Return on Consulting – the concept Return on Consulting, or ROC, is a concept which describes and measures the added value of consulting. This not only verifies financial appreciation, but the qualitative benefits gained. The study is based on the following equally-weighted categories: costs, yield, markets, customers, employees, products, processes and governance.

The goal. ROC provides companies with a criteria catalogue for selecting and working with consultants, allowing them to manage such projects more effectively. Both the customer and consultant have the possibility to better plan and measure the costs and effectiveness of a consultant's involvement.

Return on Consulting – the study. The ROC study is part of the ROC concept. The survey will identify "best practices" when dealing with external consultants throughout the consulting process. Questions focus on the success or failure of larger projects, helping to clearly identify causes and contributing factors at work in the following areas:

    • Consulting Governance, company-wide management and the optimisation of a consultant's involvement

    • Project Governance, the project-specific management and the optimisation of a consultant's involvement

    • Relationship Quality, the communication and teamwork during a consultant's involvement

    • Individual consultant achievements.

Results of the study. The study highlights which measures, instruments and performance indicators exert a significant influence on the ROC, as well as the characteristics successful best-practice projects share. Results are based on a written survey that was carried out in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Boards of directors, governing bodies, unit and department managers, as well as project supervisors were approached for their feedback.