Traveling Onsite: Reasons (contd.): # 3

Reason 3: Providing Consultancy

A reason of onsite travel which stands much higher in the value chain is providing consultancy. The seasoned Subject Matter Experts travel onsite for providing consultancy. The nature of consultancy and the impact on client's business are key drivers towards the kind of resource required and the duration of onsite stay. It may range from a specific project's topical area or may be a detailed recommendation fuelling a strategic decision.

Most of us feel onsite travellers as consultants (and most of those traveling onsite are indeed consultants in some way) however there are some big differences which need to be noticed.


Pure-play Consultants vs Service Delivery Consultants

If someone tells you 'how should you do something' or 'what will be impact of X on Y' from a strategic or long term perspective then it can be considerred as Pure Play consultant. However, if someone tells you 'how this thing can be done in this project' or 'what will be impact of this feature X on feature Y' then it is a consultancy provided during service delivery.

Pure-play consultants solve problems with global or larger impact; Service Delivery executives may provide topical consultancy with local impact.