My Objective is to Help You Achieve Yours

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Fred Nickols' Service Offerings

MY DISTANCE CONSULTING VALUE PROPOSITION

What do I do?

I help my clients solve serious, vexing problems - problems that leave most other people stumped, frustrated and at a loss as to how to proceed.

Why do I do what I do?

Primarily because I’m very good at it, I like doing it, I've been doing it for a long time, and it has afforded me a comfortable living for many years, first as a consultant and then as an executive level manager in two client organizations.

Why would you want to do business with me?

Because you derive considerable value from my efforts on your behalf. My fees are far from exhorbitant and the payoffs from solving serious problems generate a sizable return on your investment in my assistance.

In addition, I have long made it part of my practice to transfer my know-how to my clients.  When I leave, if similar issues arise in the future, you don't need to call me; you can handle them on your own.

How do I do what I do?

I do it in collaboration and cooperation with my clients and others in their organizations who are relevant to the issue at hand.

I am guided in general by the notion that solving a problem entails three phases: Identification, Investigation and Intervention.

I am also guided by the knowledge that solving problems is a form of detective or intelligence work; you follow the leads, and you deal with the information that emerges.  Over time, you piece together the puzzle confronting you.  In a way, it’s much like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle without benefit of the picture on the cover of the box.

What kinds of results and assistance do I provide?

To illustrate some of what I do, here is a link to a one-pager containing a couple of stories about improving productivity through training.  Click here.

More is outlined below.  Read on at your leisure.

RESULTS AND ASSISTANCE PROVIDED

What kind of results do I help my clients realize?

• Ideas Generated

• Answers Found

• Problems Defined and Solved

• Processes Analyzed and Improved

• Decisions Formulated and Made

• Strategies Formulated and Implemented

• People Trained

In short, I can help my clients achieve their objectives.

How do I do that?  In a number of ways.  For example:

• Acting as a sounding board

• Asking lots and lots of questions

• Proposing ways of looking at and interpreting behavior and events

• Suggesting models, metaphors, approaches and frameworks

• Offering ideas and helping spot patterns

• Pointing to relevant resources

• Drawing from similar situations

• Introducing relevant tools

• Listening, listening, listening

• And, finally, I can research and write up my findings regarding topics, issues, trends, patterns, problems and anything else you'd like me to look into; I am, after all is said and done, a skilled, competent investigator and writer.

PRICE CATEGORIES

The services I offer fall into four price categories:  (1) No Charge, (2) Low End, (3) Middle and (4) High End.  All four entail an hourly rate.

The No Charge category encompasses all the existing materials on my web site - more than 300 free articles, papers, models, and the like.  In addition, there are 80+ tools in the Knowledge Workers' Tool Room and 100+ Knowledge Work columns.  In addition, the No Charge category includes an initial consultation of up to 30 minutes.

The Low End category ($50/hr) includes me providing advice and counsel, acting as a sounding board, sharing an informed opinion, and providing answers to questions and ideas for you to consider.

The Middle category ($100/hr) consists of me "looking into" matters of concern to you.  That's a shorthand way of referring to studies, analyses, diagnoses, investigations and preparing accompanying written reports.

The High End category ($200/hr) involves me providing you with assistance regarding issues of great importance to you.  My assistance can take the form of coaching, mentoring, or consulting.  Together, we engineer solutions to the problem facing you.

Regardless of the price category, I work on a retainer basis.  You buy a block of my time at the category price and I work against that retainer. 

MY PREFERRED CLIENTS

I could probably try any number of ways to sell you on using my services.  However, instead of me trying to convince you that I am what you need, let me tell you about the kind of clients I need.

First off, they are individuals seeking assistance with the issues confronting them.  Second, they can afford the fees that correspond to the kind of assistance they are seeking.  Third, they are probably experiencing some of the following:

• Pressed for time

• Pressured to produce

• Overworked, Worn Out, Swamped

• Underappreciated

• Isolated/Alone

• Beleaguered/Set Upon

• Angry/Pissed Off

Last, but perhaps most important - and for whatever reason - they believe I can help them.

TO GET STARTED . . .

If what I've just described resonates with you, send me an email using the Contact link below, and we can begin exploring a possible relationship.  Or, if you know someone who fits my ideal client profile, feel free to refer them to me.

You might want to read my personal Consulting Code of Conduct.  If that's the case, click here.

ABOUT ME

Fred Nickols is the Managing Partner at Distance Consulting.  Contact him for a no-charge, exploratory discussion focusing on how you might benefit from his services.  Fred's previous clients have worked at companies like ACT, AT&T, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Booz-Allen & Hamilton, Citicorp Services, Community Mutual (now Anthem), Educational Testing Service, Grant Thornton, Health Roundtable, Jeslen Corporation, Lipton Tea, Monarch Financial Services, Ortho Pharmaceuticals, Shared Performance LLC, Spirit of EQ, and Warner Lambert. For more about Fred, visit his personal page by clicking here.

 

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This page last updated on July 8, 2022