the hour
n by the day or week
n by the assignment

A proportion of our fees could also be success-related where appropriate.

Q. I have a very limited monthly budget. How can I keep track of consultancy costs?

A. All businesses have budgetary constraints and adding any level of cost, on consulting or otherwise, is always a big decision.

The Business Support Program has been designed to offer a full range of consulting services at a very competitive reduced rate, which can be spread on a fixed monthly fee. Therefore the cost is known and can be planned in the same way as your payroll costs. Indeed we are happy to time the monthly payment to coincide with your normal payroll date if this helps your cashflow planning.

You may, of course, find that you use our services for a number of projects which will incur costs over and above the base number of hours allocated under the Business Support Program. We will always discuss our time with you and will bring any potential overspend to your attention before it occurs so you remain in full control of the cost. In the event that we do agree to a project outside of the base number of hours allocated under the Business Support Program, we can very often secure such additional work at the same reduced rate. All time that we do spend will be accurately recorded and made available to you.

Q. I like what I hear, can I find out more without committing myself?

A. Of course. The best way to find out in more detail if and how we can help you is to book an appointment for us to come and talk to you in person. We could even go through our full FREE Business Healthcheck at a meeting with you.

As well as giving you the chance to meet us face-to-face, we can take you through a structured exploratory meeting during which we can quickly get an overview of most aspects of your business, and we can discuss problems and issues that you may be facing. During the meeting we should be able to highlight key areas that need to be addressed in your business. Some issues you may already be aware of, but don't know how or don't have the time to resolve. Others might be more of a surprise! For this meeting you need to allow about 2 hours. It is completely free of charge and with no obligation.

Q. What geographical area do you cover?

A. We are based in Rochester, NY and have clients spread throughout New York and the United States.

Q. My company is a small-to-medium sized business, but is a subsidiary of a larger group. Can you add value to my business?

A. Yes we can. The service we offer might be a little different - for instance you might have access to a good management team with a lot of the skills you require, and you may have very clearly defined plans and budgets laid down by your parent company. However, we can still add a great deal of value in specific projects, initiatives etc and we would be delighted to discuss your requirements with you.

Q. I would like to arrange a meeting but can't easily do anything in normal office hours. Can we meet at other times?

A. Yes we can. Just let us know when you need to meet–be it early morning, later in the evening, or even over a weekend, and we will do our utmost to meet you at a time to suit you.

Having said that, it is often very valuable at our meeting to see where you work, and see the business at work. It helps us get a feeling for the business at an early stage. However, we do recognize that this might be impossible due to time commitments or the need to meet confidentially.