Reserved Consulting Capacity

A Client-Centred Way to Work with Greg Randall

Reserved Consulting Capacity is a unique and innovative consulting engagement structure developed by Greg Randall, Founder of Comma Consulting.

It is designed to give businesses ongoing access to Greg’s experienced eCommerce judgement throughout whatever evolution their digital channel is going through.

Unlike a traditional consulting retainer, the level of Greg’s involvement can increase or decrease as the needs of the business change, while access to his expertise remains throughout.

If a consultant is retained for 10 hours each week, the business will typically pay for those 10 hours regardless of how much meaningful work actually needs to be done.

This is not in the client's best interests.

The amount of eCommerce consulting expertise required naturally increases and decreases as priorities change, problems are resolved and new information becomes available.

Reserved Consulting Capacity is designed around that reality, keeping experienced eCommerce expertise available while the level of involvement adapts to what the business actually needs.

Customer-centred Consulting

If the business requires 10 hours in a week, that is all they are invoiced.

If there is nothing required in a week there is nothing to invoice.

Why Greg works this way

The role of a specialist eCommerce consulting is not to continually find new things for your business to do to justify an ongoing consulting fee.

This role should be to help you identify and work through the things that matter.

As the major priorities are resolved, it is entirely reasonable for the involvement to be reduced at certain periods.

When another important issue or opportunity emerges, the justification for more time resumes.

This allows the consulting relationship to continue without creating pressure for either parties to manufacture work simply because there is a retainer to justify.

How it works

At the beginning of the engagement, outcomes are defined, an estimated investment based on what is known is provided, and the amount of my capacity (in estimated hours) is given as an accurate guide.

As work is completed and priorities are achieved, new information may come that influences what is done next.

You receive weekly updates on work completed, the time used, what has been learned or resolved, what needs to happen next, and how the investment is tracking.

There is no requirement to consume the entire estimate of hours, the engagement can be paused or stopped at any time.

The Principle is Simple

A business should be able to retain access to experienced eCommerce advice without having to continually justify the cost of a traditional retainer.

Reserved Consulting Capacity keeps experienced eCommerce judgement available to the business when it is needed.

Sometimes that requires significant involvement while an important priority is being worked through. At other times, it may simply mean having someone available to discuss an idea or challenge a decision.

The amount of consulting required can change without the relationship having to end.