This is a set of questions to validate the strength of a consulting unit before you take on the P&L. Test team structure and location mix, decision rights on pricing/hiring/marketing, the performance math, pipeline health, revenue concentration, and defensible differentiators—if they don’t add up, renegotiate or walk.
Team & Structure
- What is the overall team size ?
- What is the team size per offering ? (Apps, Infra, Dynamics, Modern Workplace, …)
- What is the balance between delivery and sales roles ?
- How is the team organized ?
- What is the overall team size you want to reach in the coming years ?
- What is the your ratio between onshore / nearshore / offshore ?
- Does nearshore and offshore operates as a cost center ?
- How many project managers, architects and QA leads to ensure quality delivery ?
- How many technical pre-sales consultants do you have ?
- Do you use bench capacity to absorb peaks ?
Performance & Investments
- What are your target this year (sales, revenue, chargeability, margin, …)?
- Do you know your average deal size ?
- Do you have recurring or multi-year contracts that secure a baseline of revenue/sales ?
- What is your unit’s historical P&L performance ?
- What are your levers that most affect your margin (margin, cost of sales, failed delivery, …)?
- What are your marketing and sales budget for the department ?
- How much control do I have over pricing, hiring marketing ?
Strategy & Pipeline
- Do you have a view on your growth target by sector or offering ?
- What are the possible challenge to your plan ?
- What is your weighted pipeline for the department ? Ideally three times your annual target.
- Is your revenue diversified or dependent on a few clients ?
Revenue & Differentiation
- What is your mix between staff augmentation and project work?
- What are your differentiator against your competitors ?
- What is your biggest risks on the market ?
- Do you have a roadmap to strengthen differentiators ?
